Rugby World Cup: Match officials put downer on England's party

Fiji winger Nemani Nadolo scores a try against England during the opening match, of Pool A match between Fiji and England held at Twickenham. Photo / Brett Phibbs

England 35 Fiji 11
Finally, after what has seemed like an extraordinarily long build-up, the 2015 World Cup is under way, with England making not so much a statement first up against Fiji at Twickenham, more a suggestion that they might be a moderately difficult team to break down.

They were deserved winners against a Fiji team who were terribly unlucky in the first half.

Nikola Matawalu, their halfback and one of their best players, was yellow carded for diving into the side of a maul, in the process also conceding a penalty try. Later, on the stroke of halftime, he was penalised by referee Jaco Peyper for going off his feet at the tackle when it looked like he did anything but.

There was more of the same from a set of match officials which increasingly had the crowd of 80,000 and a worldwide television audience of about 450 million looking at their watches. Lock Api Ratuniyarawa was penalised for cleaning out a ruck without using his arms after it was spotted by TV match official Shaun Veldsman, like Peyper a South African.

The standard for such an intervention is "clear and obvious". This was not.

Image 1 of 14: Former England rugby international Jonny Wilkinson (L) carries the Webb Ellis Cup past a crowd prior to the opening ceremony of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Earlier, flanker Dominiko Waqaniburotu was penalised for lifting a player through the horizontal. A yellow card was mentioned but not shown by Peyper. The sum effect was frustration from the Fijians and probably most neutrals watching. This was and will be rugby's big chance to shine and yet it was the match officials who seemed to be wanting to be on the big stage.

One of the themes of an impressive and touching opening ceremony was "giants of the game" and maybe the officials need to a quiet reminder said giants should be the players.

Nemani Nadolo, the Fiji and Crusaders' colossal left wing, and a player destined to take this tournament by storm, scored when outjumping Anthony Watson. Everyone at the ground knew it was a try apart from, apparently, Peyper, who referred it to Veldsman.

Really? The first half took 51 minutes due to all the stoppages.

In between the officiousness, a game of rugby broke out. No9 Matawalu almost scored a stunning 50m try, only to drop the ball on the line in the act of scoring. England's No11 Jonny May entertained with his slipperiness. The England pack's defending was impressive.

Fiji, though, with elements of the big crowd beginning to chant for them, refused to give up. The constant stoppages after the break probably helped them, although England didn't help themselves with an inability to spot space when it was available.

Nadolo's charges became more damaging but the pack in red regained the advantage; one scrum in their own territory marching Fiji back and earning a penalty. Mike Brown scored his second try for England with genuine pace and strength, but Veldsman's decision to award a bonus-point try to replacement Billy Vunipula on the stroke of fulltime brought back those memories of the first half.

England 35 (George Ford 2 pens, con; Owen Farrell pen, 2 cons; Mike Brown 2 tries, Billy Vunipula try, penalty try)
Fiji 11 (Nemani Nadolo pen, try; Ben Volavola pen)

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