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Wallabies not 'perfect' but job done for Australia boss Cheika

Head-coach Michael Cheika admits his team was far from perfect in their comeback 39-21 victory ag...



Head-coach Michael Cheika admits his team was far from perfect in their comeback 39-21 victory against Fiji at the Rugby World Cup.

Silatolu Latu went over twice as the 2015 finalists scored four second-half tries to secure the win.

Michael Hooper, Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete also scored tries for the Wallabies.

“We’re not looking for perfection,” Cheika said after the clash at the Sapporo Dome.

“It never happens in this game. We got tested. I think they got us a bit on the hop early on. They came out with some real aggression and we didn’t get into our rhythm or flow.

“Once we got back to basics it was a good contest.

“You have to always respect your opponent and ... try and impose yourself on them. They imposed themselves on us in the first-half".

Australia wing Reece Hodge escaped a red card in the 26th minute when he prevented Peceli Yato from scoring a certain try.

Fiji captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu says he asked referee Ben O'Keeffe to refer the incident to English TMO Rowan Kitt, and the tackle was deemed legitimate.

"He said he didn't see anything so it will be referred to the TMO. We will just have to see what happens," Waqaniburotu said.

"I haven't seen footage of the incident yet, but maybe some people will look at it. We haven't spoken to the TMO yet," Fiji head-coach John McKee said of the decision.

"The referee has a tough job out there. There's a lot going on. We maybe didn't get the rub of the green, but we have no complaints about the referee.

"We take a lot out of that game and we are still in this tournament. We will be watching how Wales and Australia go. We're still in this tournament."

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