WALES boss Warren Gatland was pleased in defeat to Australia but is unlikely to be satisfied in victory against Fiji after an insipid game at the Millennium Stadium.

Gethin Jenkins and his team ran out 17-13 victors in the capital but it was shocking fare for the 61,326-strong crowd.

New Zealand are in town next weekend followed by South Africa and the world’s top two won’t exactly be quaking in their boots after an error-strewn display.

Wales turned the ball over 22 times and failed to score a point in the second half despite Fiji loosehead Campese Ma’afu being sent off for a second yellow card with almost half an hour to go.

Their tactics were poor and their execution was even worse, leaving the Islanders to do a lap of honour while the hosts traipsed back to their changing room.

Full-back Liam Williams and flanker Justin Tipuric were bright but it wasn’t a display to give Gatland, who had made eight changes to the XV that lost to the Wallabies, too many selection headaches ahead of the All Blacks encounter.

In fact, were it not for their dominant driving lineout Wales, shapeless in attack, could have been reflecting on another shock defeat to the Fijians.

Wales opened the scoring in the seventh minute when, playing with a penalty advantage after Fiji had stopped a driving lineout illegally inside the 22, the ball was worked to the left for Scott Williams to give George North a simple run-in.

But the hosts had a lucky escape in the 14th minute when fly-half Rhys Priestland, who had earlier missed the tricky conversion, allowed the ball to slip from his grasp on halfway and the ball was kicked on for North and opposite number Waisea Nayacalevu to have a foot race.

The Northampton man made a wild hack five metres out and was lucky that the Islanders’ speedster from Stade Francais failed to gather the loose ball with the line at his mercy.

Wales made the most of the miss after 19 minutes when, after several charges at the Fijian line, Priestland whipped the ball to the right wing for Alex Cuthbert to score his fourth try in four games.

The conversion was wide and giant 6ft 5ins, nearly 20st centre Nemani Nadolo swiftly cut the lead to 10-3.

And it was 10-6 after 29 minutes when Nadolo bisected the posts following a sweeping Fijian attack from deep inside their own territory in which Glasgow’s Leone Nakaraw and Tevita Cavubati featuring prominently.

The tourists should then have taken the lead only for captain Akapusi Qera to criminally ignore fellow back row forward Dominiko Wakaniburotu and wing Asaeli Tikoirotuma waiting to canter in down the left.

The hideous decision was made worse when Nadolo pulled a penalty attempt earned by the pressure.

Wales kept it simple to regain control, going back to the driving lineout that had troubled the visitors.

It earned a yellow card for prop Campese Ma’afu and then, after a third illegally stopped maul, a penalty try to make the half-time score a little bit more comfortable at 17-6.

Yet the errors kept piling up after the restart with Wales failing to hold on to the ball.

Like in the first half, they turned to the driving lineout to put the pressure on and blindside Dan Lydiate was denied a first Test try after being held up over the line by Niko Matawaluu.

But from the very next lineout Ma’afu was slightly early with his drive against Bradley Davies as the lock claimed the ball and received a second yellow from French referee Pascal Gauzere, leaving the Fijians to play the last 27 minutes with 14 men.

They hardly had any alarms in a drab game until a break by Liam Williams, who had a fine game at full-back, gave Taulupe Faletau a 20-metre run to the line in the 72nd minute only for the TMO to rule out the score for a knock-on.

And the game was in the balance at the death after that man Nadolo intercepted Priestland’s pass and got his massive frame over from 70 metres despite the best efforts of centre Scott Williams.

He converted himself to make it 17-13 and suddenly it was squeaky bum time with a minute left.

Wales held on but it wasn’t a victory to spark wild celebrations.

Wales: L Williams, A Cuthbert, S Williams, J Roberts, G North, R Priestland, M Phillips, G Jenkins (N Smith 65), S Baldwin, S Lee (R Jones 59), B Davies, L Charteris (A W Jones 65), D Lydiate (J King 59), J Tipuric, T Faletau.

Scorers: tries – G North, A Cuthbert, penalty; conversion – R Priestland

Fiji: M Talebula, W Nayacalevu, V Goneva (T Nagusa 71), N Nadolo, A Tikoirotuma, J Matavesi, N Matawalu (H Seniloli 71), C Ma'afu, S Koto, M Saulo (N Soqeta 65), L Nakawara, T Cavubati, D Waqaniburotu (M Ravulo 71), A Qera (captain), M Matadigo (J Yanuyanutawa 43- 46, 60).

Scorers: try – N Nadolo; conversion – N Nadolo; penalties – N Nadolo (2)

Yellow card: C Ma’afu. Red card: C Ma’afu

Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)

Attendance: 61,326

Argus star man: Niko Matawalu