Australia have kicked off their Rugby World Cup campaign with a 28-13 victory over Fiji at the Millennium Stadium.
The Wallabies took control heading into half time thanks to David Pocock's brace, but they were unable to push on and claim a bonus point in South Wales.
It was Australia who were on top in the early stages, without truly being able to cause their opponents any real problems in a cagey start to the contest.
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Fiji were dealt an early blow when Waisea Nayacalevu was stretchered off the field with what appeared to be a tournament-ending injury.
A slack forward pass from the Pacific Islanders then gifted Bernard Foley the chance to get his - and indeed Australia's - first points of the competition when finding the sticks from close range.
John McKee's men, currently ranked ninth in the world, soon hit back when Nemani Nadolo followed suit by himself kicking over after the much-fancied Aussies conceded two penalties in quick succession.
Buoyed by that, a period of Fiji domination followed when a wave of attacks ended narrowly short, and that would ultimately prove costly as the Wallabies soon found their stride.
Skipper Stephen Moore successfully picked out Pocock from a dangerous lineout, allowing the openside flanker to cross over for his fifth Test try in the famous yellow and green strip.
Foley made no mistake from the conversion to keep alive his perfect early kicking record, while there was more joy to come five minutes later when Pocock found the whitewash for a second time.
The score - which makes Pocock his country's record-scoring forward at a World Cup - came directly on the back of Campese Ma'afu being disciplined, as Fiji began to crumble in the latter stages of the opening 40 minutes.
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There was still time for Foley to extend the two-time winners' lead even further when more handling errors from the Fijians saw them punished in the closing moments of a half that had shown so much promise at one stage.
With a bonus-point win very much the target for Michael Cheika's charges, they were quick out of the blocks following the restart and well on their way thanks to Sekope Kepu.
Israel Folau instigated the initial move when charging down the left, before a well-worked ruck culminated in Kepu adding his name to the scoresheet.
The extras were added by Foley and, while Nadolo did manage to bolster his side's tally by three more points from the boot, Australia remained firm against a Fiji side showing more promise in the final third all of a sudden.
That was until the hour mark, at least, when the growing pressure finally told and Ben Volavola found a gap at the back to touch down for his first international score.
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It was also an historic moment in the context of this showpiece tournament, too, taking the overall scoring beyond the 5,000-point mark.
Nadolo was on target from the follow-up to bring the Flying Fijians even closer, but 12 points still remained the difference heading into the final 10 minutes.
The task looked all the more difficult for Fiji as, after a brief stoppage in play when James Slipper was knocked unconscious, Foley was successful with his penalty attempt to kill off any momentum from McKee's men.
Tevita Kuridrani was shown a yellow with around six minutes still left on the clock against the country of his birth, with Australia - still with just the single defeat in the opening game of a World Cup - unable to cross over for a fourth try.
The victory leaves Australia in third place in the Pool A standings, a point below England and Wales, while Fiji - winless in five now at the World Cup - are down in fourth.
Daniel Lewis
