Seremaia Bai kicked a last minute penalty for Fiji to level the scores 16-16 at the Millennium Stadium after Wales looked to have done enough to win the Invesco Perpetual autumn series clash.
Yet another powerful platform from the Welsh pack brought the home side back into the game in the second half, but a spirited Fijian defence held Wales at bay after relentless attacks in the final ten minutes.
Ospreys fly-half Dan Biggar, got Wales on the score-sheet after six minutes with a simple penalty in his first start of the Invesco Perpetual Series.
Fiji who started the game well, drew the scores level as Bai kicked his first penalty of the evening.
Wales began to build together a promising phase of attack until Bai up-ended Aled Brew in a shuddering tackle. The fly-half saw yellow for the incident while Biggar kicked the resulting penalty.
The Welsh pack carried on from where they left off against Australia and South Africa, piling the pressure on their visitors upfront but could not make the extra man count.
With Bai off the field, kicking duties for the pacific islanders fell to Exeter Chief’s Josh Matavesi who calmly slotted home his side’s second penalty to again level the scores.
James Hook provided the spark that got the Welsh crowd onto their feet as he combined with centre partner Andrew Bishop to launch an attack that first sent Brew storming up-field.
The ball was then whipped across field to George North who was denied by a last ditch tackle just five metres out.
As Wales stretched the Fijian defence they looked dangerous, but it was Fiji who crossed for the opening try.
The ball was spilt at the back of the Welsh lineout and Sisa Koyamaibole was the first to react, pouncing of a loose-ball before striding forty metres towards the Welsh line.
Fiji spread the ball wide and Racing Metro’s Albert Vulivuli powered his way over to score. Bai added the extra two points with the conversion.
On the stroke of half-time another powerful scrummage from the Welsh eight was rewarded with a penalty, but with no time left on the clock Biggar had had no choice but to opt for a shot at goal, which dropped ever so slightly short.
With the second half just eight minutes old Warren Gatland called upon Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones, Bradley Davies and Tom Shanklin from the bench to ignite his side and they certainly delivered.
Lee Byrne was held up just centimetres short and from the five-metre scrum the forwards again took control.
The visitors could not cope with the power of the Welsh scrum and referee Jerome Garces had no alternative but to award a penalty try as Fiji conceded four penalties in quick succession at the set piece.
Jones converted from in front of the posts and then added a penalty four minutes later as Wales regained the lead.
In terms of territory and possession Wales dominated the stats in the second-half but the spirited Fijian defence proved tough to crack and they got the draw they deserved as Bai kicked them level on the final whistle.
