'Spirits down'

Fiji advances with hard-fought 38-22 win

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Posted: Saturday October 09, 1999 06:34 PM

Fiji's Jacob Rauluni (foreground, in white) scrambles with the ball. AP

BORDEAUX, France (CNN/SI) -- Canada put the brakes on Fiji's free-flowing game, but captain Gareth Rees' fine kicking wasn't enough in the scrappy Group C contest.

Fiji's four tries and Niki Little's 18 points from the boot proved decisive in the islanders 38-22 match.

Fiji's win sets up a mouthwatering clash with France in Toulouse next week to decide which country advances automatically for a quarterfinal clash in Dublin likely against Ireland or Australia.

The loser in Toulouse will take part in the playoffs.

"I wasn't completely happy today because we made too many mistakes and it took us time to get going," said Fiji coach Brad Johnstone. "We have a big job against France."

Canada now needs a big win against Namibia to stay in with a chance of making it to the playoffs as the best third-placed team.

"In the first 30 minutes we played the way we wanted to play," said coach Pat Parfrey. "But at the end of the first half mistakes crept in and that gave them confidence."

Rees, who hasn't been 100 percent fit during the World Cup because of a thigh injury, limped through the second half but still kicked 17 points via a conversion, a field goal and four penalties to keep the Canadians in the game until the last 10 minutes.

"This was a must-win for us to get second place. We gave it a good shot but made too many mistakes," Rees said. "Our spirits are down but there is still a chance."

Parfrey said that in the last match between the two countries in May, which Fiji won 40-29, his team had played too much wide rugby.

Canada didn't make that mistake in Bordeaux, closing the game down at every opportunity in an attempt to stifle Fiji's flowing style.

"Fiji are more skillful than us," Parfrey said. "We don't have the ability to maintain continuity, but try to make up for that with intensity."

Viliame Satala scored two tries in front of the 27,000 fans at the Stade Lescure, home of French soccer champion Bordeaux.

But it was Canada, without a test victory in 12 months and a 33-20 loser against France last week, which opened a 10-point lead after an opening 15 minute burst when Mike James crossed for the first try and Rees added the conversion and another penalty.

Rees added another penalty and a field goal, but Fiji responded with three tries in the opening period to take a 22-16 halftime lead.

Little extended Fiji's lead to 25-16 with a drop goal three minutes into the second half but Rees reduced the margin to five points with a penalty in the 49th minute.

Winger Marika Vunibaka crossed for Fiji's fourth try on the hour after retrieving a territorial kick on the left flank, finding support on the inside and then backing up to take the final pass and cross untouched out wide.

Little added a conversion to extend the lead to 32-19 and then traded penalty goals with Rees to maintain a 13-point buffer at 35-22 with 10 minutes to play. He added another penalty in the 74th minute to extend the margin to 16 points.

Vunibaka was sent off in second half injury time for allegedly head-butting a Canadian rival, leaving Fiji with 14 men and almost certainly setting up an appointment with the Rugby World Cup judiciary panel.

Fiji's comeback started when Satala crossed for his first in the 17th minute after receiving the ball from a quick penalty tap by flyhalf Little and stepping through the defense to reduce Canada's led to 10-5.

Rees, a veteran of four World Cups, extended Canada's lead to 16-5 with a penalty from close range and 25-meter field goal before the Fijians, who beat Namibia 67-18 in its first match, stormed back in the closing 20 minutes of the first period.

Referee Ed Morrison awarded a penalty try to Fiji in the 35th minute when Fero Lasagavibau was pulled back by Canadian defenders as he chased a Little chip kick in the attacking quarter. Little added the conversion from in front to reduce Canada's lead to four points.

Satala notched his second try in first-half injury time when he accelerated onto a pass from Little inside Canada's quarter and broke two tackles en route to touching down under the posts.

Fiji

Canada

Referee: Ed Morrison, England.

 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.