After a crazy match against the Welsh, a historic victory against the Australians and a valuable success against Georgia, the South Pacific players are in an ideal position to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, for the third time in their history. They still have one last group match to play, Sunday against Portugal.
Published on: 05/10/2023 – 09:10
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Never two without three ? Fiji – 8th world nation according to the World Rugby rankings – want to believe in their qualification for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup.
Small country of some 920 000 habitants In the South Pacific, Fiji have already reached this stage of the competition twice. The first time was in 1987, during the first edition of the world championship. They were already a sensation then but were kicked out by France (31-16). Twenty years later, in 2007, the “Flying Fijians” had failed (37-20) against the formidable South Africans, future world champions.
But sixteen years later, on the occasion of the World Cup in France (their ninth participation in a World Cup), Simon Raiwalui’s players want to mark the occasion and reach the knockout phase for the third time in their history.
A low-budget team, Fiji completed their preparation for the World Cup in the best possible way – and surprised the rugby world – by winning against England (6th nation in the world, 22-30) on August 26 last, what’s more, in London’s Twickenham stadium, considered the world temple of the oval ball.
Historic victory against Australia
From their first match in this French edition of the World Cup, Fiji came very close to an exploit against Wales (7th nation in the world) on September 10, in Bordeaux. Despite a crazy rise in the score with two tries in five minutes from the Fijians, a hand fault on the part of Radradra Seeds a few seconds before the final whistle, the hope of a victory was destroyed.
Fiji lost with a score of 32-26 and did not repeat the feat of Nantes during the 2007 World Cup, where they won against the Welsh (38-34). The official website of the Rugby World Cup evokes this meeting as “the most memorable match” for the Fijian XV in the World Cup.
But the “Flying Fijians” are not letting up. On September 17, they beat Australia in the next match in Saint-Étienne (22-15), in an epic South Pacific duel. A historic success against the double world champion (1991 and 1999) thanks in particular to the fourteen points scored on the foot by Simione Kuruvoli and a try from Josua Tuisova, which ended 69 years without a victory against the “Wallabies”, and their allows you to secure a place in the ranking favorable to a potential quarter-final.
“They are the new version of Fiji, disciplined, athletic and consistent. I would not be surprised to see them go very far in this competition. They played very well, they outclassed Australia tonight,” reacted after the match former Australian international Joe Roff, who played on the wing for the Wallabies at three Rugby World Cups in 1995, 1999 and 2003.
“I think this is the best (Fijian) team that has ever been to the World Cup, because we are on the rise and now we have this victory over Australia. We won a match and we can -to be on the way to the quarter-finals (…). Given the game we displayed today, we know that the team is capable of competing at this level.”, reacted the former half-back opening of Fiji, and rugby sevens legend, Waisale Serevi, who also participated in three World Cups in 1991, 1999 and 2003.
“The Fijian victory a month ago against England was not a coincidence”, writes the Sydney Morning Herald the day after Australia’s defeat against Fiji. “Let’s say it: the Rugby World Cup is no longer just the business of the Six Nations, plus South Africa, New Zealand and Australia,” the daily continues, insisting that “ When they’re on their best day, it feels like the Fijians can beat any team.”
A quarter-final against England?
Simon Raiwalui’s players also did not miss their meeting against Georgia on September 30 in Bordeaux, winning with a score of (17-12), and almost validating their ticket for the quarter-finals of the tournament. They still have to face Portugal, 16th nation in the world and last in Group C, on October 8 for their last group match to confirm their participation in the knockout phase.
In Pool C, a qualification of the Fijians alongside the Welsh in the quarter-finals would also mean an exit for Australia from the group stage, which would be unheard of since the creation of the Rugby World Cup.
The question is who the Fijians would face in the quarter-finals if they qualify. According to the rankings…the most likely seems to be England, first in Pool D, their pre-tournament opponent. The English – already qualified – recorded three good victories in three matches, enough to regain a certain confidence capable, undoubtedly, of better withstanding the potential Fijian assaults and not seeing the defeat of August 26 repeated.
Read also All the results and rankings from the Rugby World Cup
