Fiji fought back from a sloppy start to beat fading Georgia 17-12 on Saturday and remain on course for the World Cup quarter-finals, pushing Australia to the brink of elimination.
Fiji scored two second-half tries in Bordeaux as they rebounded from a nine-point half-time deficit to tighten their grip on second place in Group C, but their failure to collect a bonus point left Australia with a slight hope of avoiding a first ever group-stage exit.
Georgia were eliminated. Australia and Fiji both finish the group by facing Portugal. Australia need to pick up a bonus-point win and hope Fiji lose without a point. Even Portugal could sneak in with two remarkable victories.
With a quarter-final place beckoning, Fiji started anxiously in Bordeaux, messing up restarts, losing lineouts, giving away penalties and paying the habitual price for their high-risk passing attack and repeatedly dropping the ball.
Yet Georgia also showed nerves as they blew gilt-edged touchdown chances at each end of the half.
After two minutes, Akaki Tabutsadze spilled the ball with the try-line calling.
The winger was denied at the end of the half. After Georgia counter-attacked more than 60 metres following a double Fijian fumble, Tornike Jalagonia hurled his pass forward as he found the wide-open Tabutsadze.
Georgia did punish Fiji’s indiscipline.
Luka Matkava kicked a short penalty and long-range specialist Davit Niniashvili booted one from inside his own half and one from almost 50m to give Georgia a 9-0 half-time lead.
What a hit!
That’s a monster boot from Davit Niniashvili 💥#RWC2023 | #FIJvGEO pic.twitter.com/2tFDmuuBd7
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 30, 2023
But Georgia had also lost hooker Tengizi Zamtaradze and lock Lasha Jaiani to injury in the first 17 minutes, leaving their replacements to play more than three-quarters of a ferocious match.
Fiji’s Semi Radradra drew a yellow card for a deliberate knock on in the first minute of the second half.
Down a man, Fiji finally made their passes stick. Captan Waisea Nayacalevu twirled through two tackles on the wing to touch down behind his back.
Waisea Nayacalevu. World-class finish. When it mattered.#RWC2023 | #FIJvGEO pic.twitter.com/WwevuekRlA
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 30, 2023
Frank Lomani converted from wide and then hit the post with a penalty from right in front but squirted one through from a few yards further away after 65 minutes to put Fiji a point ahead.
Georgia’s defence began to slacken. Flanker Levani Botia smashed into the Georgian line and then flipped a sublime pass to substitute Vinaya Habosi who jagged though a huge hole to score.
Lomani converted and Fiji had an eight-point lead and 11 minutes to earn a try bonus point and lock up a last-eight place
Instead, Josua Tuisova tackled high and bumped heads with Miriani Modebadze to earn a card and Matkava converted the penalty.
Fiji survived one last Georgian thrust to hold on for the victory.
Photo: Getty Images
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