The ever entertaining Fiji have defeated a valiant Japan 31-13 tonight in Townsville.
The Fijians have put on their best performance of the Tournament and will now watch Saturday’s game between Scotland and France with interest with their quarter finals hopes well and truly alive.
In a backline full of attacking potential Fijian fullback Norman Ligairi was a stand out, scoring two tries and proving a constant threat from the back.
With so much attention going to his backline, Fijian frontrower Isaia Rasila was also outstanding . The big loosehead showed great mobility as he popped up all over the park to lend some support to his team mates.
But it was the Japanese based Ligairi who stole the show. In the first half he scored a classic Fijian try after the ball went through plenty of sets of hands before the lightstepping custodian crossed in the corner.
In the second half he was on hand to secure the bonus with a sensational 70 metre solo effort. After collecting a kick, the fullback delicately chipped the ball over the first line of defence before soccering the ball a further thirty metres up field.
The ball held up perfectly two metres before the tryline from where the flying fullback scooped the ball up effortlessly with one hand to dive over.
For Japan fly half Andrew Miller and number 8 Takeomi Ito fought valiantly to the end as Japan showed why they have won so many hearts in their Far North Queensland base.
The New Zealand born Miller had scored all of Japan’s 13 points before half time. The fly half provided the highlight of the opening stanza with a stunning 53 metre drop goal to level the scores at 6 all. With Japan in possession they threw the ball back to the fly half who had set himself for the monstrous strike.
He also scored a try of his own after number 8 Takeomi Ito made the break from the scrum base before he found his captain Takuro Miuchi. From the break down Miller found himself in space to cross untouched.
The game was just 48 seconds old when Japanese scrum half Takashi Tsuji failed to hold the high ball and his supprt player conceded a penalty for off side.
Fijian legend Waisale Serevi landed the penalty goal. From that point on the points flowed freely.
After 11 minutes Serevi, who was wearing his watch whilst on the field, was replaced by Fiji’s most capped player Nicky Little after he injured his shoulder.
Fijian wing Aisea Tuilevu also grabbed a double with a try in both halves. In the first half he made a sensational weaving solo run to score after Seru Rabeni had earlier chanced him arm to make the break down field.
He got his second of the night after centre Epeli Ruivadra threaded the ball over the top of two defenders to find his wing ready to race the 22 metres.
Canterbury Crusaders wing Marika Vunibaka rounded out the scoring with a try after being on the end of the backline move with just five minutes left on the clock.
The Fijians play their last pool game against Scotland on 1 November, whilst the Japanese will close their campaign against the Eagles in what should be great battle next Monday 27 October.
Fiji 41
Tries: Ligairi 2, Tuilevu 2, Vunibaka
Conversions: Little 2
Penalties: Little 3, Serevi 1
Defeated
Japan 13
Tries: Miller
Conversion: Miller
Penalties: Miller
Drop goal: Miller