2023-10-08 23:14:12
Despite their defeat, the Fijians qualified for the quarter-finals. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP
Portugal won this Sunday in Toulouse against Fiji (24-23), the last nation qualified for the quarter-finals. First victory at the World Cup for Os Lobos.
A formality for Fiji? This is what one could imagine, knowing that the Fijian selection only needed a small point against modest Portugal to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup. Except that Os Lobos had other plans in mind, they who had a lead of up to seven points in the second half this Sunday, in Toulouse, before being overtaken on the scoreboard. They finally made the decision in the last minutes with a converted try from Marta (24-23).
In the end, Fiji are still the last qualified for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup. They will face England next Sunday. Australia, third in Group C, is eliminated. Expected thunderclap. Remember that Wales finished at the top of the group. First victory for Portugal.
Wisps but no tests
Three everywhere at the break: you are not mistaken, it was indeed a rugby match and not a football match, it was just missing the tries. This is actually the only thing that was missing, since everything else was there to make the Ernest Wallon stadium in Toulouse vibrate. Both teams wanted to play, and it showed. We can no longer count the number of hand throws, defenders beaten and meters gained on Sunday evening. The only ones to have scored points were Lomani for Fiji, and Marques for the Portuguese. But we vibrated in this first act, to the rhythm of the Lobos’ efforts to contain the Flying Fijians, and their rides full of panache.
A second historic act
All that was missing was the tries, well we were served in this second half. Returning from the locker room, winger Costa scored the first try of the evening for the Portuguese (45′), after a magnificent low kick for himself. After a first transformation from Marques (4/4), the Lobos then led for the first time of the evening. Not in confidence, at 14 against 15 after Botia’s yellow card (50′), the Fijians still managed to get back on track with a power try from the forwards and the pillar Doge (68th). Lomani, with two successful penalties (74′, 76′), then thought he would protect his team. But that was without counting on the determination of their adversaries. In the 78th minute, Marta scored a final try to get within a small point of the Pacific Warriors, well served by Costa. Marques, excellent this evening, scored the conversion for the win in the 80th minute. A historic first victory in the World Cup, which must have left many regrets among Eddie Jones’ Wallabies, eliminated with the same number of points as the Fijians who will face the English in the quarter-final.
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