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There’s no disguising this one. South Africa against Fiji should be a mismatch of a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal. Fiji would have to produce the perfect game to upset South Africa and advance to the semifinals. So that’s what coach Ilie Tabua is asking his squad to do. Fiji qualified for their first World Cup quarterfinal since the inaugural edition in 1987 with a 38-34 upset over Wales.
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A knockout place is a minimum requirement for a top team. Looking at the weekend’s results, you can’t be happy about the state of rugby among the Six Nations. When Wales, Italy and Ireland go out of the World Cup at the pool stage, when Scotland, England and France struggle, you have to conclude that the old tournament is no longer quite what it was.
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/ 16 September 2007
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Fiji beat Canada 29-16 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday as they sighted a return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1987. The Pacific islanders moved into second place in Pool B behind Australia, piling the pressure on to Wales who they’ll meet in a winner-takes-all clash in Nantes on September 29, with the prize of a last-eight place at stake.