France 28 Fiji 19

A last minute try by winger Christophe Dominici gave France a 28-19 win over Fiji and landed them the Group C crown -- Fiji finish runners-up.

An error ridden match in which the French, who led 13-3 at the break, scored three tries to Fiji's one was enlivened by a superb touchdown from Fijian fullback Alfred Uluinayau to get his side back into the match in the second-half.

The match descended into farce with 15 minutes to go as referee Paddy O'Brien, who had a poor game, awarded France eight successive scrums five metres out and booked all three of the Fijian front row for purposefully turning the scrums before finally awarding the French a penalty try.

Fijian fly-half Nicky Little, who had been preferred to sevens legend Waisale Serevi because coach Brad Johnstone believed he exerted more control, had reduced the gap to just seven points four minutes into the second period with a sweetly struck penalty.

Uluinayau then produced his magic taking the pass from scrum-half Jacob Rauluni and broke three feeble tackles, sidestepping fullback Ugo Mola, to run it in from 40 metres out for his second international try and turned the volatile French crowd against their side.

Five minutes later the Fijians, quarter-finalists in 1987, were ahead as Little converted another penalty from in front of the posts and added another to give his side a six point lead -- however, the French nosed ahead with the penalty try.

The French, who have been unconvincing so far, scored one try in the first-half to lead the Fijians into the break -- but O'Brien's poor performance had deprived both sides of a try apiece.

Christophe Juillet, who was dropped for the Namibia match but recalled for this one because Thomas Lievremont was injured, thrust himself over the line from three metres out after Stephane Castaignede fed him the pass.

France had started shakily, dropping balls and knocking on, and missed a golden opportunity in the fourth minute when with an overlap Richard Dourthe delayed too long and Viliame Satala was able to tackle Dominici short of the line.

Dourthe's penalty, however, settled them down and a wonderful passing move with Lamaison missing out Dourthe to create the overlap broke down when Ugo Mola passed forward to Dominici -- another schoolboy type forward pass by Philippe Bernat-Salles halted another French move.

Little missed an earlier opportunity to level the scores at 3-3 when his penalty in front of the posts, albeit a long way out, went wide.

Fiji were fortunate to have 15 players on the pitch as number eight Alivereti Maceletu, who had already been shown the yellow card for blocking captain Raphael Ibanez, layed out the hooker with his forearm.

Ibanez's tough first-half got worse as O'Brien booked him mistakenly for butting giant Fijian prop Joeli Veitayaki when in fact it was Christian Califano.

O'Brien infuriated the French when having awarded a try to Dominici following a penalty he changed his mind declaring that the French had initially said they were going for goal -- Dourthe converted the penalty.

The Kiwi balanced out his decisions by anulling a genuine Fijian try when Setareki Tawake went over -- ruling that he'd knocked on although it was French fullback Ugo Mola who had lost the ball in a tackle.

The Teams:

France:  1 Christian Califano, 2 Raphael Ibanez (c), 3 Franck Tournaire, 4 Abdelatif Benazzi, 5 Fabien Pelous, 6 Marc Lievremont, 7 Olivier Magne, 8 Christophe Juillet, 9 Stephane Castaignede, 10 Christophe Lamaison, 11 Philippe Bernat-Salles, 12 Richard Dourthe, 13 Emile Ntamack, 14 Christophe Dominici, 15 Ugo Mola
Reserves:  Olivier Brouzet, Arnaud Costes, Marc Dal Maso, Fabien Galthie, Xavier Garbajosa
Unused:  Cedric Desbrosses, Pieter De Villiers

Fiji:  1 Dan Rouse, 2 Greg Smith (c), 3 Joeli Veitayaki, 4 Emori Katalau, 5 Simon Raiwalui, 6 Ilivasi Tamanivalu Tabua, 7 Setareki Tawake Naivaluwaqa, 8 Alfi Mocelutu Vuivau, 9 Jacob Rauluni, 10 Nicky Little, 11 Manasa Bari, 12 Viliame Satala, 13 Waisake Sotutu, 14 Fero Lasagavibau, 15 Alfred Uluinayau
Reserves:  Meli Nakauta, Koli Sewabu
Unused:  Waisale Serevi, Epeli Naituvau, Mosese Rauluni, Isaia Rasila, Ifereimi Tawake

Attendance:  36000
Referee:  O'brien p

Points Scorers:

France
Tries:  Juillet C. 1, Dominici C. 1, Penalty Try 1
Conv:  Dourthe R. 2
Pen K.:  Dourthe R. 2, Lamaison C. 1

Fiji
Tries:  Uluinayau A.B. 1
Conv:  Little N.T. 1
Pen K.:  Little N.T. 4