The Fiji Water Flying Fijians will play in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after 16 years despite going down 24-23 to Portugal in their final Rugby World Cup pool game.
A converted try to Portugal in the dying stages of the match denied Fiji the win.
Since 2007 our side has failed to progress but that ended at Stade De Toulouse following its bonus point loss today.
Fiji needed a win or bonus point loss from the match to make the top eight and also sent the Wallabies and their coach Eddie Jones home.
Fiji finishes second in pool C and will play England in the third quarterfinal next Monday.
Head coach Simon Raiwalui also congratulated the Portuguese for their courageous outing.
“Congratulations to Portugal, they played really well, stuck in there, we possibly took the lead, though we had and they stuck it there and scored the try and so thoroughly deserved victory today, just look at the crowd, it’s amazing but yeah obviously disappointed.”
It was a shaky start by the national side but Frank Lomani put them on the board with a penalty when they visited the opposition half in the ninth minute.
Lock Temo Mayanavanua who had a solid first 15 minutes was injured in the 16th and replaced by Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta.
Fiji also lost their first scrum of the tournament in the 28th minute.
Portugal applied pressure and forced the national side to commit basic mistakes in the entire half before being rewarded with a penalty which was converted for a 3-all score at the break.
Thousands of Portugal fans cheered for their team and had more reasons to celebrate when winger Raffaele Storti sprinted past Vinaya Habosi to score.
Fullback Sireli Maqala broke from their 22 moments later before linking up with Vilimoni Botitu who was caught short of the line, and just two phases later, Levani Botia was over the tryline.
However, Botia copped a yellow card not too long after for a high tackle.
With one man down, Fiji conceded another try when prop Francisco Fernandez crashed over as they led 17-10 with 30 minutes remaining.
Portugal’s defence stood tall despite Fiji”s wave of attacks until the 67th minute when Mesake Doge powered over the line and Lomani’s conversion made it 17-all.
Lomani extended their lead to 23-17 with two successive penalties.
The Portugese never gave up the the fight and scored a scintillating try with two minutes left to play for the win.