Fiji 35 Japan 31

Fiji scraped a 35-31 victory over Japan in sweltering conditions in Toulouse to win their opening World Cup match on Wednesday.

With the clock ticking down Japan were camped out inside Fiji's 22 with the entire crowd willing the Asians to snatch a dramatic late victory but it was not to be and Fiji held on to claim a crucial bonus point.

Captain and scrum-half Mosese Rauluni admitted they were happy to hear the final whistle.

"We knew it wasn't our best effort. It was our first game," he said. "We have a lack of game fitness.

"They (Japan) were physically hard and good on the ball and on set pieces too."

Japan had the advantage of having already played a match in the competition, but that was a 91-3 thrashing at the hands of Australia, after which their New Zealand coach John Kirwan complained they did not play for the full 80 minutes.

But he could not fault his players this time.

"Obviously we are disappointed with the result. We've had our chances to win the game," he said. "I think on the positive note the players played their hearts out and did take one point out of the game."

Both sides took a bonus point - Fiji for scoring four tries and Japan for keeping the difference down to within seven points.

Japan thrilled the crowd by fighting all the way to the final whistle against their more experieced and bigger opponents.

The first period was marked by some wayward passing and dreadful handling, most notably from Fiji's Leicester Tigers centre Seru Rabeni.

After penalties saw Japan open up a 6-3 lead, a handling error brought the opening try.

Japan scrum-half Tomoki Yoshida fumbled a pass from the back of the scrum on the Fiji 10-yard line and flanker Akapusi Qera gathered up the loose ball, found a gap and sprinted fully 60 yards to score.

Just before the break Fiji winger Vilimoni Ratuvou was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle but Japan failed to take full advantage of the extra man, adding only six points for a 12-10 lead early in the second half.

Crucially Fiji and Qera struck again for a short-handed try after a quick break from a scrum on 49 minutes.

Strangely, though, no sooner were Fiji back up to full strength than Japan's New zealand-born lock Luke Thompson found a gap inside the Fiji 22 and strolled through to score under the posts.

Onichi added the extra two points for a 19-17 lead.

In a thrilling, topsy-turvy match, gaps started to open up all over the field and a lightning break down the right from Fiji saw Rabeni finally hold a pass and touch down in the corner.

Japan soon struck back, advancing down their left by running a quickly taken penalty before delighting the Toulouse crowd by kicking for touch five yards out rather than at goal.

Their positive play was rewarded as they won clean line-out ball and a big heave saw prop Tomokazu Soma score a push-over try. Onishi missed the conversion, though, leaving Fiji with a 25-24 lead.

But Fiji's superior power was beginning to tell and on 71 minutes lock Kele Leawere forced his way over to extend their lead.

Only back came Japan again with a converted Thompson try bringing the score back to 35-31 before Japan simply ran out of time.

AFP