England defeat Fiji in RWC quarter final

Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu has complained about unconscious refereeing bias following his team’s defeat to England in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Fiji outscored England by three tries to two, but were beaten 30-24 in Marseille after England captain Owen Farrell scored 20 points, including five penalties.

Fiji saw winger Vinaya Habosi taken out in the first half for head-on contact with Marcus Smith, but Nayacalevu was more annoyed by the refereeing of Frenchman Mathieu Raynal.

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“I’m very emotional right now, a lot has happened this week and I’m just proud of the boys,” said Nayacalevu, whose Fijian team had to deal with two family bereavements during the tournament.

“A few calls were unsuccessful. We are just fighting, I just ask that we can make a fair decision when the team plays,” he added.

“The ruck was already formed and (England’s Maro) Itoje just came in and got the ball – three times in the game.”

Asked if he thought it showed there was an unconscious bias in the minds of referees that favored the bigger teams, like England, Nayacalevu was unequivocal.

“Absolutely! You watched the match, you can answer that question,” he told reporters.

“It kills the momentum of our game, of what we want to play, if you know what I mean.”

– “We had chances to win” –

Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui, however, refused to blame Raynal and said his team had failed to take their chances.

“The referees do a great job, it’s the most difficult position, we are isolated,” said Raiwalui, a former player and coach in France.

“Of course there are things you take issue with, there are things you might not agree with, but first and foremost we had opportunities to score, we had opportunities to win the game.”

And Raiwalui disagreed with his captain that referees were being influenced in favor of Tier 1 nations.

“They do a wonderful job, they don’t go out there and pick a team,” he said. “Sometimes there are mistakes, sometimes the rub of the green doesn’t suit you, but it’s important to support them and not isolate them.

“We really appreciate everything they do.”

According to Raiwalui, Fiji let their discipline slip in the first half, where they trailed 21-10 before a stirring second-half fightback briefly brought them back level at 24-24.

“A defeat is a loss, it’s disappointing. We didn’t help ourselves in the first half,” admitted Raiwalui.

Farrell sends England to World Cup semi-finals

Owen Farrell scored a late goal and a penalty to send England into the Rugby World Cup semi-finals.

First-half tries from centers Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant looked to have sent England on their way to a semi-final against hosts France or defending champions South Africa.

But Fiji, who scored tries through Viliame Mata, Peni Ravai and Vilimoni Botitu, produced a stirring counter-attack in Marseille, although Farrell’s 20 points with the boot ultimately proved decisive.

This deprived Fiji of the chance to make history and make the final four for the first time by falling in the quarter-finals for the third time.

The opening game was fierce, with Fiji’s famous tacklers leading the way, winning a few early turnovers.

But it was after England’s first turnover, claimed by Courtney Lawes, that Farrell managed to take a simple penalty under the posts.

Farrell kicked England’s next penalty into the corner and while Fiji delayed the capture and initial drive, Tuilagi burst from the blind side to pass through two tacklers, twist and extend his arm above the line to score with one hand.

A brilliant counter-ruck from Fiji resulted in a penalty for the Pacific Islanders, but Frank Lomani’s kick hit the post.

Lomani didn’t miss his next chance, however, after an unarmed tackle from Tom Curry and England led 8-3 after the first quarter.

The match appeared to have taken a decisive turn in the 24th minute as England pushed forward, with Marchant going inside despite an overlap to score a second try.

However, during the build-up, Vinaya Habosi made direct contact with Marcus Smith during the tackle and received a yellow card.

However, the 14 men rallied.

Lomani missed a second penalty, but soon after Fiji hit back thanks to a smart pass through his legs from flyhalf Botitu which allowed No.8 Mata to sell a dummy and race on.

Although they were outplayed with a numerical advantage, England quickly regained control and two more penalties from Farrell gave them a 21-10 lead at the break.

– Flying Fijians come to life –

The second half devolved into a war of attrition and became increasingly disjointed and confrontational, with both teams’ open flanks, Curry and Levani Botia, almost coming to blows at one point.

Farrell kicked a penalty, then saw a long-range effort fail. But the game came alive in the 64th minute when replacement prop Ravai hit a perfect line from Simione Kuruvoli’s pass to explode and score.

Suddenly Fiji had their tails up and after scrum-half Kuruvoli hit the post with a penalty, the Pacific Islanders struck again.

Semi Radradra’s brilliant offload sent Isoa Nasilasila through a gap and he fed Botitu to score Fiji’s third try.

Kuruvoli’s conversion leveled the scores at 24-24.

Farrell had the last laugh, however, and although Fiji played for almost six minutes after the final shot, they failed to find a winning converted try.