Wallabies fall to Fiji in World Cup horror show

afr.com:

The Wallabies’ World Cup hopes have suffered a hammer blow with a shock loss to Fiji – their first in the history of the tournament – to put a quarter-final berth at major risk.

The undermanned Australians could not match the power and pace of the Pacific nation, going down 22-15 in their pool clash at Saint-Etienne’s Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on Sunday (about 4am on Monday AEST).

Fiji’s Temo Mayanavanua celebrates at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard in Saint-Etienne. AP

Fiji earned a scrum penalty after full-time and could have denied the Wallabies a crucial bonus point too, but Frank Lomani’s kick went wide of the posts.

The Wallabies have sunk to third in their pool, on six points, with their future in the tournament hanging on the result of their next clash with unbeaten Wales in Lyon.

The Australians have never missed the play-off stage of the tournament.

Enjoying their first win over Australia since 1954, Fiji sit second, also on six points, and have a two-week break before they face winless Georgia in Bordeaux with their first quarter-final appearance since 2007 beckoning.

Australia went into the match minus three key players, with giant skipper Will Skelton a late casualty with a calf injury, joining spearhead prop Taniela Tupou and first-choice halfback Tate McDermott on the sidelines.

Without lock Skelton and Tupou, the Wallabies lacked the big ball carriers to punch through the steely Fijian defence and couldn’t use their set-piece to dominate as they did in their opening win over Georgia.

Fiji, who had a first-up loss to Wales, said the match was “do or die” and played accordingly.

With eight players from their Super Rugby Pacific side Fijian Drua and many others playing in the top leagues around the world, they