Fiji are on the verge of bowing out of this year's Rugby World Cup with their first victory courtesy of the 26-10 half-time advantage that they hold over Uruguay in Milton Keynes this evening.
It was an aggressive start to proceedings by the Pacific Islanders, who extended their record of having scored a try in each of their last 32 matches within three minutes.
Levani Botia looked certain to score anyway in the far corner, but a penalty try was eventually awarded courtesy of the TMO following an illegal tackle by Agustin Ormaechea which resulted in the 24-year-old being yellow carded.
Seemingly determined to make their numerical advantage count, Fiji did just that in the ninth minute when Nemia Kenatale escaped the attention of Uruguay's Alejo Duran to open up a 12-point advantage. It was left to Nemani Nadolo to add the extra two points, but on this occasion the winger's radar was off target.
It appeared that Fiji were in command of the encounter, but in the space of only 120 seconds, the South Americans had hauled themselves back into contention.
First Duran, who had replaced Felipe Berchesi at number 10, sent a penalty straight down the middle of the posts, before Carlos Arboleya ended a 12-year national wait for a try at the World Cup in the 17th minute. The hooker was just too powerful for the Fijian line as he stretched just far enough to touch down.
But, having reduced the gap to two points, Uruguay were unable to cut out the errors and it eventually cost them with 27 minutes on the clock. Having won a penalty five yards from the Uruguayan line, Fiji went for the scrum and once it collapsed, referee JP Doyle had little option but to award Fiji a second penalty try of the match, from which Nadolo added the extras.
Then, as the half drew to a close John McKee's men stretched their lead even further as a free-flowing move ended with Glasgow Warriors lock Leone Nakarawa touching down between the posts and once again Nadolo made no mistake with the conversion.
Liam Apicella
