Wallabies’ historic Rugby World Cup exit cemented as Portugal pip Fiji in one-point thriller – Wide World of Sports
The Wallabies were made to wait, but now their fate is sealed. For the first time in the team’s history, Australia is out of the Rugby World Cup before the quarter-finals.
An enthralling final Pool C contest between Fiji and Portugal kept Australians on the edge of their seat as the two sides traded blows in Toulouse.
After ending up 3-3 at the half-time break, all hell broke loose in the second half as the two teams went try for try.
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the home of rugby, Stan Sport. Every match ad free, live and on demand in 4K UHD
Fiji twice came from behind, but it was Portugal who had the last say to win by just one point after Rodrigo Marta scored a converted try at the death, winning 24-23.
Fiji and Australia wound up equal on 11 points apiece. Australia needed Portugal to win by eight points or more to deny Fiji a bonus point.
For Portugal, it marked their first ever win at the Rugby World Cup, leaving their players in tears as the reality of their achievement sunk in.
Portugal captain Jose Lima was elated after the historic moment.
“Of course you can see our fans, our team deserve that victory so much,” he said.
“I think today we showed the world we can compete an win at this level.
“I think it’s spoken from the heart when you are tired, when you have to think all the stuff you do before. You get with your partners and say ‘Let’s go. Let’s do it’.
“That’s what we said at halftime. I think we really deserved it today. Look at this, it is unbelievable.”
Fiji, meanwhile, qualified for the quarter-finals for just the third time after 1987 and 2007.
Ironically, the last time they made the knock-out phase was also in France.
Fiji will face England in the quarter-finals, who as yet are unbeaten in this year’s tournament.
The other quarter-finals will see Wales take on Argentina, Ireland face New Zealand, and hosts France go head-to-head with 2019 tournament winners South Africa.
