Fiji relieved after narrow win

Fiji captain Mosese Rauluni admitted his side were "our own worst enemies" after struggling to an opening 35-31 victory over plucky Japan in Toulouse.

Gloucester-bound lock Akapusi Qera spared the Fijiians' blushes by grabbing two tries as they held off a tremendous effort by Japan to make a winning start to their Pool B campaign.

The lead changed hands six times before Fiji eventually clinched a bonus-point victory - but most of the plaudits went to Japan, who sent out a clear warning to Wales ahead of their clash at the Millennium Stadium next Thursday.

"We were disappointed but we got the win,'' said Saracens scrum-half Rauluni.

"We were our own worst enemies.

"We knew they would play 100 miles an hour. In the first half we were very rusty. We were throwing balls and they didn't stick.''

Japan coach John Kirwan changed his entire starting XV following Saturday's 91-3 defeat to Australia and they were a completely different proposition.

They harried the Fijiians into a series of handling errors, turning the tables on their fancied opponents with frequent turnovers, and three times held the lead as they threatened to pull off the second upset of the tournament.

Only Wales, who scored 37 points in defeat against New Zealand in Australia four years ago, have scored more in World Cup history and lost.

Fly-half Nicky Little, Fiji's most-capped player, became the 13th man to pass 600 points in international rugby union when he opened the scoring with a fourth minute penalty but little else went right for his side.

Centre Shotaru Onishi his side in front with the second of two penalties 11 minutes before the break and, but for some poor execution, the Japanese would have been ahead by half-time.

Fiji's opening try - the only one of the first half - came against the run of play when Qera picked up a stray Japanese pass and went 80 minutes for an opportunist score.

Fiji were reduced to 14 men on the stroke of half-time when winger Vilimoni Delasau was sin-binned for foul play and Onishi cut the deficit to a single point with his third penalty.

Japan, who lost 41-13 win to Fiji in the last World Cup, found another purple patch at the start of the second half and Onishi kicked a fourth penalty awarded for offside as the lead changed hands four times in a hectic 12-minute spell.

Qera grabbed his second try on 48 minutes, doubling his tally for his country after supporting a break from Saracens scrum-half Mosese Rauluni, the Fijian captain, but Japan's New Zealand-born lock Luke Thompson hit back with a delightful sidestep for his side's first try.

Onishi's fifth goal from as many attempts made it 19-17 but Little edged his side back in front with a penalty before Leicester centre Seru Rabeni took a pass from the returning Delasau to score Fiji's third try.

Little was off target for the first time and it looked as though the miss might be costly when Japan prop Tomokazu Soma was driven over for his first Test try on 61 minutes for his side's second try.

That brought Kirwan's men to within a point but Onishi, too, lost his 100% record as he attempted to snatch back the lead.

The game was eventually settled when lock Kele Leawere, who ironically plays his club rugby in Japan, went over for the bonus-point try on 70 minutes - but that was not the end of the drama.

Little's penalty made it 35-24 but Thompson went in for his second try, his fourth in seven Test appearances, and Fiji were forced to defend desperately as Japan piled on the pressure in the closing moments.

Fiji coach Ilivasi Tabua described his side's performance as "a good platform to work on'' and man of the match Qera admitted they need to find much improvement before their next match against Canada on Sunday.

"We need to pick up some of our mistakes,'' he said.