2007 Rugby World Cup: Fiji, Tonga and France win
{{date|September 16, 2007}}
[[Image:RugbyWorldCup2007.png|right|125px]]
The Pacific Island nations were pushing for places in the knockout stage of the [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup|2007 Rugby World Cup]] today. [[w:Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]] overcame [[w:Canada national rugby union team|Canada]] 29-16, claiming a vital bonus point to go second in [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool B|Pool B]] ahead of Wales.

[[w:Tonga national rugby union team|Tonga]] defeated [[w:Samoa national rugby union team|Samoa]] 15-19 in [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool A|Pool A]]. Tonga overturned a six point deficit at half time to go second in the pool, ahead of a faltering England side who are yet to play both teams.

Meanwhile, [[w:France national rugby union team|France]] comprehensively defeated [[w:Namibia national rugby union team|Namibia]] 87-10 in [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool D|Pool D]]. Having made 12 changes to the team that lost to Argentina, the French scored 13 tries in their largest ever win.
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{{footballbox|
date=September 16, 2007<br>13:00 (UTC+1) |
team1=[[w:Fiji national rugby union team|Fiji]] [[Image:Flag of Fiji.svg|20px]] |
score= 29 – 16 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of Canada.svg|20px]] [[w:Canada national rugby union team|Canada]] |
goals1='''Try:''' [[w:Kele Leawere|K Leawere]] 22'<br>[[w:Kameli Ratuvou|K Ratuvou]] (2) 28', 80'<br>[[w:Vilimoni Delasau|V Delasau]] 42'<br>'''Conv:''' [[w:Nicky Little|N Little]] (3) 23', 43', 80'<br>'''Pen:''' [[w:Nicky Little|N Little]] 8'|
goals2='''Try:''' [[w:Ryan Smith|R Smith]] 60'<br>'''Conv:''' [[w:James Pritchard|J Pritchard]] 61'<br>'''Pen:''' [[w:James Pritchard|J Pritchard]] (3) 4', 27', 74'|
stadium=[[w:Millennium Stadium|Millennium Stadium]], [[w:Cardiff|Cardiff]], [[Wales]] |
referee=[[w:Tony Spreadbury|Tony Spreadbury]] [[Image:Flag of England.svg|20px]]}}

[[Canada]] scored the first points of the match through a [[w:James Pritchard|James Pritchard]] penalty. [[w:Nicky Little|Nicky Little]] equalised for [[:category:Fiji|Fiji]]  four minutes later, and they took the lead in the 20th minute after a try from [[w:Kele Leawere|Kele Leawere]]. Canada kept in touch with another penalty from Pritchard, but Fiji extended their lead to 15-6 immediately when [[w:Kameli Ratuvou|Kameli Ratuvou]] scored a try.

After half-time [[w:Vilimoni Delasau|Vilimoni Delasau]] scored Fiji's third try, but Canada closed the gap to six points after a try from [[w:Ryan Smith|Ryan Smith]] and a third penalty from James Pritchard. Kameli Ratuvou sealed the win and a crucial bonus point for Fiji after a last minute try, taking the final score to 29-16.

Fiji are currently second in [[w:2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool B|Pool B]] with ten points, ahead of Wales with five and behind Australia on points difference. Canada are bottom of the group with no points, one short of Japan.
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{{footballbox|
date=September 16, 2007<br>16:00 (UTC+2) |
team1=[[w:Samoa national rugby union team|Samoa]] [[Image:Flag of Samoa.svg|20px]] |
score= 15 – 19 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of Tonga.svg|20px]] [[w:Tonga national rugby union team|Tonga]] |
goals1='''Pen:''' [[w:Gavin Williams|G Williams]] (5) 6', 21', 23', 29', 69'|
goals2='''Try:''' E Taione 60'<br>'''Conv:''' [[w:Pierre Hola|P Hola]] 61'<br>'''Pen:''' [[w:Pierre Hola|P Hola]] (4) 3', 38', 47', 67'|
stadium=[[w:Stade de la Mosson|Stade de la Mosson]], [[w:Montpellier|Montpellier]] |
referee=[[w:Jonathan Kaplan (rugby)|Jonathan Kaplan]] [[Image:Flag of South Africa.svg|20px]]}}

In Pool A, [[Tonga]] produced a surprise win over [[:category:Samoa|Samoa]]. [[w:Pierre Hola|Pierre Hola]] kicked them into the lead with a penalty in the third minute, but Samoa's [[w:Gavin Williams|Gavin Williams]] kicked four penalties to give Samoa the lead. Hola kicked a second penalty for the Tongans in the 38th minute, making the score at half-time 12-6.

Tonga took the lead in the second half with two more penalties from Pierre Hola and a try from Epeli Taione. Gavin Williams scored a fifth penalty for Samoa, but Tonga held on for the victory despite having one player sent off and another receiving a yellow card towards the end of the match.

Tonga go second in Pool A with eight points, behind South Africa with nine and ahead of England with four. Samoa are fourth in the pool with one point, ahead of the United States who have none.
----
{{footballbox|
date=September 16, 2007<br>21:00 (UTC+2) |
team1=[[w:France national rugby union team|France]] [[Image:Flag of France.svg|20px]] |
score= 87 – 10 |
team2=[[Image:Flag of Namibia.svg|20px]] [[w:Namibia national rugby union team|Namibia]] |
goals1='''Try:''' [[w:Cédric Heymans|C Heymans]] 7'<br>[[w:David Marty|D Marty]] 11'<br>[[w:Thierry Dusautoir|T Dusautoir]] 21'<br>[[w:Lionel Nallet|L Nallet]] (2) 32', 40'<br>[[w:Vincent Clerc|V Clerc]] (3) 38', 59', 65'<br>[[w:Julien Bonnaire|J Bonnaire]] 47'<br>[[w:Sébastien Chabal|S Chabal]] (2) 49', 54'<br>[[w:Jean-Baptiste Élissalde|J-B Élissalde]] 56'<br>[[w:Raphaël Ibañez|R Ibañez]] 75'<br>'''Conv:''' [[w:Jean-Baptiste Élissalde|J-B Élissalde]] (11) 12', 22', 33', 39', 40', 48', 50', 55', 57', 60', 66'|
goals2='''Try:''' B Langenhoven 79'<br>'''Conv:''' T Losper 80'<br>'''Drop:''' [[w:Emile Wessels|E Wessels]] 10'|
stadium=[[w:Stadium de Toulouse|Stadium de Toulouse]], [[w:Toulouse|Toulouse]] |
referee=[[w:Alain Rolland|Alain Rolland]] [[Image:Flag of Ireland rugby.svg|20px]]}}

[[France]] scored thirteen tries against [[Namibia]] in their 87-10 victory. The result is France's largest ever win in Rugby Union.

Having drastically changed the side that lost to Argentina in the opening match of the tournament, France had no problems in this match and [[w:Cédric Heymans|Cédric Heymans]] opened the scoring with a seventh minute try. Namibia responded three minutes later with a drop goal from [[w:Emile Wessels|Emile Wessels]]. [[w:David Marty|David Marty]] continued the scoring for France, but Namibia lost a player soon afterwards when Jacques Nieuwenhuis received a red card for a dangerous tackle. France scored four more tries in the first half, one each from [[w:Thierry Dusautoir|Thierry Dusautoir]] and [[w:Vincent Clerc|Vincent Clerc]] and two from [[w:Lionel Nallet]] to bring the score to 40-3 at half time.

Vincent Clerc scored two more tries in the second half, and [[w:Julien Bonnaire|Julien Bonnaire]], [[w:Sébastien Chabal|Sébastien Chabal]] (2), [[w:Jean-Baptiste Élissalde|Jean-Baptiste Élissalde]] and [[w:Raphaël Ibañez|Raphaël Ibañez]] added more. Bratley Langenhoven scored a late consolation try for Namibia to reduce France's lead to 77 points.

France are third in Pool D with six points, behind Argentina and Ireland who both have nine. Namibia are bottom of the group with no points, behind Georgia with one.

{{haveyoursay}}
==Related news==
{{wikipedia|2007 Rugby World Cup}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: New Zealand, Australia and Ireland win|date=September 15, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: South Africa defeat England|date=September 14, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: Tonga, Fiji and Italy win|date=September 12, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=2007 Rugby World Cup: Argentina 33 - 3 Georgia|date=September 11, 2007}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6995073.stm|title=Fiji 29-16 Canada|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://en.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10089/analysis.html#smash+grab+fiji+break+canada|title=Smash-and-grab Fiji break Canada|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6995640.stm|title=Samoa 15-19 Tonga|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10090/report.html#tonga+hold+with+beat+samoa|title=Tonga hold on with 13 men to beat Samoa|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/6990780.stm|title=France 87-10 Namibia|author=|pub=BBC Sport|date=September 16, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/home/fixtures/round=100/match=10091/report.html#france+post+emphatic|title=France post emphatic win|author=|pub=Rugby World Cup|date=September 16, 2007}}

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{{archive}}

[[Category:Sports]]
[[Category:Rugby]]
[[Category:Rugby World Cup]]
[[Category:Fiji]]
[[Category:Canada]]
[[Category:Samoa]]
[[Category:Tonga]]
[[Category:France]]
[[Category:Namibia]]
[[Category:Cardiff, Wales]]
[[Category:Wales]]
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Polynesia]]
[[Category:Melanesia]]

[[es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Fiyi, Tonga y Francia ganan]]
[[fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : la France se relance contre la Namibie]]
[[it:Rugby Coppa del Mondo 2007: domenica con l'altra Africa e l'altra Oceania]]
125px
The Pacific Island nations were pushing for places in the knockout stage of the 2007 Rugby World Cup today. Fiji overcame Canada 29-16, claiming a vital bonus point to go second in Pool B ahead of Wales.

Tonga defeated Samoa 15-19 in Pool A. Tonga overturned a six point deficit at half time to go second in the pool, ahead of a faltering England side who are yet to play both teams.

Meanwhile, France comprehensively defeated Namibia 87-10 in Pool D. Having made 12 changes to the team that lost to Argentina, the French scored 13 tries in their largest ever win.
----


Canada scored the first points of the match through a James Pritchard penalty. Nicky Little equalised for Fiji  four minutes later, and they took the lead in the 20th minute after a try from Kele Leawere. Canada kept in touch with another penalty from Pritchard, but Fiji extended their lead to 15-6 immediately when Kameli Ratuvou scored a try.

After half-time Vilimoni Delasau scored Fiji's third try, but Canada closed the gap to six points after a try from Ryan Smith and a third penalty from James Pritchard. Kameli Ratuvou sealed the win and a crucial bonus point for Fiji after a last minute try, taking the final score to 29-16.

Fiji are currently second in Pool B with ten points, ahead of Wales with five and behind Australia on points difference. Canada are bottom of the group with no points, one short of Japan.
----


In Pool A, Tonga produced a surprise win over Samoa. Pierre Hola kicked them into the lead with a penalty in the third minute, but Samoa's Gavin Williams kicked four penalties to give Samoa the lead. Hola kicked a second penalty for the Tongans in the 38th minute, making the score at half-time 12-6.

Tonga took the lead in the second half with two more penalties from Pierre Hola and a try from Epeli Taione. Gavin Williams scored a fifth penalty for Samoa, but Tonga held on for the victory despite having one player sent off and another receiving a yellow card towards the end of the match.

Tonga go second in Pool A with eight points, behind South Africa with nine and ahead of England with four. Samoa are fourth in the pool with one point, ahead of the United States who have none.
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France scored thirteen tries against Namibia in their 87-10 victory. The result is France's largest ever win in Rugby Union.

Having drastically changed the side that lost to Argentina in the opening match of the tournament, France had no problems in this match and Cédric Heymans opened the scoring with a seventh minute try. Namibia responded three minutes later with a drop goal from Emile Wessels. David Marty continued the scoring for France, but Namibia lost a player soon afterwards when Jacques Nieuwenhuis received a red card for a dangerous tackle. France scored four more tries in the first half, one each from Thierry Dusautoir and Vincent Clerc and two from w:Lionel Nallet to bring the score to 40-3 at half time.

Vincent Clerc scored two more tries in the second half, and Julien Bonnaire, Sébastien Chabal (2), Jean-Baptiste Élissalde and Raphaël Ibañez added more. Bratley Langenhoven scored a late consolation try for Namibia to reduce France's lead to 77 points.

France are third in Pool D with six points, behind Argentina and Ireland who both have nine. Namibia are bottom of the group with no points, behind Georgia with one.

es:Copa Mundial de Rugby 2007: Fiyi, Tonga y Francia ganan
fr:Coupe du Monde de rugby 2007 : la France se relance contre la Namibie
it:Rugby Coppa del Mondo 2007: domenica con l'altra Africa e l'altra Oceania
Sports Rugby Rugby World Cup Fiji Canada Samoa Tonga France Namibia Cardiff, Wales Wales Europe North America Africa Oceania Polynesia Melanesia