CARDIFF - Fijian skipper Moses Raulini paid tribute to fullback Kameli Ratuvou, who scored a runaway 100m try to keep his team's World Cup dream on track yesterday.
Fiji are second in Pool B behind Australia.
Despite the comfortable appearance of the scoreline, Fiji hadbeen in danger of losing as they let slip a 22-6 lead to allow the Canucks to hit back with 10 unanswered points before the Canadians then camped on the Fiji line in the last minute.
A converted try would have given Canada victory but they spilled the ball and Raulini sprinted the length of the field to score his second try of the match and his team's fourth.
"When Kameli got to the 22, I had my hand up because I knew he was going to make it," Raulini said.
"It was a great feeling because it meant we got five points and we're in second place. Now we have to face Australia [on Monday in Montpellier] but that will be very tough.
"We'll have to eliminate our mistakes or they will punish us."
Fijian coach Ilie Tabua said the last-minute try was the reward for some stout defending.
"The defence was very patient and Kamali's try was brilliant. People questioned why I played him at fullback and not centre, but he came up trumps."
But the match's most contentious point came in the 70th minute, with Fiji leading 22-13, when Canada fullback Mike Pyke was convinced he had scored a try only for the TV official to rule it out for a double movement.
Canadian captain Morgan Williams was outraged by the decision, after referee Tony Spreadbury referred it to the video.
"After seeing it on the big screen it was clearly a try," Williams said.
"He wasn't held in the goal-line. I don't understand it."
Coach Ric Suggitt admitted that Canada let themselves down.
"It's heartbreaking to lose when you have got so close to the goalline and are just half a metre away," Suggitt said.
"But it's typical Fijian rugby that they just pick up the ball and scamper 100m for a try. If we had been more patient we could have won.
"We got to the score zone four or five times and lost possession. The players have take a long look at themselves in the mirror. Maybe they lost focus because they were worried about being hit by a big Fijian."
