Caucau races through for a Fiji try (Getty Images).

By Neal Collins, Brisbane

Two sensational tries from the world's greatest winger so nearly dumped Scotland out of the World Cup in Sydney on Saturday.

But the cool head and clinical boot of Chris Paterson and a last-gasp try from birthday boy Tom Smith denied the islanders a stunning upset.

Smith will be the hero. The Northampton prop was 32 on Friday, he broke a toe during an epileptic fit last year but never takes a backward step. It's some story.

But the game should have belonged to Rupeni Caucau.

He's the all-action, jet-heeled Fijian who scored a wonder try in their opening defeat against France before being sent off and banned for two games for an astonishing outurst of violence.

He was back on Saturday, and didn't Scotland know it. Two superb tries appeared to have sealed Scotland's early exit until the islanders began to wilt in the second half.

But Fiji were in front by five points until Smith's pushover try had Scotland coach Ian McGeechan doing a Highland Fling up in the Aussie Stadium grandstands.

Fiji now fly home, Scotland have got Australia (providing they beat Ireland) in the Brisbane quarter-final next Saturday.

How the Aussies hated it too. They booed the boys in blue throughout as the majority of the 38,000 crowd cheered on their island neighbours.

Scotland have had a miserable campaign, narrowly beating Japan and getting thrashed 51-9 by France. They lost Martin Leslie to a nine-week ban for use of the knee and saw Andrew Mower and Gavin Kerr injured and out of the tournament.

They deserved a little luck, and they got it yesterday.

Chris Paterson and Nicky Little both missed early penalties - Paterson hitting the outside of a post with his fifth-minute effort.

It was the only mistake he made all day. Pushed in to fly-half ahead of the vastly experienced captain Gregor Townsend, who switched to centre, Edinburgh wing Paterson, 25, was inspirational, the match-winner.

But only because Caucau ran out of legs.

The 23-year-old Auckland Blues wing produced his initial burst after 13 minutes. A neat one-two between Little and the centres left Rupeni - full surname Caucaunibuca - with just enough space and he shot past Stuart Grimes to score in the corner, after video confirmation. Little converted and it was 7-0.

Five minutes later, it looked like Aisea Tuilevu had done the same thing, but he was ruled to have had a foot out after an heroic tackle from Scotland fullback Glenn Metcalfe.

After loads of intensive pressure - Rupeni nearly scored again but dropped the ball over the line, then Moses Rauluni had his effort disallowed for a forward pass - Paterson responded with two quick penalties and it was 7-6 after 27 half an hour. Scotland, somehow, were just a point behind.

How did they manage that?

Then in the 32nd minute Scotland finally created something, thanks to a great break from Paterson. Glenn Metcalfe was held up, then Andrew Henderson went over but lost the ball.

But in the 37th minute, it was Caucau time again, beating Taylor and Metcalfe for a 50 metre try, Little converts and it's 14-6 at half-time. No wonder they call Caucau "Whispering Death".

The amazing thing is that he's not playing for the All Blacks, like fellow Fijian Joe Rokocoko. The New Zealanders normally hoover up all the South Sea talent. They missed this one.

English referee Andrew Spreadbury granted Paterson an early second half penalty which he landed despite taking a nasty knock on the head.

And Scotland were generally looking brighter. Kenny Logan and Metcalfe were both denied by frantic Fiian defence - but from the breakdown, Fiji bounced back to halfway.

But somehow Fiji had emerged without their first half impetus. Coach Mac Macallion hadn't said the right things, or he'd forgotten the half-time oranges.

And to make matters worse, Caucau was hit by two Scots, particularly Tarlor, the No 8, and left stunned. He hardly looked capable of carrying on.

Scotland then threw on Jason White to further disrupt the flustered Fijian line outs. It worked.

Scotland were now keeping possession for countless phases and they eventually forced another penalty.

With the superb hooker Gordon Bulloch and Smith working hard, Ifereimi Rawaqa conceded the three pointsas Paterson made it 14-12.

The exhausted Fijians suddenly looked beatable. They, rather than the Scots who trained in a botanic greenhouse before the tournament, were suffering in the Sydney heat.

Aussie-born Nathan Hines ploughed in to Fiji fullback Norman Ligairi as the Scots sensed weakness.

Townsend, playing at centre, was probing hard and, inevitably, another penalty came along as Fiji infringed at the ruck. Finally, in the 61st minute, Scotland were in front, 15-14.

Then Caucau began to play again, catching his own up-and-under to keep Scotland sweating. From the resulting maul, Spreadbury gave Little the chance to put Fiji back in front and he did, from nearly 40 yards.

With the Aussie crowd firmly behind Fiji, the match began to swing again and Scotland's rugby players who, unlike their footballers, had never left a World Cup at the qualifying stage, were teetering.

A crowd of 38,137 turned up to see if Scotland, who spent all week fighting in training, could survive.

For retiring coach Ian McGeechan, who engineered the great Lions victory in South Africa in 1995, this has been a tough final trip.

His team has twice been forced to move team hotels, once because a gang of motorbikers, the second because of a wedding party.

They were bridesmaids for much of Saturday's painful encounter.

And when they were caught offside eight minutes from time, they were dancing in the streets of Suva as Little made it 20-15 from 25 yards.

Then, after some Bulloch bullocking, Fiji had Apensio Naevo sin-binned for killing the ball.

The Scots opted for a line-out from the penalty and in true British fashion Tom Smith went over with the maul, his 6th Test try in 50 internationals.

We Brits might not be great, free-flowing runners, but boy, can we shove!

And what a man to score the try. Last year Smith broke a toe while having an epileptic fit. He refused to accept his World Cup was over and forced his way back to the top. Has there ever been a more heroic tale?

Paterson slotted the conversion and it was 22-20 to Scotland with two minutes left.

When the whistle went, it was party time... as long as you wore blue.