France beats Fiji 54-17 in Nations Championship clash

France secured a 54-17 victory over Fiji in a Nations Championship match, with flyhalf Romain Ntamack exiting the game in the 33rd minute due to a shoulder injury.

Ntamack left the field in obvious pain after a run short of the tryline, with prop Sipili Falatea finishing the play.

France's bench included Maxime Lucu, who deputised at flyhalf smoothly and goalkicked superbly, though he is normally the scrumhalf backup for captain Antoine Dupont.

France scored eight tries, with a 26-3 halftime lead, and extended the score in the final quarter with four converted tries, while Fiji managed two tries.

Fiji faced their own flyhalf issues, as initial selection Isikeli Rabitu was withdrawn, and France-based centre Vilimoni Botitu stepped in to replace him.

Fiji made efforts to counter France's dominance, forcing errors and scoring a penalty try after a sin-binning incident, but France eventually broke through with a try from prop Jean-Baptiste Gros in the 15th minute.