CANBERRA, Australia, 26 October 2003 — Wales and France yesterday joined New Zealand in the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup when they won their group matches.

In Sydney, France were comfortable 51-9 winners over Scotland to ensure that they finish top of Pool B, while the Scots will have face Fiji in a showdown for second place in the group.

Flyhalf Frederic Michalak scored 28 of his side’s points to regain top position in the scorer charts from Australia’s Mat Rogers, who has 57 points, compared to Michalak’s 78. France led 19-6 at half-time.

Wales earlier became the second team after the All Blacks to qualify for the quarterfinals when they beat Italy 27-15 in a Pool D match played in Canberra.

Italy enjoyed most of the territorial advantage, but failed to score any tries during the match, with all their points coming from the boot of fly half Rima Wakarua, who scored with five penalties.

Barely two minutes after taking the lead through Wakarua — with the first of his three first half penalties — the Italians conceded the first try of the match when Mark Jones went over in the left corner. Centre Iestyn Harris made no mistake with the conversion to give his side a 7-3.

Harris added a penalty and another conversion after Sonny Parker scored his sides second try to give his side a 20-9 half-time lead. Within ten minutes of the restart, New Zealand-born Wakarua had reduced the lead to five points after scoring with two penalties, but Wales put the game beyond the Italians on the hour, when flanker Dafydd Jones crossed the line. Harris again made no mistake from the spot to guarantee his side a place in the last eight.

Earlier, Australia rewrote the Rugby World Cup record books when they thrashed Namibia 142-0 in a Pool A match played in Adelaide. The Wallabies beat the previous greatest point disparity in a match set up by rivals New Zealand in 1995, when the All Blacks beat Japan 145-17. The 23 tries scored by the Australians against Namibia also beats the 22 try record scored by the All Blacks against Japan.

Apart from setting up the two World Cup records, Australia also beat quite a few of their own rugby records.

What makes their performance remarkable, is that they fielded a virtual reserve side against the team from southern Africa, who are one of several whipping boys at this showpiece of international rugby.

Top scorer for his side was full-back Mat Rogers, who was switched to wing, with 42 points — three short of Simon Culhane’s tally for New Zealand against Japan. He converted 16 of the tries and scored two himself to set a new mark in Australian rugby Test history.

Australia led 69-0 at half-time.