Fiji will take a six-point lead over the Blitzboks into the final tournament of what has been a rollercoaster series. South Africa led at the start of the series, but Fiji have overtaken them after the last couple of tournaments to set up a thrilling finish.

The Blitzboks made a great start to the final when Stedman Gans opened the scoring moments after Fiji's Sevuloni Mocenacagi was sent to the bin for taking out Justin Geduld in the air.

But the teams went into the break at 7-7 after Josua Tuisova scored a converted try in the sixth minute.

Fiji's big runners started to punch holes in the South Africans' defence in the second half, and the Islanders broke the deadlock when Paula Dranisinukula finished a wonderful passage of play by the Fijians.

The Blitzboks hit back almost immediately when Ruhan Nel smartly collected an awkward pass by Seabealo Senatla to score in the left corner. Geduld, though, missed the conversion.

Fiji scored their third converted try through Jasa Veremalua to take 21-12 lead, but Zain Davids kept the South Africans in the game with a score in the second last minute of the match.

In the end, though, the Blitzboks were unable to get the winning try, and Fiji will go into the Paris leg in the pound seats the favourites to win the series.