It came in a scrappy and bad-tempered match in which three players were sin-binned in the first half.

Fiji led 12-4 at half-time but pulled clear thereafter to eventually win 38-10.

Melbourne Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu scored a hat-trick in eight minutes to increase his tournament total to eight.

Kevin Naiqama, Henry Raiwalui, Brayden Wiliame and Marcelo Montoya also scored.

Josh Mantellato and Nathan Milone hit back with consolation tries for Italy.

Fiji will now finish second in Group B - either New Zealand or Tonga - who meet tomorrow.

Samoa will also play Scotland while Australia will face Lebanon tomorrow.