Argentina 19, Scotland 13.

Scotland were dumped out of the World Cup quarter-finals but only after giving Argentina a late scare at the Stade de France.

Substitute scrum-half Chris Cusiter touched down in the 63rd minute to give Frank Hadden's side hope of registering an upset that had appeared beyond them.

But the Pumas, who booked their first World Cup semi-final, clung on with the boot of Felipe Contepomi doing the telling damage.

With 15 minutes to go, after Cusiter's try a glimmer of hope had opened up.

Scotland looked to break from their own half but conceded a turnover and were consistently met by a wall of determined Pumas.

A late flourish cranked up the pressure on the South Americans' line with Patricio Albacete collapsing on Paterson to concede a penalty which the Gloucester winger sent into touch. The line-out was won comfortably and Scotland set themselves up for the death-or-glory score they needed to progress to the last eight.

Parks attempted to unlock Argentina's defence with a crossfield chip but the kick sailed out and the Pumas held on to book a last-eight appointment with South Africa.

Scotland flanker Allister Hogg felt his side had wasted their chance.

Frank Hadden's men went down 19-13 to the out-of-sorts Pumas, who crossed through Longo Elia in the first half after Dan Parks' kick was charged down.

Despite some late pressure they were unable to get back into the game and claim a last-four clash with South Africa next weekend.

''We had some chances today and felt we had the beating of Argentina and could go further in this tournament, so we're disappointed,'' Hogg said.

''It was pretty tough. We tried to play a bit of a territorial game but it didn't come off.

''They are a good side, well drilled, they know each other very well and play together well.''

Argentina captain Agustin Pichot admitted his team had been given a real test by the spirited, if mistake-prone Scots.

''We were very tired and Scotland played very well. But we stuck with it,'' he said.

''Scotland were very good and we didn't underestimate them.

''They have a great team and we have a lot of respect for them.''

Springboks coach Jake White saluted the leadership of his senior players after South Africa survived a major World Cup fright against Fiji at Stade Velodrome. Fiji wiped out a 14-point deficit to draw level at 20-20 midway through the second period of a pulsating quarter-final.

Tries in rapid succession by wings Vilimoni Delasau and Sireli Bobo threatened the biggest upset in World Cup history before South Africa pulled away to triumph 37-20.

They now face Argentina in Sunday's second semi-final, avoiding the early elimination suffered by Tri-Nations rivals New Zealand and Australia.

White said: ''We didn't play as well we we could have done, but we have still got a chance to win the World Cup. I would much rather be where I am than where New Zealand and Australia are.

''Fiji are a really good rugby team. They offload in the tackles, they break tackles and defensively they are very strong. To score five tries against them is a huge positive. I thought the leadership of the senior players was outstanding. With 20 minutes to go, we could have fallen apart.''

Fiji, conquerors of Wales eight days earlier, pushed an unbeaten South African side to the limit. Had lock Ifereimi Rawaqa not missed adding a third second-half touchdown by a matter of inches - he was denied by a brilliant J P Pietersen tackle - Fiji might have prevailed.