Fiji soon got their sixth try through Veremalua but Britain finally got on the scoreboard with four minutes left.
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They were the first men’s rugby medals awarded at the Olympics since the 1924 Paris Games, where the US won gold in the 15-aside version of the game.
The match was a tense affair decided in the closing moments as Japan scored with the clock in the red – and the joy on the faces of the players was clear to see.
Fiji beat Japan 20-5 in the first semifinal while Great Britain held on to beat South Africa 7-5 in a close contest.
“We are going to concentrate on our own game, because it is working for us”.
Japan’s Brave Blossoms, who pulled off the shock of the men’s tournament by beating New Zealand in their opening pool match, had no answer for Fiji’s slick off-loading game at a sun-kissed Deodoro Stadium. Fiji scored on several breakaway runs, as its combination of power and speed was just way too much for Great Britain to handle.
Fearless defence kept South Africa out to set up a final against Fiji 23:00 BST.
South African skipper Kyle Brown was the only name on the scoresheet in the first half as the Blitzboks harried the British.
The British struck back two minutes into the second half when Dan Norton cut inside his marker for a try that Tom Mitchell converted to give his side a two-point lead they never relinquished.
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But, he labelled that quarter-final match as very tough and in fact the toughest game ever Fiji had played against New Zealand.
