Pacific Nations Cup 2024: Round three preview

Everything you need to know about the final round of the cross-regional competition’s pool stage as Tonga host Fiji before Japan take on USA.

The Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2024 Finals Series line-up will be decided this weekend as the pool stage draws to a close with two mouth-watering matches.

Fiji travel to Nuku’alofa to play Tonga on Friday, needing only one match point to make sure of their place in the semi-finals as Pool A winners.

Hosts Tonga, meanwhile, must deny their visitors any match points and beat them by at least 27 points while gaining a try bonus-point to secure their own passage to the last four.

On Saturday, Japan and USA will compete in a winner-takes-all contest for top spot in Pool B having each made sure of their progress to the semi-finals with victories against Canada.

Friday, 6 September: Tonga v Fiji, Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku’alofa, KO 16:00 (GMT+13)

Head-to-head

By the time the teams run out at Teufaiva Stadium on Friday it will be 100 years and 12 days since they first met in a test.

Tonga won that match – played on the same patch of ground as this week’s encounter – 9-6 but it is Fiji who have dominated the rivalry since.

Of the 94 matches played between the Pacific rivals, the Flying Fijians have won 64 to Tonga’s 27, while there have been three draws. Fiji claimed a 36-20 victory when the teams last met, in Lautoka 14 months ago.

PNC Titles

With five titles, Fiji are the most successful team in Pacific Nations Cup history. However, they have not lifted the trophy since 2018.

Tonga have yet to lift the coveted trophy, but they did finish runners-up in 2011 and in consecutive years in 2017 and 2018.

Tonga form: First-half woes continue

Having only scored five points in the first halves of their two July tests, Tonga endured another slow start against Samoa in Apia last week.

Patrick Pellegrini kicked the team’s first points nine minutes into the second half, by which time their hosts were 29-0 up and out of sight. Tonga will need to get the scoreboard ticking much earlier if they are to upset Fiji this Friday.

Fiji form: Salawa shines in Samoa win

Despite ceding territory and possession to Samoa in their Pacific Nations Cup opener, a clinical second-half performance allowed Fiji to turn a 16-15 deficit into a 42-16 victory.

Openside flanker Kitione Salawa scored a hat-trick of tries to continue his fine start to life in test rugby and the visitors will be confident they can leave Nuku’alofa with at least the bonus point they need to secure their place in the semi-finals.

Rankings reckoner

Hosts Tonga begin the match 16th in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, six places adrift of visitors Fiji.

Should the ‘Ikale Tahi win by more than 15 points then they will climb two places to 14th if that result is coupled with a defeat for Japan. Otherwise, they will gain one place.

Fiji cannot improve on 10th place with any type of win, however, they would fall below Wales and drop out of the top 10 if beaten by more than 15 points.

Tonga team news

‘Ikale Tahi coach Tevita Tu’ifua has made five personnel changes to his starting line-up for Friday’s match against Fiji.

Loose-head prop Jethro Felemi and hooker Solomone Aniseko have been handed starts in the front row having started the Samoa defeat on the replacements’ bench. In the back row, meanwhile, blindside flanker Tevita Ahokovi will make his first test start with Tupou Afungia moving to openside.

In the backs, scrum-half Aisea Halo has been given the nod to partner fly-half Patrick Pellegrini and there is also a start for Sam Tuitupou on the left wing after he made his test debut as a replacement against Samoa.

Replacements Salesi Tuifua, Paea Fonoifua, Siaosi Nai and Latu Akauola could each win their first test cap if called upon from the bench.

Tonga (1-15): Jethro Felemi, Solomone Aniseko, Ben Tameifuna (captain), Harison Mataele, Onehunga Havili, Tevita Ahokovi, Tupou Afungia, Lotu Inisi, Aisea Halo, Patrick Pellegrini, Sam Tuitupou, Fetuli Paea, Fine Inisi, Esau Filimoehala, Nikolai Foliaki.

Replacements: Penisoni Fineanganofo, Salesi Tuifua, Brandon Televave, Paea Fonoifua, Sefo Sakalia, Siaosi Nai, Tyler Pulini, Latu Akauola.

Fiji team news

Fiji head coach Mick Byrne has also elected to change a third of his starting line-up as loosehead prop Eroni Mawi, second-row Mesake Vocevoce and number eight Albert Tuisue come into the forward pack.

Tuisue’s return to the back row means that Elia Canakaivata switches to openside flanker and Salawa, the opening day hat-trick hero, drops to the bench. Meanwhile, Adrea Cocagi comes in at inside centre to make his first test start, his sole Fiji cap to date having been earned as a replacement against Ireland almost two years ago.

Cocagi is joined in the backline by Isaiah Ravula, who starts at full-back meaning Vuate Karawalevu moves to the right wing.

Fiji (1-15): Eroni Mawi, Tevita Ikanivere (captain), Samu Tawake, Mesake Vocevoce, Temo Mayanavanua, Meli Derenalagi, Elia Canakaivata, Albert Tuisue, Frank Lomani, Caleb Muntz, Epeli Momo, Adrea Cocagi, Iosefo Baleiwairiki Masi, Vuate Karawalevu, Isaiah Ravula.

Replacements: Mesulame Dolokoto, Haereiti Hetet, Peni Ravai, Ratu Rotuisolia, Kitione Salawa, Peni Matawalu, Inia Tabuavou, Ilaisa Droasese.

Referee

Angus Gardner (Australia). This will be Gardner’s 48th test in the middle but the first time he has refereed this fixture.

Saturday, 7 September: Japan v USA, Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Saitama Prefecture, Kumagaya City, KO 19:05 (GMT+9)

Head-to-head

Saturday’s match will be the 25th encounter between the sides – and first for five years – and although USA lead the head-to-head 13-10 (with one draw), Japan have held the upper hand for the last 16 years.

The Brave Blossoms have won seven of the last eight meetings, dating back to 2008, and claimed a 34-20 victory in the most recent fixture, in Suva in August 2019.

USA won the first match between the sides, a 16-15 win in Tokyo in April 1985, but last tasted victory on Japanese soil in May 2000 and have beaten the Brave Blossoms only three times in their last 10 attempts.

Where to watch

The match is live on RugbyPass TV or on J SPORTS if you’re in Japan and Peacock, a streaming service from NBC Universal, in USA.

PNC titles

Japan are the joint-third most-successful team in the competition, having lifted the title on three previous occasions.

Their most recent triumph came in 2019 when they beat defending champions Fiji, Tonga and USA to finish top of the standings.

USA have never won the Pacific Nations Cup, the Men’s Eagles’ best finish coming in 2014 when they finished second in their conference behind Japan.

Japan form: Dearns inspires emphatic victory

Having started his reign with successive home defeats to England, Georgia and Italy, Eddie Jones claimed an emphatic first win of his second spell in charge of the Brave Blossoms in the opening round of the Pacific Nations Cup.

Second-row Warner Dearns shone brightest, bagging two of Japan’s five first-half tries against Canada and the Brave Blossoms kept their foot on the gas after the break to see out a 55-28 victory.

Jones and his team will now be keen to follow that up with a positive performance, and a win, in front of their own fans.

USA form: Green shoots emerging?

The Men’s Eagles also got back to winning ways against Canada as a first-half brace for Conner Mooneyham helped them on their way to a 28-15 victory in Los Angeles.

Following on from a narrow 22-20 loss to Romania and 42-7 reverse against Scotland in July, USA coach Scott Lawrence will hope that represents a step in the right direction for his inexperienced side.

Luke Carty proved an able deputy for AJ MacGinty in the opener, although he will want to improve on his accuracy from the tee at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium.

Rankings reckoner

Starting Saturday’s match five places and almost six rating points better off than USA in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, 14th-place Japan can pick up a maximum of 0.17 points for victory.

That would not be enough to lift them above Samoa, but they could drop one place to 15th, below Portugal, if they lose to the Men’s Eagles.

Nineteenth-place USA can climb as high as 16th in the rankings, if they win by more than 15 points and Tonga lose to Fiji.

Referee

Hollie Davidson (Scotland) will become the first woman to referee a Pacific Nations Cup match on Saturday. It will be her eighth men’s test in the middle (and 36th overall) having previously made history as the first woman to take charge of both a Men’s Six Nations team, when Italy beat Portugal in June 2022, and Rugby Championship side, when South Africa hosted Os Lobos in July.