Fiji secured their place in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup with a hard-earned victory over a young and spirited USA team at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo. They will now face either Japan or Samoa, who are set to compete at the same venue on Sunday.
In another match, Tonga triumphed over Canada in the fifth-place playoff.
Fiji triumphed over the USA with a score of 22-3. Backrow Elia Canakaivata was the standout performer, scoring tries in both halves as Fiji, a five-time winner of the Pacific Nations Cup, advanced to the final. The USA put up a strong fight, pushing Fiji to rely on a stronger second-half performance for the win.
Fiji’s coach Mick Byrne acknowledged that his less experienced squad struggled initially but praised the USA for their physicality and pressure. USA’s fly-half Chris Mattina opened the scoring with a penalty in the first few minutes, and the USA effectively contained Fiji early on.
As the first half progressed, Fiji began to assert their dominance, with fly-half Caleb Muntz leveling the scores after 23 minutes. They then took the lead when Canakaivata scored from a loose ball following a disrupted lineout.
In the second half, Canakaivata scored again after receiving a series of passes, and despite Fiji’s captain Tevita Ikanivere being yellow-carded for a dangerous challenge, Frank Lomani managed to score another try for Fiji, marking the game’s final score moment.
The USA had opportunities to score but were thwarted by handling errors and strong Fiji defense. Despite not scoring, USA’s captain Nate Augspurger expressed pride in his team’s performance, particularly in their physicality against the five-time champions.
In the fifth-place match, Tonga defeated Canada 30-17, marking their fifth consecutive win against them. After a slow start, Tonga showcased their attacking abilities. Flanker Siosiua Moala scored the first try, followed by Winger John Tapueluelu, who broke through multiple defenders to secure another try.
Canada’s veteran hooker Andrew Quattrin scored to reduce the deficit, but Josiah Unga added another try for Tonga, giving them a 19-10 lead at halftime. Although Canada dominated the second half, they could only manage one try, scored by Takoda McMullin, while Tapueluelu added his second try to seal the match.
Captain Ben Tameifuna expressed satisfaction with the team’s efforts and emphasized that this victory was a stepping stone for them, eyeing their main objective: the World Cup in Australia.