The Flying Fijians, despite being the reigning champions of the Pacific Nations Cup, are set to enter the final against Japan as the underdogs. The match is scheduled for Sunday in Osaka. Japan, led by coach Eddie Jones, is riding high after a convincing 49-27 victory over Manu Samoa in the semi-finals held in Tokyo last Sunday.
In that match, Japan showcased their strong attacking play, scoring six tries to Samoa’s three. The team is making significant strides under Jones as he focuses on a reclamation project to enhance their performance. Jones has emphasized the need for his players to bolster their defense, particularly around the ruck, if they hope to clinch the trophy for the first time since 2019.
“While we are excited to be in the final, our primary goal is to win it,” Jones stated. “We are preparing to face a high-quality team like Fiji, and we have a solid week of training ahead.”
In the semi-final, Japan established dominance in the first half, scoring four tries before Samoa could respond. Dylan Riley opened the scoring for Japan early on, capitalizing on pressure deep in the opponent’s territory. Soon after, Samoa’s Elisapeta Alofipo received a yellow card for an illegal tackle, leading to a penalty try for Japan.
Japan continued to press, with impressive passes from Seungsin Lee, leading to further tries from Tomoki Osada and Lee himself, who scored just before halftime. Samoa, despite being down a player, showed resilience, with Tuna Tuitama managing to score and Rodney Iona adding two penalties to keep Samoa in contention at halftime.
The second half saw Lee split the defense early, setting up Kanji Shimokawa for Japan’s fifth try. Samoa fought back, with Melani Matavao scoring to narrow the gap. However, Japan’s Shinobu Fujiwara extended their lead soon after, and despite Samoa managing another score through Lalomilo Lalomilo, Japan maintained their advantage.
Towards the end of the match, Japan launched a determined attack, culminating in a try from Taichi Takahashi, ensuring they finished strong. Lee also continued his perfect record with conversions during the tournament.
Samoa’s captain Theo McFarland attributed their loss to lapses in discipline, stating, “It wasn’t a lack of effort. It was our discipline in the first 20 minutes, with constant handling errors and set-piece failures that disrupted our momentum.”