The Flying Fijians have climbed to 9th place in the World Rugby rankings, overtaking Australia. This advancement follows their impressive 41-17 victory over Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup final held in Osaka, Japan, last Saturday night.
Fiji’s success came as they also triumphed over Samoa, Tonga, and the United States in prior matches. This significant rise in rankings is a result of a series of thrilling test matches that engaged a global audience across different time zones.
Japan, coached by the renowned Eddie Jones, has shown notable progress during the tournament; however, they were unable to withstand the strong Fijian team, led by coach Mick Byrne, who emphasized the necessity of nurturing young talent for the future.
Byrne commented on the tournament’s potential, stating, “It’s a great opportunity for us in the PNC to select a good bunch of young players. We know there were some great senior players that did a good job during the World Cup last year, and over the course of the next few years, some of those players will be replaced.”
The victory reinforces Fiji’s promise, with Byrne noting that many squad members are still in the early phases of their professional journeys. He added, “The sooner we can get them in the test arena, the better it is for the future of the team and for Fiji Rugby.”
In the most recent World Rankings, Fiji’s ascent has relegated Australia to 10th place for the first time, while Argentina has moved up to 6th position. South Africa now occupies the second spot, with Ireland leading the rankings.