The Flying Fijians are one match away from successfully defending their title in the Pacific Nations Cup. Coached by Mick Byrne, the team demonstrated great resilience in defeating a determined USA team 22-3 during the semi-final held in Tokyo, Japan, on Saturday night.
The Flying Fijians are set to face the winner of the semi-final clash between Japan and Samoa, which took place late last night.
Byrne emphasized that their work is not yet finished. “Job’s not done yet,” he stated after the semi-final. “We will go back and look at our mistakes and prepare ourselves for the final.”
Byrne acknowledged the toughness of the match and the expected challenge from the USA. Caleb Muntz, who stepped in as captain after Tevita Ikanivere received a yellow card, praised the team’s efforts, saying, “Credit to the boys for getting the job done. It was tough but we managed to achieve what we prepared for.”
Muntz, alongside rookie fullback Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, created scoring opportunities against the USA defense. Ikanivere had a difficult start, struggling with lineout throws before being carded for a dangerous clear-out.
Despite facing handling issues that led to several USA attacking chances, Fiji’s strong defensive play minimized the opposition’s scoring opportunities as the match progressed. The solid tackles from the Flying Fijians took a toll on the American players, compounded by the oppressive heat. In the scrums, Fiji maintained dominance.
“It’s great to see our players work hard in crucial moments in the game, especially Elia (Canakaivata), he did a great job indeed,” Byrne added.
In a different match, Tonga concluded their competition on a high note with a 30-17 victory over Canada in the fifth-place playoff, extending their winning streak against Canada to five matches.
After a slow start where the first five minutes were played deep in their own half, the ‘Ikale Tahi demonstrated their attacking potential. Flanker Siosiua Moala opened the scoring with a try from a 5m lineout maul after 10 minutes, followed by winger John Tapueluelu who surpassed three defenders for another try five minutes later.
Despite a response from Canada’s veteran hooker Andrew Quattrin, Tonga continued to assert themselves with Josiah Unga scoring another try, giving them a 19-10 lead at halftime.
Although Canada dominated the second half, they managed only one try, scored by Takoda McMullin 13 minutes before the end, as Tonga’s defense held strong at key moments. Tapueluelu finished the match with a second try.
“After all our efforts in the last couple of weeks, I think we deserved a win,” Tonga captain Ben Tameifuna remarked post-match. “The boys worked hard for it. This is a stepping stone for ‘Ikale Tahi – our main objective is the World Cup in Australia.”