The Flying Fijians, despite being the reigning champions of the Pacific Nations Cup, will enter the final against Japan as underdogs on Sunday in Osaka. Under the guidance of coach Eddie Jones, Japan is riding a wave of confidence following a commanding 49-27 victory over Manu Samoa in the semi-finals held in Tokyo.
Japan demonstrated an impressive display of attacking rugby, scoring six tries compared to Samoa’s three. Jones has been steering a significant development process within the team and has set a clear goal for them to win the final against Fiji. He emphasized the need for the players to enhance their defensive strategies, especially around the ruck, to secure the trophy, which they last won in 2019.
“As much as we’re pleased to be in the final, our only aim is to win the final,” Jones stated, acknowledging the formidable challenge posed by Fiji while looking forward to a productive week of preparation.
The Japanese team took control early in their semi-final, leading 4-1 in tries by halftime. Dylan Riley scored their first try shortly after the match began, capitalizing on early pressure in Samoa’s territory. The momentum shifted further when Samoan winger Elisapeta Alofipo was sin-binned for a foul, leading to a penalty try for Japan.
Further contributions followed, including a calculated kick from Seungsin Lee that allowed Tomoki Osada to score Japan’s third try, and Lee himself added a try before halftime, showcasing excellent phase play from his teammates.
Despite being down a player for part of the first half, Samoa, a four-time champion, remained resilient. Tuna Tuitama managed to score amidst their defensive struggles, and penalties from Rodney Iona kept them in the game.
However, Lee’s dynamic play in the second half broke the game open further for Japan. After assisting Kanji Shimokawa for a try, Lee continued to be a pivotal force. Samoa responded with a try from Melani Matavao, but Japan’s Shinobu Fujiwara and Taichi Takahashi scored to extend their lead.
In the end, Samoa’s captain Theo McFarland pointed to discipline issues as a key factor in their loss. He reflected, “I don’t think it was a lack of effort. It was our discipline in the first 20 – constantly making errors, especially handling errors. Our set piece let us down in the second half as well. All of that took out our momentum in the game.”