The stage is set for a thrilling World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 2019, with the tournament taking on added significance two months out from the World Cup.
This year’s edition promises to be one of the most competitive and fascinating to date with all six participating teams making their final World Cup preparations.
The tournament will be contested by Japan, Canada, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and USA over three rounds on July 27, August 3 and August 9-10, offering teams a vital chance to fine-tune their squads and scope out their opposition.
This Saturday’s opening round fixtures feature Tonga versus Samoa in Apia, Japan versus Fiji in Kamaishi and USA versus Canada in Glendale.
With World Cup fever sweeping the nation and awareness at an all-time high, Japan will host two Pacific Nations Cup matches as part of the country’s World Cup readiness programme.
The matches in host cities Kamaishi and Hanazono – both of which are sell-outs – will be used for operational testing to ensure the country is primed and ready for the World Cup kick-off on September 20.
Key World Cup tournament time operational protocols will be put in place for testing in and around the two match venues.
This includes venue security and processes around fan flow and stadia entry, ticket scanning, fixed seating allocation and World Cup match time operational management protocols. The host cities will also take the opportunity to stress-test their tournament time transportation plans.
Additional Pacific Nations Cup matches will take place in Samoa, Fiji and USA. Now in its 14th year, the Pacific Nations Cup Pacific Nations Cup is a key component of World Rugby’s mission to offer nations greater access to competitive Test matches with a focus on development in the Pacific region.
Reigning champions Fiji, who have won the past four Pacific Nations Cups, will be looking to add a fifth consecutive title to their trophy room as the tournament’s highest-ranked team but will face stiff competition from fellow Pacific Islands Tonga and Samoa, both with a point to prove as they build towards World Cup.
Meanwhile, Japan, Canada and USA, who rejoin the tournament for the first time since 2015, will want to put their finishing touches on squad preparations, using the tournament as a springboard for World Cup later in the year.
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont said: “With all roads leading to World Cup 2019, this year’s Pacific Nations Cup will be fascinating.
“The tournament, taking place over three rounds in Japan, Samoa, Fiji and USA, will offer a tantalising taste of what is to come at World Cup and I cannot wait to watch the action unfold. I would like to extend my thanks to each of the host unions.
“We are especially pleased to stage two sell-out matches in our Rugby World Cup host cities Kamaishi and Hanazono.
“With more than 80 per cent of available Rugby World Cup tickets sold following unprecedented demand from fans in over 170 countries, and more than 400,000 international visitors expected to descend on Japan for Asia’s first-ever Rugby World Cup, the country is gripped by Rugby World Cup fever.
“The Pacific Nations Cup will be the perfect curtain-raiser to show the country’s readiness and build even more excitement ahead of the big event.”
rugbypass
Links to matches footage:
Tonga v Samoa
Fiji v Japan
USA v Canada
Would expect USA to beat Canada, hope Fiji beats Japan, no idea on who will win between Tonga and Samoa, take a punt on Samoa.
Halftime: Tonga 10/3 Samoa – interesting stats though, Tonga 1st: Territory 24/76; Possession 36/64; Penalties conceded 5/3. Quite even on handling errors and turnovers conceded, the important stats for Tonga seems to be they have made more of the little possesion they have had and Samoa have missed more tackles: Line breaks 2/0; Missed tackles 1/4.
Game played in an absolute mud bath. Tonga scored their 2nd try just before halftime after going through 13 phases although looked to me like there was a forward pass from them early in that passage of play.
Final score: Tonga 17/25 Samoa, bonus point for Tonga for scoring 3 tries I think
Japan beat Fiji!!
Final score: Fiji 21/34 Japan. Good win for Japan.
Results from round 2 so far:
USA 13/10 Samoa
Fiji 38/13 Canada
Japan dominant against Tonga; in the 48th minute score is Tonga 0/21 Japan
Japan 24/0 Tonga – 49th minute as Tamura is sucessful with a penalty kick
Japan’s right winger Matsushima looks like a very elusive runner, gaining loads of ground running back at Tonga. Eventually Japan put in a good rolling kick to force a lineout 5m out, Tonga throw in
Missed something, Japan had a line out 5m out but good defence from Tonga held them up as they were trying a quick maul to score, Tonga scrum then a good clearance kick from near their goal line to a few metres inside their half. 53rd min.
It was actually about 8 metres inside Tonga half, I thought the ball had gone out a little further on.
Tonga penalty gets them a lineout on Japan 22
Mauling it up but very slowly
Penalty to Tonga looks like Japan penalized for not rolling away, at first from the refs signals I thought he was signalling a deliberate knock down.
19 Helu on for 5 vd Walt for… Japan
Try Tonga after half a dozen phases, taken up by the forwards
Tonga prop sub 18 Tameifuna who has not been on for long looks HUGE
Japan 24/7 Tonga 58th min as the try is converted
65th min still Japan 24/7 Tonga
Bullscot wrote:
1.82m, 134kg! Looks taller than the stats say.
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