HIGASHIOSAKA, Osaka (Kyodo) — Fiji proved too strong and too fast for Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup final Saturday, pulling away in the second half for a 41-17 victory at Hanazono Rugby Stadium.
Vuate Karawalevu and Ponipate Loganimasi each scored a brace of tries for the Flying Fijians, who defended their PNC crown by outscoring Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms 31-7 following a 10-10 halftime deadlock.
“We’ve got no excuses. Fiji are very deserving champions,” said Jones, who stuck with the same youthful starting lineup that beat Samoa in the semifinals last weekend.
“A couple of our young guys today struggled with the occasion, and unfortunately, the only way to learn about that is to have it happen. But I’m sure they’re going to be better for it.”
Brave Blossoms fullback Lee Seung Sin and Fiji flyhalf Caleb Muntz traded penalty goals before Dylan Riley’s outstanding 20th-minute chip and chase delivered Japan the opening try and a 10-3 lead with the conversion.
Coach Mick Byrne’s Fiji side appeared to hit back with a 31st-minute try to Inia Tabuavou, but the five-pointer was scrubbed off after the television match official determined a knock-on in the lead-up.
The 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinalists went over just a minute later, however, with a charge-down and Tabuavou’s clever kick setting the stage for Karawalevu to race across from deep inside his own half.
Japan went down to 14 men in the 38th minute when Mamoru Harada was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle.
Fiji made the Brave Blossoms feel the numerical disadvantage early in the second half, going over in the corner but having another try disallowed, this time for obstruction.
The visitors continued to attack the Japanese line and took their first lead at 13-10 on Muntz’s 56th-minute penalty.
They quickly spread the ball wide to the right to send the flying Loganimasi into space for his first try in the 59th minute, with Muntz adding the extras for a two-score buffer at 20-10.
Albert Tuisue’s converted try made it 27-10 in the 68th minute, with Karawalevu and Loganimasi each dotting down a second time before Japan winger Malo Tuitama went over with two minutes left.
“We just knew the first 20 minutes was going to be a real battle, and the speed that the Japanese side play with was going to be a challenge,” Byrne said. “We just had to stay in there early, and I thought we set ourselves up really well for the second half.”
Rugby: Fiji overrun Japan 41-17 in Pacific Nations Cup final
