Pacific Nations Cup

[waiopehu oldboy]

Pool A: JAPAN, SAMOA, TONGA
Pool B: CANADA, FIJI, USA

Fixture list:

http://pulse-static-files.s3.amazon...d_Rugby_Pacific_Nations_Cup_2015_Schedule.pdf

Round One teams

Fiji v Tonga

Fiji: 15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Waisea Nayacalevu, 13 Vereniki Goneva (c), 12 Lepani Botia, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Henry Seniloli, 8 Masi Matadigo, 7 Malakai Ravulo, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 3 Manasa Saulo, 2 Sunia Koto, 1 Campese Ma'afu.
Replacements: 16 Talemaitoga Tuapati, 17 Peni Ravai, 18 Taniela Koroi, 19 Nemia Soqeta, 20 Peceli Yato, 21 Nikola Matawalu, 22 Josh Matavesi, 23 Metuisela Talebula.

Tonga: 15 Vunga Lilo, 14 Telusa Veainu, 13 Alipate Fatafehi, 12 Sione Piukala, 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10 Latiume Fosita, 9 Taniela Moa, 8 Viliami Ma'afu, 7 Nili Latu (c), 6 Hale T Pole, 5 Tukulua Lokotui, 4 Steve Mafi, 3 Halani Aulika, 2 Elvis Taione, 1 Alisona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Sosefo Sakalia, 17 Tevita Mailau, 18 Sila Puafisi, 19 Joe Tu'ineau, 20 Viliami Fihaki, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Kurt Morath, 23 Otulea Katoa.

Date: Saturday, July 18
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Suva
Kick-off: 15:00 local, 03:00 GMT, 04:00 BST
Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)

Canada v Japan

Canada: 15 Matt Evans, 14 Jeff Hassler, 13 Ciaran Hearn, 12 Connor Braid, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Liam Underwood, 9 Gordon McRorie, 8 Tyler Ardron, 7 Richard Thorpe, 6 Thyssen de Goede, 5 Jon Phelan, 4 Brett Beukeboom, 3 Doug Wooldridge, 2 Ray Barkwill, 1 Hubert Buydens.
Replacements: 16 Aaron Carpenter, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Andrew Tiedemann, 19 Tyler Hotson, 20 Callum Morrison, 21 Phil Mack, 22 Nathan Hirayama, 23 Phil Mackenzie.

Japan: 15 Ayumu Goromaru (c), 14 Yoshikazu Fujita, 13 Kotaro Matsushima, 12 Yu Tamura, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa, 9 Atsushi Hiwasa, 8 Hayden Hopgood, 7 Michael Broadhurst, 6 Justin Ives, 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Hisateru Hirashima.
Replacements: 16 Keita Inagaki, 17 Takeshi Kizu, 18 Shinnosuke Kakinaga, 19 Kazuhiko Usami, 20 Tsuyoshi Murata, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Toshiaki Hirose, 23 Tim Bennetts.

Date: Saturday, July 18
Venue: Avaya Stadium, San Jose
Kick-off: 17:00 local, 00:00 GMT 1d, 01:00 BST 1d
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Nick Ricono (USA)

USA v Samoa

USA: 15 Chris Wyles, 14 Taku Ngwenya, 13 Seamus Kelly, 12 Thretton Palamo, 11 Blaine Scully, 10 Alan MacGinty, 9 Shalom Suniula, 8 Danny Barrett, 7 John Quill, 6 Cam Dolan, 5 Greg Peterson, 4 Hayden Smith, 3 Matekitonga Moeakiola, 2 Phil Thiel, 1 Eric Fry.
Replacements 16 Zach Fenoglio, 17 Chris Baumann, 18 Titi Lamositele, 19 Scott Lavalla, 20 Andrew Durutalo, 21 Mike Petri, 22 Andrew Suniula, 23 Zach Test.

Samoa: 15 Ahsee Tuala, 14 Sinoti Sinoti, 13 Paul Perez, 12 Faialaga Afamasaga, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Patrick Faapale, 9 Vavao Afemai, 8 Sanele Vavae Tuilagi, 7 Jack Lam, 6 TJ Ioane, 5 Faatiga Lemalu, 4 Filo Paulo, 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Manu Leiataua, 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Motu Matu'u, 17 Viliamu Afatia, 18 Jake Grey, 19 Maselino Paulino, 20 Oneone Faafou, 21 Pele Cowley, 22 Johnny Leota, 23 Fa'atoina Autagavaia.

Date: Saturday, July 18
Venue: Avaya Stadium, San Jose
Kick-off: 19:00 local, 02:00 GMT 1d, 03:00 BST 1d
Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Assistant referees: Federico Anselmi (Argentina), Andrew McMaster (Canada)

 

[Nusadan]

Thoughts on the Fiji v Tonga match? Steve Mafi is in the Tonga team which worries me...Volvo should kick all the goals in though!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Samoa & Japan should be too strong for USA & Canada but really hard to seperate Fiji & Tonga. Home side possibly has a slight edge but it'll be close, methinks. Fiji by <9?

EDIT: Kiwi TAB has Tonga at $4.20 which seems way to much. Only giving a 9.5 start, tho.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

HT in Suva, Fiji 10-8 Tonga.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Fiji win 30-22. Was 23-22 to Fiji with 10 to go and Tonga missed a penalty.

Haven't seen the game by followed the scoreline and comments. Sounded like a decent game.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Haven't seen the game by followed the scoreline and comments. Sounded like a decent game.

I saw the first 70 min (then had to go to nephew's 21st BD dinner) & can confirm that it was very decent indeed. Shame Tonga missed out on the BP.

 

[Quick Hands]

Love this competition. Great way to prepare for RWC and to improve rugby more generally in the countries concerned.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

The full match is on YouTube & the only highlights I've been able to find are here:

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/spo...lling-pacific-nations-cup-opener-6358851.html

 

[Nusadan]

Japan beats Canada 20-6

 

[Nusadan]

USA v Samoa on live in: http://www.worldrugby.org/

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

HT Samoa 21-3 USA.

 

[Omar Comin']

FT Samoa 21-16 USA.

Good comeback from the Americans in the 2nd half.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

FT Samoa 21-16 USA.

All three results per the World Rugby rankings.

Round 2 on July 24:

Fiji v Samoa
Canada v Tonga
USA v Japan

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Canada v Japan highlights:

I'd have thought World Rugby might have something up by now but no such luck..................

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

USA v Samoa highlights:

 

[Nusadan]

Was hard to fathom why bookies had Japan as underdogs with a +6.5 point start against Canada.

Needlessly to say I took full advantage of the bookies' rare mistake!

 

[Highlander35]

On the basis of round 1, I'm comfortable saying that Scotland should get through to the quarters. It's still anything but certain, you can never assume anything when it comes to the Samoans, but we should.

 

[Omar Comin']

On the basis of round 1, I'm comfortable saying that Scotland should get through to the quarters. It's still anything but certain, you can never assume anything when it comes to the Samoans, but we should.

Samoa were resting several top players against the USA and also had a bit of a nightmare getting over there. They were very impressive in the first half and tired in the 2nd (USA also played much better). I think Samoa at full strength will have too much firepower for Scotland.

 

[Beefcake]

On the basis of round 1, I'm comfortable saying that Scotland should get through to the quarters. It's still anything but certain, you can never assume anything when it comes to the Samoans, but we should.

Never wanna write off the Manu but as glimpsed from yesterdays game vs USA, its hard to believe the technicalities (i.e. around ruck and simple organising systems in broken play) were all but absent (showing some semblance against the darkness). The USA, if they had better systems (to target) and discipline could have easily accounted for such incoherence simply by disrupting ruck - countering rucking or pushed rush defense - and pressured more errors from the Manu.

And with the Scots on an improving ascent under the new management, and their exposure to better competitions, they could easily nullify the Manu.

My hope is that, the Manu are only adjusting their systems to allow for extended team members better exposure and playing combinations.

Yes, be wary the RWC creates strange psychological conditions that allows minnows to think and play like titans and giants to bow under pressure of their own narcissism.

 

[Omar Comin']

Samoa were missing guys like Kahn Fotuali'i, Tim Nanai-Williams, Tusi Pisi, Kane Thompson, Joe Tekori, Census Johnson and a few others.

Also, the USA aren't that bad and Scotland aren't that good. Last year Scotland beat the US by 18 points, but really struggled against Canada in a 2 point win. And Canada are no better than the Americans at the moment.

I think it's actually going to be a pretty competitive pool. The USA and Japan are not going to be easy for Scotland and Samoa.