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Everything you need to know before the Pacific Nations Cup knockouts
By Ned Lester
The Pacific Nations Cup has found its semi-finalists after three action-packed rounds from across the Pacific rim, with two sides also relegated to a fifth-place final and set to miss the final week in Osaka.
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Tokyo plays host to this week’s round, with Tonga and Canada the teams battling to end their respective campaigns on a high after falling short in each of their opening fixtures. The consolation contest will open the weekend’s festivities at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Pool A winners Fiji will then play Pool B runners-up the USA in the first semi-final of the weekend. The winner will have to wait until Sunday to find their final opponents, as Pool B champions Japan and Pool A runner-up Samoa kick off their semi-final on Sunday afternoon.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup round four, available to watch on RugbyPass TV in certain locations.
Tonga vs Canada
Where: Price Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Kick-off time: 16:00 local time, Saturday 14th September
Tonga enjoy a four-game win streak in this matchup stretching back to 2015, but will need to improve greatly on both sides of the ball after ranking dead last in points per game and tackle percentage in the tournament so far.
What the Canadians will be wary of however is the sting in the Tongan defence when they get it right, with an impressive 11.5 dominant tackles per game leading the field.
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Canada have two of the tournament’s most prolific ball-carriers so fans can expect an afternoon of heavy collisions in the contact area.
The Canadians have the upper hand in the set piece statistics as well, thanks to their 100 per cent scrum success rate and a lineout success rate 18 points better than their opponents.
Both teams boast top-three goal-kickers in the tournament, signalling the importance of discipline in the contest.
The Canadians will be battling the immense Tokyo heat, something that will be more unfamiliar to them than their Pacific Island opponents.
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Fiji vs USA
Where: Price Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Kick-off time: 19:05 local time, Saturday 14th September
The first of the semi-finals for the weekend sees Rugby World Cup quarter-finalists take on a team bitterly disappointed to miss qualification for the sport’s showpiece event in 2023 and out to prove their place in rugby’s competitive international landscape.
The Eagles haven’t emerged victorious in a clash with the Flying Fijians since 1999, which was the nation’s only win over Fiji.
The challenge for the USA will be reaching the Fijian 22, where they have proven to be the most effective attacking side in turning those opportunities into points. The team ranks last however in 22m entries, highlighting the importance of the territory game.
Unsurprisingly, Fiji’s attack was the benchmark throughout the pool stages, where they made dominant contact on a whopping 50 per cent of their carries, with players like centre Iosefo Masi and outside back Vuate Karawalevu leading from the front.
Japan vs Samoa
Where: Price Chichibu Memorial Stadium
Kick-off: 15:05 local time, Sunday 15th September
This is a rivalry that turned a corner in 2014, when Samoa had won 11 of the first 13 matchups against Japan. Since then, Japan have beaten Samoa in four of the past five contests.
In 2023 the teams split honours, with each winning one contest apiece when playing in an unofficial Pacific Nations Cup fixture – won by Samoa – and then at the Rugby World Cup – won by Japan.
Japan’s attack has been firing in the tournament to date, scoring over 40 points against both Canada and the USA to emerge from pool play undefeated.
Perhaps the biggest feature of the team’s attack is their gainline success, which leads the competition at a remarkable 72 per cent. Eddie Jones’ men are far from a one-trick pony though, with their tackle rate also leading the competition.
Samoa on the other hand boast the most tackle breaks in the competition, also trying their semi-final opponents for most offloads. Tuna Tuitama leads the pack with 11 tackle breaks to his name.
when are finals for pacific nations cup being staged please?