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Fiji to experiment on Samoa and Tonga

By Chris Jones

05 Aug 2019

Fiji made light work of Canada

Defending champions Fiji will use their final Pacific Nations Cup match with Samoa to try out new combinations ahead of the Rugby World Cup while Japan and USA will battle it out for the title in Suva.

World Cup hosts Japan followed up their 34-21 first round win over Fiji with an impressive 41-7 win over Tonga at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka and now travel to Suva to face a USA team that beat Samoa to back up their victory over Canada.

Despite the disappointment of not being in the hunt for another PNC title, Fiji head coach John McKee is looking to gain some World Cup positives out of what will be a very physical contest with Samoa. “For us in-terms of our preparation it’s good to be back in Fiji leading into a full week of training. Last week with the travel we didn’t have a lot of training time together;” said McKee referring to their trip to Japan.

“We also trying to implement new things in our game plan. This week we have a little bit of breathing space with an extra days of training. We will look at giving other players in the squad more opportunity and also build on our combinations towards the Rugby World Cup.

“We have the Samoa and Tonga game before playing Australia in the RWC so as per our selection we will be looking at combinations across the park.”

Samoa are still coming to terms with their last gasp loss to the USA 13-10, a match that saw Welsh referee Nigel Owens call back a Samoa try that should have been allowed to stand. “We know what a physical side they are. They probably felt a little bit unlucky in the game on Saturday:” added McKee. “They will be behind each other this week and come well prepared for match.

The USA had to dig deep with Sale’s AJ MacGinty delivering all the points to overcome Samoa and captain Blaine Scully admitted: “It was a really tight contest and I’m not sure either team deserved to lose. It was an 80-minute arm wrestle.”

Japan captain Michael Leitch is hoping a PNC triumph will give the World Cup hosts real momentum and told Kyodo News: “I’m really looking forward to next week. In my career, I’ve never won anything so it’s a chance to get a little trophy for the first time.”

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Comments on RugbyPass

Bull Shark 1 minute ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

You're outta here!

289 Go to comments

Bull Shark 1 minute ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Yellow for you. Timeout.

Low risk of danger, so there won't be a bunker review.

289 Go to comments

Bull Shark 6 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

LOL. Tinfoil meet head.

17 Go to comments

Bull Shark 15 minutes ago

Sadness pervades as Gatland stands on the brink of Welsh exit

Not true. I'm a South African and I absolutely loved seeing the Wallabies beating England. And miss the Wallabies of old who were a devastating force with some of the greatest players of all time.

I hear quite regularly that Australians prefer Aussie rules, league, and cricket over rugby.

So again, seems like Australians are to blame for the state of the game in Australia?

17 Go to comments

Bull Shark 23 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I find Ben Smith to be an emotionally driven hysteric. So I question everything he writes.

He launched into the year about the ABs being back this year. For a "journalist" his opinions are based on the flavour of the month.

He's at least gone quiet about how sh1t the boks actually are. Although I suspect he's working on an outrageous article to that effect as we speak, to drive engagement after the end of the Autumn series, as we'll all be taking a break until the 6N. Reading his drivel in between extended periods of alcohol and mince pie consumption, and low grade depression related to the lack of international rugby. Leading to more alcohol and mince pies.

22 Go to comments

Chesterfield 25 minutes ago

Michael Hooper reacts to Scott Barrett’s controversial late-game call

The dominant pack should be enforcing their superiority with maximum points and the psychological advantage of taking the lead.

You don’t get that by saying we’ll settle for three and try again you get it by scoring seven and trying again. Doesn’t come off every time?

No.

But if you’ve asserted dominance letting the opposition off and not trying to build a double score difference is wrong minded.

All blacks have traditionally played to build the unassailable lead not meekly win a single point victory.

11 Go to comments

Arnold 28 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

Aaah. Ben Smith. Ever the unbiased, objective rugby scribe......NOT.

Unable to give credit where it's due, other than for the ABs, especially when it comes to the Boks. His contempt for them is tangible. If you want to " Get Real" about these ABs Ben, consider when they last beat the Boks??? For us Bok fans, beating the ABs is the only true measure.

22 Go to comments

Reader76 47 minutes ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

"they [All Blacks] are nuggety and resourceful and don’t wilt. They are prepared to win the hard way, accumulating points by any means necessary."

Sounds like you're describing your arch-nemesis Ben 😁

22 Go to comments

CM 50 minutes ago

'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'

This article only shows a part of SBs failings as England Coach. Firstly his reputation st Leicester was false, his SA and Welsh players won the matches not his coaching prowess. He has Wigglesworth as attack coach, someone who rarely attacked when playing. His player selection is awful, ignoring form players and sticking with failed internationals. He picks players that he knows and will be easy to manage for him. What on earth is Slade doing when even for Exeter he does not make line breaks with steppping, pace or guile, why on earth are Cole,George,Steward,Ford,Iseweke and a few other anywhere near the Team. Borthwick is awful as Head Coach of England.

1 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 51 minutes ago

Key Wallabies trio running hot a year after being left in cold

Good to be writing about a WB team that has beaten two 6 N sides in successive weeks, Brett.

Lolesio indeed is looking very comfortable under Schmidt coaching. He must feel as confident now as he was feeling in his spell at Toulon last year. It will be interesting to see how he does against Finn Russell.

30 Go to comments

J Marc 1 hour ago

'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Your unterstanding of the relation FFR LNR, is far better than the one in the article. For Meafou, there is an article on Skelton saying he is totally indispensable in the australian game.

In France they are often compared, and french game is often, but not always ,based on this kind of number 5. But , there are a lot of kind of play in France and in the world, and it's a blessing, because otherwise, the game would be boring.

On my other post ,which you replied, my intention was to explain with some historics facts the main importance, in France, of the championship.

But ,once again, I would prefer 3 games in NZ , with the better french players.

289 Go to comments

Ninjin 1 hour ago

Let's be real about these All Blacks

I said before the November tests that the AB's should go smash some Nh teams to find their feet and it seems that is just what they did bar France. Could have should have always sucks. Better to look to the future.

22 Go to comments