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Fiji warmed up for the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa later this year (29 June to 19 July) by claiming the Oceania Rugby U20 Challenger title.
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Following wins over the U20 sides of Tonga (39-25) and hosts Moane Pasifika (48-19), Fiji rounded off their triumphant campaign with a relatively straightforward 31-17 victory against Samoa at the North Harbour Stadium on Wednesday.
In the first match of the final round of the competition, Tonga snatched victory against Moana Pasifika thanks to Sione Matakaiongo’s last-gasp penalty.
It appeared as though number eight Uikelotu Afeaki’s hat-trick would be in vain, but with seconds remaining, fly-half Matakaiongo kept his nerve to hand the Junior Ikale Tahi their first win of the campaign.
Moana Pasifika had surged into a 17-5 lead but Tonga stuck at it and their resilience was rewarded.
All nine matches were streamed live by RugbyPass TV and you can watch them again in full HERE>>
While Fiji can look forward to mixing it with the best in age-grade international rugby in just under four months, Samoa’s victory over Tonga in round two confirmed their place in the second-tier World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024, which will be played at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh, on 2-17 July.
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