Japan defeat 13 man Fiji

[Siva Tau]

Fiji have Seru Rabeni and Sisa Koyamaibole sent off Oops another sent off in injury time 24-13 full time

 

[Tau tahi]

Disappointing for Fiji ,good for japan PNC champions we should not read to much in to this and start to criticise Fiji,Samoa,and Tonga unlike Japan the Three unions used this comp as trials seeing most of there players have not been released future world cup opponents should understand they will be different forces because of the lack matches. Japan had all their players and the majority of them we will see in the world cup. SAMOA,TONGA AND FIJI only half OF those competing will be in the match day squads.

 

[IKALETAHI]

Dont understand the PNC's point system Tonga and Japan finish with 10 points , Tonga with the best PD by far being the only team with a positive PD. Yet because Japan beat Tonga, Japan win the PNC. I am happy for Japan they make drastic improvements each year, but this point system isnt in effect anywhere else. Why the PNC?

 

[Feicarsinn]

Great result for Japan, they seem to have a pretty settled squad at this point and should be looking at what? Possibly 2 wins at the RWC? Pool A should actually be a bit of a cracker. Sure France and NZ will saunter through, but the three remaining teams are very evenly matched.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Scratch the bit about being settled actually, they made 8 changes between the Fiji and Tonga games. A nice luxury for John Kirwin to have I guess.

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

Dont understand the PNC's point system Tonga and Japan finish with 10 points , Tonga with the best PD by far being the only team with a positive PD. Yet because Japan beat Tonga, Japan win the PNC. I am happy for Japan they make drastic improvements each year, but this point system isnt in effect anywhere else. Why the PNC?

While Im happy and pleased for Japans coming of age win of the PNC, I 2 question the point system in awarding the PNC to Japan. Tonga scored far and away the more points and the only game they lost they lost by 1 point. Shouldnt that make Tonga the champions then as they too had 2 wins, a bonus point from the loss and a much better points aggregate??
Take nothing away from Japan though as they have really shown how much theyve grown as a rugby nation on the rise and I must put that down to Coach Kirwin and management making all the right moves in the last few years, and coaching them to be as best a drilled unit as they can be. From coming and joining the Island teams in the Pacific nations cup and initially being smashed by cricket scores every game, to now become Champions of the PNC. They definatly showed today and throughout the tournemant, while Samoa, Tonga and Fiji have the more powerful, physical and naturaly talented players..Japan definatly are a team that played with heart, cohesion and discipline which lead them to their first Pacific championship. Well done Japan, congratulations on their finest moment in rugby to date.

 

[Dougydeluxe]

Good for Japan, but I hope Canada can gets the best of them in the RWC.

 

[Melhor Time]

While Im happy and pleased for Japans coming of age win of the PNC, I 2 question the point system in awarding the PNC to Japan. Tonga scored far and away the more points and the only game they lost they lost by 1 point. Shouldnt that make Tonga the champions then as they too had 2 wins, a bonus point from the loss and a much better points aggregate??
Take nothing away from Japan though as they have really shown how much theyve grown as a rugby nation on the rise and I must put that down to Coach Kirwin and management making all the right moves in the last few years, and coaching them to be as best a drilled unit as they can be. From coming and joining the Island teams in the Pacific nations cup and initially being smashed by cricket scores every game, to now become Champions of the PNC. They definatly showed today and throughout the tournemant, while Samoa, Tonga and Fiji have the more powerful, physical and naturaly talented players..Japan definatly are a team that played with heart, cohesion and discipline which lead them to their first Pacific championship. Well done Japan, congratulations on their finest moment in rugby to date.

PNC rules are such that if teams are tied on points then the team who won the match is considered higher on the ladder.

BTW guys, stop saying Fiji, Samoa and Tonga fielded experimental sides while Japan were at full strength. Its simply not true at all. Japan changed its side for every match. Different conbinations were tested. Five changes from the Samoa to the Tonga match and eight for the Fiji game. Any team who can knock over Tonga then replace over half the players to beat Fiji is a damn good team in my opinion. Lots of guys will be on the bench or out of the 22 at the RWC. Shota Horie and Yuta Imamura missed the Tonga game but scored tries vs Fiji.

vs Samoa - 15 Goshi Tachikawa, 14 Kosuke Endo, 13 Yuta Imamura, 12 Ryan Nicholas, 11 Takehisa Usuzuki, 10 Shaun Webb, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Koliniasi Ryu Holani, 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Takashi Kikutani (c), 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Toshizumi Kitagawa, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Yusuke Aoki, 1 Hisateru Hirashima.

vs Tonga - 15 Sean Webb, 14 Kosuke Endo, 13 Koji Taira, 12 Ryan Nicholas, 11 Hirotoki Onozaw, 10 James Arlidge, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Koliniasi Ryu Holani, 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Takashi Kikutani (c), 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Justin Ives, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Yusuke Aoki, 1 Hisateru Hirashima

 

[Sixesandsevens]

Great result for Japan, I actually think John Kirwan's really good at improving developing international teams!

 

[DJRonStar]

Congratulations Japan. Interest in this years PNC wasn't as hyped as previous years, due to the fact that all teams were tinkering around with players. Lots of players were rested and plenty of fringe players were given a chance to impress for world cup selection. We'll see a bit of this in the Tri-Nations with all three countries doing the same. Look at the team that South Africa have sent to Australia and New Zealand.

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

PNC rules are such that if teams are tied on points then the team who won the match is considered higher on the ladder.

BTW guys, stop saying Fiji, Samoa and Tonga fielded experimental sides while Japan were at full strength. Its simply not true at all. Japan changed its side for every match. Different conbinations were tested. Five changes from the Samoa to the Tonga match and eight for the Fiji game. Any team who can knock over Tonga then replace over half the players to beat Fiji is a damn good team in my opinion. Lots of guys will be on the bench or out of the 22 at the RWC. Shota Horie and Yuta Imamura missed the Tonga game but scored tries vs Fiji.

vs Samoa - 15 Goshi Tachikawa, 14 Kosuke Endo, 13 Yuta Imamura, 12 Ryan Nicholas, 11 Takehisa Usuzuki, 10 Shaun Webb, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Koliniasi Ryu Holani, 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Takashi Kikutani (c), 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Toshizumi Kitagawa, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Yusuke Aoki, 1 Hisateru Hirashima.

vs Tonga - 15 Sean Webb, 14 Kosuke Endo, 13 Koji Taira, 12 Ryan Nicholas, 11 Hirotoki Onozaw, 10 James Arlidge, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Koliniasi Ryu Holani, 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Takashi Kikutani (c), 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Justin Ives, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Yusuke Aoki, 1 Hisateru Hirashima

The thing that works in favour for Japan is that 95% of their players are based in Japan (I think James Arlidge is the only exception), and they've had more game time together this year as they played earlier in the Asia 5 nations. This definitely allows them to be the more cohesive unit then the Islands and helped their cause in going on to win this years PNC. Who knows maybe, however unlikely, an upset or two maybe on the cards come RWC.

 

[Muzzy]

only saw the highlights but Nalaga scored an awesome try fending off two players to score a try from nothing and then scored a second try from close range when fiji were down to 13 men. but lets be real, no team in the world can win a game with only 13 players on the field, fiji had 3 yellow cards and 2 red cards in one game, noone could win that. its a shame because fiji were playing so well, japan were in trouble, the fact fiji actually scored a try of their own and held out japan for so long with 13 men says a lot imo, in fact they were unlucky not to have scored more

 

[AfakasiAssasin]

only saw the highlights but Nalaga scored an awesome try fending off two players to score a try from nothing and then scored a second try from close range when fiji were down to 13 men. but lets be real, no team in the world can win a game with only 13 players on the field, fiji had 3 yellow cards and 2 red cards in one game, noone could win that. its a shame because fiji were playing so well, japan were in trouble, the fact fiji actually scored a try of their own and held out japan for so long with 13 men says a lot imo, in fact they were unlucky not to have scored more

Nalaga played well, in fact was probably man of the match for Fiji. Fiji def played well to start and should've won the game. But they should've been more disciplined then they were and a poor job from whoever was captain not pulling the Players aside and calming the team down instead of non stop trying to tackle high, late and at times reckless. Yes the ref was harsh at times, but ultimatley the players shouldve recognized this and to be honest were stupid not to bring down their aggression by a few notches. 3 yellow cards and 2 red cards is terrible discipline and will cost any team a match.

 

[Brad John]

Great result for Japan, they seem to have a pretty settled squad at this point and should be looking at what? Possibly 2 wins at the RWC? Pool A should actually be a bit of a cracker. Sure France and NZ will saunter through, but the three remaining teams are very evenly matched.

I totally agree Feicarsinn, Japan is a quality well coached squad... I'm obviously following Canada as a fan and do see the two games with Tonga & Japan as the two main tests, especially Japan.
Canada has progressed well over the past 3- 4 years, beaten some quality squads, France A, Italy A, USA a few times, but as in the last RWC, Canada had the lead until the last 2 mins and ended
with a 12 all tie, NOT a good result for Canada, which overall was sub-par the entire tournament. Japan vs. Canada will be the main test for both nations this RWC, and I know for a fact both are
focusing on each other as to see which nation truly has made the efforts... both teams are known for their never-say-die attitude and heart, Canada maybe has the larger players, a bit grittier
and physical, overall a nastier attitude, but Japan is technically better, the scrum will be interesting, runners are probably equal, kicking I'll give to Canada... Heart & Guts? tough call...

Prediction?
Canada in a close one: 20 - 17

Your Prediction?