20 September 2025: G: America First Field (USA) ; R: Damian Schneider (UAR)
●Japan 27-33 Fiji○
Data:
20/9/2025, Pacific Nations Cup 2025 final
Japan 27 – 33 Fiji
America First Field (USA)
Half-time 10 – 26
Refree: Damian Schneider (UAR)
Crowd: 8,000
JAPAN: 15 Ichigo Nakakusu (23 Yuki Ikeda), 14 Tomoki Osada, 13 Yuya Hirose, 12 Charlie Lawrence (22 Shogo Nakano 40), 11 Haruto Kida (, 10 Seungsin Lee, 9 Shinobu Fujiwara (21 Kenta Fukuda 61), 8 Amato Fakatava, 7 Kanji Shimokawa (20 Tiennan Costley 65), 6 Faulua Makisi, 5 Warner Dearns (capt), 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Shyuhei Takeuchi (18 Keijiro Tamefusa 70), 2 Hayate Era (16 Kenji Sato 70), 1 Kenta Kobayashi (17 Ryosuke Iwaihara 76).
Reserves:
HIA: 11 Haruto Kida (10~20: 23 Yuki Ikeda), 8 Amato Fakatava (13~24: 20 Tiennan Costley)
Coach: Eddie Jones.
Tries: Hayate Era (2), Ichigo Nakakusu.; Conversions: Seungsin Lee (3); Penalty Goals: Seungsin Lee; Drop Goals: None.
Red Cards: None, Yellow Cards: None.
Fiji: 15 Ponipate LOGANIMASI, 14 Joji Nasova, 13 Kalaveti RAVOUVOU, 12 Inia TABUAVOU (22 Kemu VALETINI 49) , 11 Taniela RAKURO (23 Isaiah ARMSTRONG-RAVULA 73), 10 Caleb MUNTZ, 9 Simione KURUVOLI (21 Sam WYE 48), 8 Viliame MATA (20 Kitone SALAWA 70), 7 Elia CANAKAIVATA, 6 Etonia WAQA, 5 Temo MAYANAVANUA (19 Isoa NASILASILA 45) , 4 Mesake VOCEVOCE, 3 Mesake DOGE (18 Samu TAWAKE 63), 2 Tevita IKANIVERE (capt) (16 Zuriel TOGIATAMA 65), 1 Eroni MAWI (17 Haereiti HETET 51).
Reserves:
HIA: 17 Haereiti HETET (57~80: 1 Eroni MAWI), 7 Elia CANAKAIVATA (66~33: Tevita IKANIVERE (No contest scrum)).
Tries: Mesake VOCEVOCE , Inia TABUAVOU, Tevita IKANIVERE, Joji Nasova (2).; Conversions: Caleb MUNTZ (4); Penalty Goals: None; Drop Goals: None.
Yellow Cards: Viliame MATA (Unfair play), Eroni MAWI (Repeated foul play).
Scoring sequence (Japan’s score shown first): 5min-try Japan, Hayate Era-5-0; conv. Seungsin Lee-7-0, 20min-pg Japan, Seungsin Lee-10-0, 21min-try Fiji, Mesake VOCEVOCE-10-5; conv. Caleb MUNTZ-10-7, 31min-try Fiji, Inia TABUAVOU-10-12; conv. Caleb MUNTZ (missed)-10-12, 35min-try Fiji, Tevita IKANIVERE -10-17; conv. Caleb MUNTZ-10-19, 40min-try Fiji, Joji Nasova-10-24; conv. Caleb MUNTZ-10-26, 43min-try Fiji, Joji Nasova-10-31; conv. Caleb MUNTZ-10-33, 47min-try Japan, Ichigo Nakakusu-15-33; conv. Seungsin Lee-17-33, 60min-try Japan, Hayate Era-22-33; conv. Seungsin Lee-24-33, 20min-pg Japan, Seungsin Lee-27-33.
Japan has lost all 12 matches against England. However, there have been times in the past when the score was close, and at last year's RWC2023 in France, they were in a fierce battle with a score of 12-13 until the 16th minute of the second half, when the ball hit the head of the opposing number 1 player Mahler and led to a try, resulting in an unfortunate defeat. However, the new Eddie Japan has recently suffered a series of injuries and is missing a goal kick specialist, and Lee Seung-hyo, who was making his first cap, was in the number 2 position for the day.
Japan's record against Fiji is 4 wins and 16 losses. They were also completely defeated 17-41 in last year's PNC final. As a lower-tier 1 nation, Japan is competing for superiority, and considering the draw for the RWC, they will be desperate to win. To achieve this, they must avoid letting Fiji's pace, which is superior in terms of physical ability (especially speed). Instead, they must use their ultra-fast rugby to tire Fiji out, putting them under stress and forcing them to score consecutive penalties.
The match began with a Fiji kickoff, and Japan went on the offensive with their ultra-fast rugby. In the third minute, Fiji kicked the ball from their own 22-meter line, and No. 10 Lee received it at the Japanese 22-meter line and launched a counter-attack. No. 8 Fakatava received the pass and charged forward, and Japan's ultra-fast rugby unleashed, tossing Fiji back and forth. Fiji could not hold out and committed a foul. In the fifth minute, a penalty kick to touch earned a lineout 5 meters in front of the Fiji goal on their right, and No. 5 Warner caught the ball. No. 6 Maxi passed the ball to No. 8 Fakatava, who was running in from behind the lineout. Fakatava charged into the narrow space on the right and passed the ball to No. 2 Era, who was supporting him. Era slipped between two Fijian defenders and dove into the try zone (Lee's goal made it 7-0: a perfectly planned start). In the eighth minute, a Japanese foul in the midfield allowed Fiji to earn a lineout 22 meters to the right of Japan's half by the penalty kick. However, the first Fiji attack of the day was perfectly stopped with a Japan full tackle, forcing a knock forward. In the tenth minute, No. 11 Kida, who had started that day, was judged to need checking by the HIA, and No. 23 Ikeda was brought in (Ikeda got his first cap). Japan then pushed with all of their forwards in the first scrum, forcing a collapsing foul by Fiji and escaping a crisis. In the 13th minute, Fiji seized the lineout ball that Japan got it by the penalty kick and went on the attack. During this play, No. 8 Fakatava fell, forcing HIA to check him, and No. 20 Okui was brought in. Both Ikeda and Okui fearlessly tackled, pushing forward step by step. Then, Fiji had the ball in the scrum, 5 meters in front of the Japanese goal. Japan's forwards all pushed together, forcing Fiji to collapse and escaping the crisis (a crucial play that changed the flow of the game). In the 19th minute, the ball was loose during a lineout on Fiji's left 22-meter line, and Era picked it up and advanced 10 meters to form a ruck. With the forwards charging forward and the backs developing attacks, they closed in on the Fiji goal, and Era, positioned shallow, received a pass and entered the try zone. A try was initially called, but the TMO ruled it was not a try. However, an offside penalty in front of Fiji's goal earlier stood, and in the 20th minute, Lee easily scored a penalty goal (10-0). Just when it seemed the game was progressing steadily at Japan's pace, in the 21st minute, Fiji kicked a high kick to the center on the kick off, and No. 15 Loganimasi charged hard and jumped to tap the ball back to Fiji side. No. 7 Kanakabivata picked up the loose ball and passed it to No. 4 Vosevose, who scored a try (No. 10 Muntz's goal made it 10-7). Fiji used England-style techniques to attack, kicking high balls to Japan's lack of height and having their tall players run in and tap in. When a loose ball situation like this occurs, it's truly frightening. In the 27th minute, Japan launched another series of attacks, winning a scrum in Fiji's own half, but this time Japan knee down, giving Fiji a penalty kick (a painful foul). In the 31st minute, Japan continued their attacking streak, forming a ruck to the left of the 22-meter line, but the ball was loose. Fijian forwards picked it up and advanced, making significant advances into the Japanese half with offload passes and no-look passes to the rear. Fiji, advancing to the left, closed in on the Japanese goal, and with each phase, No. 12 Tabuavou dove into the try zone (Muntz missed a goal to make it 10-12). In the 33rd minute, Japan caught a kick from in front of the Fiji goal and launched a counterattack. No. 11 Kida kicked into the Fiji defense and went for a solo tackle, but missed it. No. 14 Nasova made a big gain and charged towards the Japanese goal. In this unstructured situation, if the first player missed a tackle and allowed the runaway to run alone, it would be extremely dangerous. In the 35th minute, Fiji advanced to the right from a ruck in the center of midfield, No. 10 Muntz kicked the ball wide, and No. 6 Waqa, waiting at the edge of the line, caught it. He shook off a tackle from Japan's No. 12 Lawrence and ran smoothly. Fiji advanced with an offload pass, and captain No. 2 Ikanivele scored a try (Muntz's goal made it 10-19).
This was Fijian magic. The passes connected like magic. In the 38th minute, Fiji's No. 10 Munz sent a short punt behind the defensive line from a scrum on the left in front of their own 22m line. While Japan struggled to deal with the ball, No. 9 Kuruboli picked it up and approached the Japanese goal. Ultimately, they were unable to touch down and the judge was the try line drop out, but the game was completely in Fiji's control. Then, in the 40th minute, Fiji counter-attacked after Japan's kick after the dropout. In an attack that spread out to the left from midfield, No. 14 Nasova picked up a disorganized pass and made a great run. He was almost intercepted several times, but managed to slip through and score a try (Munz's goal made it 10-26). Fiji's three tries from disorganized situations were truly painful. A solution to this was absolutely necessary.
The second half began with a Japanese kickoff. Three minutes in, Fiji's left-side attack in the midfield left No. 14 Nasova, who was half-free posision, made a swift run down the left flank. He returned the ball to No. 9 Kuruboli, who was supporting inside, and after Kuruboli being hold, No. 14 Nasova received the ball again and scored a try under the post (Muntz goal, 10-33). There were concerns that Japan would continue to lose momentum, but their lightning-fast attacking spirit remained. In the seventh minute, Era caught a Fiji pass mistake and advanced. From that ruck, Warner, Nakano, and Maxi charged forward, forming successive rucks. Japan spread to the right from the center just before Fiji's 22-meter line. No. 14 Osada received a long pass from Lee, and run along the line, and passed the ball back to No. 15 Nakakusu, who was following inside. Nakakusu made a brilliant run and entered the try zone (Lee goal, 17-33). Japan's reaction to loose balls improved, and with a big tackle from Warner, they were able to gain momentum. In the 18th minute, Fiji's No. 8 Mata received a yellow card for repeated offsides. In the 20th minute, Japan formed a solid lineout maul from a lineout 5 meters to the right of the Fiji goal. Fujiwara yelled encouragement as the forwards advanced, eventually charging into the try zone and scoring a try by Era (a goal by Lee made it 24-33). As Japan continued to set the pace, Fiji's frustration grew, and in the 22nd minute, No. 1 Mawi also received a yellow card for repeated fouls. Hoping to get within seven points, Japan scored a penalty goal from 40 meters from almost the center of the Fiji 10-meter line in the 25th minute (27-33), bringing the gap to six points. However, despite Japan's continued attacks in an attempt to turn the game around, try chances were hard to come by. In the final minutes, Fiji attacked in an attempt to score a final try. Japan managed to stop the attack with well-conceived tackles from all players, but time passed and unfortunately, Fiji kicked the ball into touch, ending the game. Japan is able to stop opponents' attacks with an organized defense when they are in a well-organized position, such as during set plays. However, when they are attacked in an unstructured position, they often allow the attacker to score a try, especially after being beaten one-on-one in defense. How can they prevent unstructured situations from occurring? Or, how can they stop one-on-one situations when they do get into that position? The issues are clear, and they should be prepared for the big matches in the autumn (vs. Australia, South Africa, Ireland, and Wales).