Fiji beat Japan to lift Pacific Nations Cup

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Songezo Zibi
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A general view of heavy snowfall on a road to Harrismith from Sterkfontein dam on September 21, 2024. 
 
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Neeshan Balton
A general view of heavy snowfall on a road to Harrismith from Sterkfontein dam on September 21, 2024. 
 
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TOKYO – Fiji retained the Pacific Nations Cup with a sizzling second-half performance in a 41-17 win over Japan in Saturday’s final in Osaka.
The Fijians scored four tries after the break to lift the trophy and deny Eddie Jones his first title since returning as Japan head coach at the start of the year.
The win gave Fiji a record-extending seventh title at the tournament, which was being played with a revamped format this year.
The teams were locked 10-10 at half-time and Fiji head coach Mick Byrne said he was confident his side could make the difference after the break.
“We just knew the first 20 minutes was going to be a real battle — the speed that the Japanese side play with was going to be a challenge,” Byrne said.
“We just had to stay in there early. I thought we worked really hard, set ourselves up for the second half by maintaining real good pressure in that first half.”
Jones said Fiji were “very deserved champions” and vowed that his young team would come back from the defeat.
“A couple of our young guys today struggled with the occasion,” the Australian said.
“Unfortunately the only way to learn from that is to have it, and I’m sure they’re going to be better for it.”
Two of Fiji’s substitutes scored tries in the second half as Byrne again made effective use of his bench.
A late Japan try denied Fiji the distinction of not conceding a single second-half point in any of their four games at this year’s tournament.
“Working through the way the game was unfolding, we just needed to make sure we had some fresh legs to come on,” said Byrne.
“It was great to see the bench come on and do what we asked them to do.”
Both teams converted penalties in the opening 10 minutes but the match exploded into life when Dylan Riley scored the opening try for Japan midway through the first half.
The centre ran at the Fiji defence before chipping the ball forward and collecting it to touch down for a spectacular solo score.
Fiji scored just after the half-hour mark when Vuate Karawalevu galloped forward on the counter-attack after his team-mates had charged down a Japan kick.
Japan’s Mamoru Harada was sin-binned soon after for a high tackle on Fiji’s Caleb Muntz.
Fiji edged ahead in the second half with another Muntz penalty before substitute Ponipate Loganimasi made an instant impact with a try just minutes after coming on.
Fellow replacement Albert Tuisue then put Fiji firmly in the driving seat, before Karawalevu added another try and Loganimasi bagged his second.
Malo Tuitama scored a late consolation for Japan.