Japan created history on the final day of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup, winning the title for the first time by beating tournament hosts Fiji 24-13 in Lautoka.

Japan celebrate winning their first Pacific Nations Cup.     (Photo courtesy of IRB.com)

John Kirwan’s side headed into the third and final match day lying in fourth place and needed a bonus point victory to secure the title. That decisive try came deep in injury time to send the Japanese players, officials and fans into a frenzy of celebration.

Tonga had earlier beaten Samoa 29-19 to put one hand on the trophy before Japan broke their hearts.

Having beaten Tonga 28-27 last Saturday, the head-to-head result handed the title to the Asian champions despite them and Tonga being tied on 10 points each .

Japan 24-13 Fiji

After Tonga’s earlier win against Samoa, hosts Fiji started their match against Japan knowing that this year’s overall title was beyond their reach, but still they managed to shrug off that disappointment and start their final match at a roaring pace in front of their home fans.

An early Seremaia Bai penalty gave them a 3-0 lead before wing Napolioni Nalaga burst through the Japanese defence to make it 8-0, but indiscipline cost them dear.

Skipper Dominiko Waqaniburotu was sent to the sin bin for foul play before Fiji received the first of two red cards in the match, Sisa Koyamaibole sent off for dangerous play, and despite a rich advantage in the possession stakes, indiscipline and errors cost them any further scores in the half.

After the restart, Fiji’s woes continued as Bai was sent to the sin bin before Japan full back Go Aruga scored an unconverted try to make it 8-5.

Fiji hit back with Nalaga’s second try for a 13-5 lead, at which point Tonga were sitting pretty with one hand on the trophy, but from then on Japan kicked on and started their quest for the title.

Ryan Nicholas went over for a try, which replacement Shaun Webb converted to make it 13-12, before Fiji’s second red card - to centre Seru Rabeni for a high tackle – gifted the Japanese a two-man advantage, which they used to put Shota Horie in for their third try and a 17-13 lead.

Shortly afterwards Fiji were reduced to 12 men when replacement Waisea Luveniyali was sin binned and Japan rattled the Fijians with sterling forward play before replacement Yuta Imamura scored the crucial fourth bonus point try for Japan. Webb added the extras for the 24-13 win.

“This is big for Japan Rugby and Fiji gave us the chance as their discipline let them down,” said Japan coach John Kirwan.

“However, I salute my players for the effort and they did what I asked them at the break. Now it is the World Cup and there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Fiji coach Sam Domoni added: “Indiscipline let us down. That was the difference today. We will have to regroup and now focus on the All Black test and the two matches against Tonga before the World Cup.”

Tonga 29-19 Samoa

Earlier in the day, the two Pacific rivals gave it their all as the quest for the title began.

Defending champions Samoa needed to win, while Tonga knew that a bonus point win would secure them the PNC for the first time.

Tonga super boot Kurt Morath opened the scoring with a penalty before Samoa full back James So’oialo made it 3-3.
Morath added another penalty and straight from the kick-off Samoa wing David Lemi gathered a loose ball to score a try to make it 10-6 with So’oialo’s conversion.

However, Tonga got a penalty from Morath and an opportunist try from Chiefs prop Sona Taumalolo, which Morath converted to make it 16-10.

The Tonga number 10 then added another penalty to take his side 19-10 in the lead at half time.

After the restart three straight penalties to So’oialo made it 19-19 before a late Morath penalty and a Viliame Helu try gave the impressive Tongans a deserved 29-19 win.

“We have played well in the PNC but there is still lots of work to be done for World Cup,” said Tonga coach Isitolo Maka.

“We still have a few players yet to join and once they come in, we will be ready.”

Samoa coach Timitaea Tafua was disappointed with his side’s performance. “We didn’t play to the game plan and the players will need to work hard in all the mistakes we have made in the Pacific Nations Cup,” he said.

If there’s one position on the USA National Team that is still full of questions, it is the position of center.

In the last two season we’ve seen five different combinations in the USA midfield, and while Head Coach Eddie O’Sullivan might have his preferences, filling out the position for the World Cup looks to be a tough job.

O’Sullivan recently penned an article about what the positions of inside and outside center, and what he expects out of those athletes. It makes for interesting reading, because on the USA National Team, his options don’t always fit the mold.

Here, quickly, then, are Eddie O’Sullivan’s options at center, based on the players picked in the 50-man World Cup Pool:

Paul Emerick. Once in jeopardy as the #1 man, he appears to be the top guy at outside center now. Hard-runner, strong passer, good defender.

Tai Enosa. Experimented with as a backup option at fullback, flyhalf and wing, and in fact could step in at any back position exception possibly #12. Has to defend better to be a #13.

Troy Hall. Tested as a flyhalf, but might be better off as a center. In O’Sullivan’s article, he says an outside center can be small then the inside, and should be able to kick and pass … that’s Hall.

Thretton Palamo. Will be playing football so this is moot. But he’s a guy who is big enough to play inside, and shifty enough and explosive enough to play outside. But it won’t be the Eagles who find this out, it will be the Utah Utes football team.

James Paterson. Coming back from injury, he can play outside center, wing or fullback … if he can play at all.

Junior Sifa. One of the anomaly players. Sifa is small and shifty, but pans out usually as an inside center. Good defender.

Andrew Suniula. Prototypical inside center guy, in that he is big, and physical, and at his best can break through tackles. Can actually kick a bit, too.

Roland Suniula. Despite being Andrew’s brother, he is more like Sifa as a player. Not enough raw pace or lateral bounciness to be an outside center.

Kevin Swiryn. Been a wing mostly these days but was a center in college. Still has the ability to play outside center.

Pate Tuilevuka. Has played flyhalf, center and wing for the USA. Deceptively quick and playing a lot of 7s this summer, which is good if he wants to get a spot with the Eagles. He is a big guy who has skills and can be either 12 or 13, but seems to be preferred as an impact sub.

Seta Tuilevuka. One cap and didn’t have a great game. Has had a lot of adapting to do to play for the Eagles, but remains an exciting prospect at 13.

Chris Wyles. Usually thought of as a fullback or wing, Wyles moved back to his old position of outside center at Saracens, and played superbly, helping Saracens to a Premiership title in England. He can run, pass, tackle, and kick (left-footed).

That is a list of 12 players, looking for four or five places, and, ultimately, two starting positions.

Here’s what we know about this:

1. Palamo won’t be there, as he will be playing football.
   
   
2. Hall has a shot (and in fact we could have listed Volney Rouse here, too) but it is a long shot right now.
   
   
3. Swiryn will be on the squad … as a wing.
   
   
4. Wyles will be on the squad somewhere … most likely as the starting fullback, but he could be used at center in the middle of the game or after a late-game substitution. Start at center? Don’t rule it out.
   
   
5. Emerick and Andrew Suniula look to be a lock right now.
   
   
6. James Paterson, like Wyles and Swiryn, could be listed at another position if he makes the team. His big issue is his pec injury. Will he make the team without playing for it? Very hard.
   
   
7. O’Sullivan could well decide he wants a different pairing of centers for different games. More than any position, center could be the place where O’Sullivan looks for a specific matchup, and a specific combination. It is distinctly possible, then, that we could see Andrew Suniula and Paul Emerick in one game, and Junior Sifa and Seta Tuilevuka in another. 
   
   
8. What about Mile Pulu? Many think he's as good a center as the USA has. He's not in the World Cup 50, and as we've just shown, there's already a lot of competition.
   
   
9. In my opinion, with Wyles and Swiryn and possibly Enosa and Paterson on the team at other positions, and with Palamo not available, and with Andrew Suniula and Emerick at the top of the selection list, it comes down to this: Hall, Sifa, Roland Suniula, Pate Tuilevuka and Seta Tuilevuka training and playing for two spots, with one player being an inside and another an outside. 

That’s it. Three test matches to make tough decisions, and at center, the decisions come down to five guys fighting for two very, very elusive places on the plane.