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pacific-nations-cup
TOKYO: Assistant trainer Neil Hatley sees victory on the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup The 2026 finals in Tokyo as an “absolute priority” for Japan, who will be looking to end Fiji’s reign as champions when the two teams meet in the second decider on Saturday night.
Fiji chasing a third straight Pacific Nations Cup crown, winning silver when the final was last held in Japan two years ago. They then repeated that success, winning the title in Utah last year with a six-point victory over Japan.
But Eddie Jones and the coaching staff have the Brave Blossoms playing a confident, fast and attacking style of game as they look to end their PNC Finals losing streak. Japan will also have home crowd support in their corner at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo.
Japan started their international season with a win against Six Nations foreign Italy, before taking over Ireland and France. After two losses to the Wallabies, the Brave Blossoms bounced back with a 45-point win against Canada in the JRFU’s 100th anniversary of the match.
The Brave Blossoms then punched their ticket to the PNC Finals with a commanding 63-14 triumph over USA Eagles in Osaka. They led 28-0 after 16 minutes, leading to Ben Gunter’s telling RugbyPass after the game it was perhaps “the best start in Japanese history”.
“It means everything … for our part of the world, it’s a really big tournament,” Hatley told reporters ahead of the final.
“We’ve got Fiji in ninth place, I think we’re 11ththso the teams are in the top 10. It’s a really important tournament for us.
“We made it an absolute priority. As a team we want to win this tournament. We were very close last year in America… it’s a big priority for us, for this young group, we want to win this tournament, especially here in Tokyo.”
Fiji are potentially 80 minutes away from more PNC history as they look to build on a clinical 45-29 win against Canada last weekend in Osaka. Kitione Salawa scored after just 21 seconds as the Flying Fijians got their title defense off to a dream start.
Interim coach Senirusi Seruvakula brought Caleb Muntz to the opposite side this week, moving Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula to fullback. “It’s very important,” Seruvakula explained Friday morning, with dual playmakers ready to combine on offense.
“In the final here in Japan two years ago, we struggled. Last year I thought we played really well. We went down 33-12 I think and then we really fought our way back into the game – six points and ended up putting a lot of pressure on Fiji,” Hatley said.
“We know an area where they’re very good is transition, ball-to-ball. We have to be very sharp tomorrow in terms of taking good care of the ball because we want to make plays, and then when we turn the ball over, or when they get a quick ball, we have to defend really well.”
“They are one of the best teams in the world in a broken game.”
