Manu Samoa v Fiji at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday. Photo / Photosport-Stephen Parker
By Iliesa Tora of RNZ Pacific
The Flying Fijians defeated Manu Samoa 29-15 at the Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in a Pacific Nations Cup and 2027 Rugby World Cup qualifier battle.
It means that the Samoans, who are chasing qualification for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, will need to win next week’s match, to secure their ticket to Australia.
The Fijians’ win handed Tonga their spot at the 2027 world meet, the Tongans having earlier beaten Samoa in Nuku’alofa three weekends ago to put their campaign on track.
Fiji’s skipper Tevita Ikanivere and mentor Mick Byrne were happy but they also showed concern with the stop-start nature of their own game, which made the battle tougher than what many expected.
Byrne said Samoa was tough and had started well but he was grateful Ikanivere and the players bounced back in the second half to win it in the end.
“It was a tough game, Samoa came out firing at the start and really took it up to us,” Byrne said post-match.
“They were very physical, and they got on top early. We had to hang in there and get our game going, which we did.
“I thought we started the second half well, led by the skipper, that first tackle that was made just paved the way for us to get back into the game in the second half.”
Byrne said discipline was something he was happy with because the team did not get any yellow card but giving away penalties was a concern for him.
“We were a bit sloppy today in certain parts of our game and you just can’t play like that,” he said.
“We threw a couple of really loose off loads that we didn’t need to throw. We gave away some penalties that are very avoidable.
“It just was a bit of a sloppy game for us. In the first half and second half, we were physical. Our defense really stood up, and we got ourselves back into the game.”
Captain Ikanivere said Samoa started well and the Fijians did not implement what they had planned to do, which was to take control early.
“I think they started very well and we started poorly,” he said.
“We came in trying to start well, but we didn’t again. I think that’s a big work on for us heading into next week. Just start with physicality throughout the whole 80 minutes.”
Ikanivere said Samoa were “very tough, very physical and they gave us their best, which is very good for us too, because we got to play tough opponents”.
He acknowledged the players for standing up and coming out victors in the end.
Disappointment was the feeling in the Manu Samoan camp post-match, with both captain Michael Alaalato’a and head coach Lemalu Tusi Pisi expressing their reactions after the physical battle.
Pisi said post-match that while he was disappointed there were positives that they can take out of the game, heading into next week’s crucial match.
“I think on reflection, straight after the game, there’s some really good things from our team, and there’s also some things that we kind of shot ourselves in the foot in,” he said, pointing to ill-discipline as an issue of concern.
“But, you know, we’re heading in the right direction. The boys put on a big shift from Tonga and that’s what we’re looking for.”
He said the players will need to recover, taking the plane across to the United States of America in the new week.
“It’s just recovery, and then the travel, then making sure we get that right and get our processes right in terms of that,” he said.
“And then the next focus is America.”
Alaalato’a said it was disappointing and unfortunate they had lost after having taken the lead early in the game.
“Just a few costly errors, a lot of them off the back of ourselves and discipline again,” he stated.
“When you’re playing against the side like Fiji, you can’t afford to give away easy position like that, because they’re so dangerous
“But proud of proud of the effort we put in, proud of our intent. We’re heading in the right direction, but heading into next week, we need to really nail those moments, and clean up our discipline.
“We’ll take the learnings from the game and review hard at the start of the week and make sure we’re really clear on what we want to achieve next week.”
Around 5000 fans turned up to watch the clash, despite the rain earlier in the day.
Dark clouds hovered over the Rotorua International Stadium as the game kicked off, after the two sides had thrown their traditional challenges.
Manu Samoa did not waste time in the first half, getting straight into action from the get-go.
Skipper Michael Alaalato’a led from upfront, getting his forward pack driving from the kick-off.
Two first half tries gave the side a slender 15-12 lead at the break.
Samoa had the first try three minutes into the game after the forwards put the pressure on Fiji, with the forwards taking charge early.
Their ensuing lineout from a penalty that was kicked to touch by flyhalf Rodney Iona saw hooker Pita Anae-Ah Sue dotting down.
Three more points through the boots of flyhalf Iona gave them a 8-0 lead.
However, the Fijians started to slowly work their way back into the game, that paying off when captain Tevita Ikanivere dived over the line in the 14th minute, finishing off a rolling maul, following a lineout take near the corner.
Samoa responded straight after with halfback Joel Lam getting over the line, flyhalf Iona finishing that off with his conversion for a 15-5 lead.
Some strong defensive work by Manu Samoa saw them deny Fiji two possible tries, again the result of some good forward drives by the Fijian forwards.
In the 37th minute former All Black centre Seta Tamanivalu ran on to a pass from a few metres off the Samoan line to crash over for his try. Muntz converted, reducing the deficit to 15-12 in Samoa’s favour, going to the break.
Samoa pressured Fiji hard when the game resumed for the second spell.
The Samoans won three consecutive penalties, including one against Ikanivere, who went low on a tackle that was ruled dangerous.
As the game progressed Manu Samoa kept trying out the Fijian defense but flyhalf Iona sent the ball out over the deadball zone from a penalty kick in the 47th.
That gave Fiji some drive to get out of their red zone, flanker Kitione Salawa claiming a defensive penalty in the process after he had gone in for a claim on the ground, with a Samoan player penalized for holding on.
Momentum swung Fiji’s way when tough flanker Taleni Seu was sent to the bin for 10 minutes after he shoulder tackled Setareki Tamanivalu, leaving the Samoans one man down in the 46th minute.
But winger Elisapeta Alofipo intercepted a passing movement inside his team’s 22 metre zone as the Fijians were on attack and making their way to the Samoan line.
However, Ponipate Loganimasi caught up to him and slowed the player down, forcing Alofipo to pass infield to Iona who grubber kicked towards the Fijian line and in the process gave away a penalty to Fiji, after he tackled fullback Isaiah Washington-Ravula on the ground.
Replacement Kemu Valetini chipped over the Samoan defensive line in the 59th minute, which halfback Simione Kuruvoli chased to score Fiji’s comeback try next to the post. Flyhalf Caleb Muntz converted and Fiji took the lead for the first time in the game, 19-15.
Muntz added one three points for Fiji to extend their lead to 22-15 before England-based backline utility, Kalaveti Ravouovu, who was out on the wing for the game, sliced his way through the Samoan line to seal the deal for Fiji in the 78th minute.
Valetini sent the conversion over the crossbar and in between the posts as Fiji recorded the 29-15 win.
Meanwhile, World Cup has confirmed that Fiji’s win over Samoa means that Tonga have now officially qualified for the semi-finals and joins Fiji as the second nation from the Pacific Islands to secure their place at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.
Tonga earned a convincing 30-16 win over rivals Samoa in Nuku’alofa three weekends ago.
The PNC serves as a pivotal pathway to the expanded 24-team Rugby World Cup in 2027.
Fiji and Japan already pre-qualified from RWC 2023, which means the three best non-qualified teams from Canada, Samoa, Tonga and USA secure direct passage to Australia 2027.
Tonga will now prepare for the Pacific Nations Cup semi-finals, to be held in Denver, Colorado, next weekend, where they will face the winner of Pool B, which features Japan, Canada and USA.
Japan and USA will meet in Sacramento at 1.05pm on Sunday.
If Japan wins they will go top of the table in their pool and will meet Tonga next weekend.
That will send the USA to battle Samoa, the winner then qualifying for the world cup, while the lose goes through another play-off. - RNZ