Japan v Australia A (Round One, June 8, 2008, Level-5 Stadium, Fukuoka, Japan)

The 2008 Pacific Nations Cup was a rugby union tournament held between six national sides on the Pacific Rim: Australia A, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand Māori (just for this year). The inaugural competition was held in 2006. This year the tournament started on 7 June and ended on 6 July 2008.

The tournament is a round-robin where each team plays all of the other teams once. There are four points for a win, two for a draw and none for a defeat. There are also bonus points offered with one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing by 7 points or less.

Table

2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Māori people New Zealand Māori 5 5 0 0 134 62 +72 18 10 1 0 21
2  Australia A 5 4 0 1 220 77 +143 31 6 3 1 20
3  Samoa 5 2 0 3 95 117 -22 12 13 1 1 10
4  Fiji 5 2 0 3 94 117 -23 12 15 1 1 10
5  Japan 5 1 0 4 121 181 -60 13 25 2 1 7
6  Tonga 5 1 0 4 71 181 -110 6 23 1 1 6
Source : irb.com

Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

Schedule

Round 1

7 June 2008
14:05 (UTC+12)
Fiji 34 – 17 Samoa
Try: Rauluni 15' m
Nagusa (2) 26' c, 61' m
T. Rawaqa 42' c
I. Rawaqa 46' c
Con: T. Rawaqa (3/5)
Pen: T. Rawaqa 71'
ReportTry: Fa'afili 65' m
Lemi 68' m
Sititi 78' c
Con: Sasulu (1/3)
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)

7 June 2008
16:35 NZST (UTC+12)
New Zealand Māori Māori people20 – 9 Tonga
Try: T. Ellison 49' c
Weepu 72' c
Con: Bruce (2/2)
Pen: Bruce (2) 26', 55'
ReportPen: Apikotoa (3) 29', 53', 63'
North Harbour Stadium, Albany
Attendance: 4,600
Referee: Paul Marks (Australia)

8 June 2008
14:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan 21 – 42 Australia A
Try: Taniguchi (2) 61' m, 64' c
Con: Arlidge (1/2)
Pen: Arlidge (2) 42', 48'
Drop: Arlidge 6'
ReportTry: Turinui 13' c
Gerrard 19' c
Kimlin (2) 34' c, 70' c
Humphries 40' c
Norton-Knight 44' c
Con: Gerrard (6/6)
Level-5 Stadium, Fukuoka
Attendance: 7,493
Referee: Willie Roos (South Africa)

Round 2

14 June 2008
15:05 (UTC+12)
Fiji 7 – 11Māori people New Zealand Māori
Try: Naqelevuki 36' c
Con: T. Rawaqa
ReportTry: Eaton 49' m
Pen: T. Ellison 12'
Bruce 77'
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)

14 June 2008
15:05 (UTC-11)
Samoa 15 – 20 Australia A
Try: Tafunai 43' m
Salanoa 79' c
Con: Mai (1/2)
Pen: Sasulu 33'
ReportTry: Tahu 11' c
Turinui 67' c
Con: Gerrard (1/1)
Carraro (1/1)
Pen: Gerrard 23'
Carraro 74'
Apia Park, Samoa
Referee: Keith Brown (New Zealand)

15 June 2008
14:05 JST (UTC+09)
Japan 35 – 13 Tonga
Try: Kikutani 46' m
Onozawa 55' m
Webb 59' m
Robins 79' m
Pen: Arlidge (5) 4', 26', 31', 39', 43'
ReportTry: Filipine 50' c
Con: Hola (1/1)
Pen: Hola (2) 3', 6'
Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Miyagi
Attendance: 6,304
Referee: Willie Roos (South Africa)[1]

Round 3

21 June 2008
16:35 NZST (UTC+12)
Māori 17 – 6 Samoa
Try: Bruce 30' c
Weepu 40' c
Con: Bruce (2/2)
Pen: Bruce 13'
ReportPen: G. Williams (2) 47', 66'
Waikato Stadium, Waikato
Referee: Ian Smith (Australia)

22 June 2008
14:05 AEST (UTC+10)
Australia A 90 – 7 Tonga
Try: Ioane (2) 6' m, 40' c
Turinui 8' m
Hoiles (4) 14' c, 34' c, 38' m, 44' c
Tahu 39' c
Norton-Knight (2) 55' c, 61' c
Mitchell (2) 66' m, 70' c
Phibbs 68' c
Turner 77' c
Con: Carraro (4)
Sheehan
Norton-Knight (2)
Halangahu (3)
ReportTry: Ma'asi 52' c
Con: Lilo
North Sydney Oval, Sydney
Attendance: 6,817
Referee: Paul Honiss (New Zealand)

22 June 2008
14:10 JST (UTC+09)
Japan 12 – 24 Fiji
Pen: Arlidge (4) 5', 14', 34', 54'ReportTry: Naqelevuki 50' c
T. Rawaqa 56' c
Goneva 78' c
Con: T. Rawaqa (3/3)
Pen: T. Rawaqa 11'
Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
Attendance: 10,994
Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand)

Round 4

28 June 2008
13:35 (UTC+13)
Tonga 15 – 20 Samoa
Pen: Hola (3) 3', 9', 27'
Lilo (2) 50', 67'
ReportTry: Mai 34' c
Lemi 63' c
Con: G. Williams (2/2)
Pen: G. Williams (2) 74', 75'
Teufaiva Stadium, Nukuʻalofa
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Ian Smith (Australia)

28 June 2008
14:35 NZST (UTC+12)
Māori 65 – 22 Japan
Try: Lawrence (2) 8' m, 67' c
Bruce (2) 12' c, 76' m
T. Ellison 34' m
Gear (3) 48' c, 55' c, 63' c
Sweeney 60' c
Kawau 80+2' m
Con: Bruce (6)
Pen: Bruce (1) 41'
ReportTry: Robins 22' m
Loamanu 27' c
Thompson 40' c
Con: Arlidge (2)
Pen: Arlidge (1) 6'
McLean Park, Napier
Attendance: 4,950
Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

29 June 2008
14:05 AEST (UTC+10)
Australia A 50 – 13 Fiji
Try: Ioane 2' c
Turner (2) 27'c, 64' m
Lucas 33' c
Mitchell 39' c
Turinui 45' c
Hoiles 75' c
Con: Halangahu (6)
Pen: Halangahu 23'
ReportTry: Dewes 50' m
Ratuvou 80' m
Pen: T. Rawaqa 5'
Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand)

Round 5

5 July 2008
12:10 (UTC+13)
Tonga 27 – 16 Fiji
Try: Taufaka 23' c
Kiole 63' m
Langilangi 78' c
Taione 80+2' m
Con: Hola (1)
Apikotoa (1)
Pen: Lilo (1) 60'
ReportTry: Radidi 25' c
Con: T. Rawaqa
Pen: T. Rawaqa (3) 11', 38', 71'
Teufaiva Stadium, Nukuʻalofa
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

5 July 2008
15:05 (UTC-11)
Samoa 37 – 31 Japan
Try: Sititi 4' c
Tafunai 7' c
Tea 42' m
H. Tuilagi 52' c
J. Johnston 77' m
Con: G. Williams (3)
Pen: G. Williams (2) 32', 72'
ReportTry: Holani 17' c
Webb 41' c
Onozawa 63' c
Kikutani 75' c
Con: Arlidge (4)
Pen: Arlidge (1) 21'
Apia Park, Apia
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

5 July 2008
14:05 AEST (UTC+10)
Australia A 18 – 21 Māori
Try: Tahu (2) 8' c, 60' m
Con: Halangahu (1)
Pen: Gerrard (2) 44', 50'
ReportTry: Latimer 26' c
Messam 39' c
Waldrom 77' c
Con: Weepu (3)
Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 8,707
Referee: James Bolabiu (Fiji)

Top scorers

See also

References

  1. ^ Roos retired hurt during the game and was replaced by compatriot François Veldsman (South Africa).

External links