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Seems like yesterday we were wondering who might make the Pacific Nations Cup squads. Today is round two of the competition and in 10 days the tournament will be done. Two weeks after that the final preparation for World Cup warm-up matches will be in full swing, and then next thing you know, Danny Cipriani will be kicking off to Leone Nakarawa at Twickenham on September 18. Just kidding, everyone knows it’ll be George Ford doing the honours.
The point is the next few weeks are going to be a blur. For everyone. As the tournament inches closer – we’re at 56 days now – the days get shorter, the hours tick by faster, and the tension slowly builds. In playing terms, we’re down to seven games, and when you consider that the World Cup squads will all be named by August 31, it’s really only five games to go. Five games to figure out who goes, and who watches on the television.
When you look at it that way, there’s no time to waste. There are no throwaway games. Fringe players will be lucky to get two games to prove themselves. Every scrum, every tackle, every kick chase counts. The selectors must be hyper-critical, and form, not reputation, should be the number one criteria.
We saw a little bit of urgency in round one from some players on the bubble. Levani Botia put his hand up for Fiji. Kotaro Matsushima looked motivated for Japan. Titi Lamositele took a big step forward for the Eagles. Whether it’s a player trying to inch their way into the starting lineup, or just to get his name on a ticket to Heathrow, those are the kinds of performances you want to see when you challenge your players.
While the team results are of course interesting, it’s these little individual battles that really bring up the levels of intrigue in the World Cup precursors, and with each game questions will be answered and new ones posed. How many boxes need to be checked to get a pass?
The first game tonight has Fiji play Samoa. This will be a cracker, and a number of players are in the shop window. Peni Ravai needs to prove he can scrum, we already know he moves exceptionally well for a prop. Peceli Yato is a massively promising player from Clermont who has come a long way already this year. Can he earn a starting spot in the highly competitive back row? Ben Volavola already looks like a keeper at flyhalf, but who will play 12? Botia had a stormer against Tonga, now it’s Gaby Lovobalavu’s chance to answer the challenge.
Samoa have given a start to Motu Matu’u. He needs to be accurate at the lineout to oust Ole Avei. TJ Ioane is fun to watch but needs to do more without the ball. Mike Stanley comes from a famous rugby family and there’s no doubting his talent. Does he have the temperament to crack test rugby?
Next up it’s Canada and Tonga. Let’s be honest with ourselves Canadian fans. The team was poor against Japan. They must improve dramatically to beat the Ikale Tahi. The pack as a whole needs to front up. The contact will be ferocious and the big men in the tight five especially will be feeling it before half time. The backs need better ball, and guys like Liam Underwood and Ciaran Hearn need to pick up their game. Let’s hope the addition of the inspirational John Moonlight lights a fire under some feet.
Tonga have somewhat of a geriatric look to their pack, with only Steve Mafi under 30, but they are hard men. Nili Latu looked sprightly against Fiji, and even ancient Hale T-Pole had his moments. Tane Takulua is a very dangerous runner from scrumhalf, and Kurt Morath will be the best kicker on the park. Telusa Veainu looked very sharp on debut, and Viliami Tahitu’a will get his first run-out in the midfield after looking pretty handy for Northland in the ITM Cup. Whoever wins, there will be fireworks.
The Eagles played well in the second forty, albeit against a weary Samoa, and will have to back that up against Japan. Eric Fry has a very tough test against Kensuke Hatakeyama in the scrum, and Lamositele will also be under pressure against the rising talent of Keita Inagaki. AJ MacGinty should have a few less jitters, but those might be picked up by Mike Petri, winning his 50th cap but all of a sudden under serious pressure from Shalom Suniula. Cam Dolan’s second row trial has big implications on where Samu Manoa might play, and Thretton Palamo needs to pick up his socks and make an impact.
Most of the forwards are known quantities by now for Eddie Jones, but there are real question marks around Keisuke Uchida and Ryohei Yamanaka, and to a lesser extent Yoshikazu Fujita. Despite his 10 caps, Uchida has very little experience at this level, and has work to do even to match the quickness of Atsushi Hiwasa. Meanwhile Yamanaka is finally getting an opportunity after looking the goods for the past five years domestically. He’s a big centre for a Japanese-born player, but with good footballing skills. Can he take his chance? Fujita will be looking to show himself an option at fullback. He’s certainly a totally different player than robo-kicker Ayumu Goromaru.
It’s compelling stuff, and a reminder that the class and depth of players in the Tier 2 sides is ever rising. Of the six competitors, only Japan has a fully professional domestic league, something that will surely be on the menu of World Rugby as they meet to discuss the future of the sport during the flagship tournament in England. Certainly in the Americas it seems as though rugby’s profile has never been higher, and with new-look tournaments on the horizon the stage is set for the next wave of professionalism. As we sprint towards the crowning moment of this chapter, one wonders what great stories will be told in the pages that lie just ahead.
