PNC 2024 – Fiji vs USA – ARN Guide

The first Semi Final of the Pacific Nations Cup sees the USA taking on Fiji in Tokyo. It’s been a decade since they last collided in a test match in what will be just their 7th meeting. Nine spots separate them on the current World Rankings, the largest such disparity in the tournament.

FORM GUIDE

 Current World Ranking: 10 (78.43 points)
2024-09-06 – Tonga 19, Fiji 50 (Nuku’alofa)
2024-08-23 – Fiji 42, Samoa 16 (Suva)
2024-07-19 – New Zealand 47, Fiji 5 (San Diego)
2024-07-05 – Georgia 12, Fiji 21 (Batumi)
2024-06-22 – Barbarians 45, Fiji 32 (London)

Current World Ranking: 19 (66.08 points)
2024-09-07 – Japan 41, USA 24 (Kumagaya)
2024-08-31 – USA 28, Canada 15 (Carson)
2024-07-12 – USA 7, Scotland 42 (Washington DC)
2024-07-05 – USA 20, Romania 22 (Chicago)
2023-11-18 – Spain 12, USA 42 (La Vila)

STARTING LINEUP CHANGES

4 Isoa Nasilasila replaces Mesake Vocevoce
7 Kitione Salawa replaces Albert Tuisue (No8 vs Tonga)
12 Inia Tabuavou replaces Adrea Cocagi (suspension)

2 Sean McNulty replaces Kapeli Pifeleti
3 Paul Mullen replaces Alex Maughan
5 Jason Damm replaces Greg Peterson
8 Thomas Tu’avao replaces Jamason Fa’anana-Schultz
10 Chris Mattina replaces Luke Carty (unavailable)
13 Dom Besag replaces Tommaso Boni
15 Toby Fricker replaces Mitch Wilson

NOTES

• Fiji have been the better side with five wins from their six head-to-head clashes, though their most recent meeting was a close contest separated by one score in 2014… the USA’s only test win against the Fijians was 25 years ago in San Francisco
• while some of their biggest names are absent, the Fijians are comprised entirely of top tier professionals… 19 from Super Rugby including 17 from the Drua and two from Australia, three from the English Premiership, and one from the French Top 14
• Mick Byrne has kept a similar lineup for the entire PNC… there are just three changes to the team that cruised past Tonga, with one enforced due to the suspended Adrea Cocagi
• 13 players who faced New Zealand at San Diego in July are included, with eight returning starters… American fans will be most familiar with former New York prop Samu Tawake
• Scott Lawrence meanwhile has opted for rotation with seven changes to the team that came up short against Japan… it’s a lineup well short of the USA’s best
• Vili Helu and Jason Damm pair in the second row despite both being primarily loose forwards… Helu is typically a blindside flanker and Damm a No8… regular USA skipper Greg Peterson is left on the bench with winger Nate Augspurger named captain for the match
• with Luke Carty unavailable the Eagles No10 shirt goes to Chris Mattina, who starts at the position for the first time… his previous three starts were at fullback… Mattina missed most of the Major League Rugby season with injury and this will be his first competitive run-out since April… he was an unused replacement against Canada two weeks ago
• it’s a first test start for Dom Besag, who co-captained the USA at the u20 Trophy tournament earlier this year… Free Jacks winger Toby Fricker makes his test debut in the No15 shirt, and another u20 standout Rand Santos could win his first cap at flyhalf or fullback

QUOTES

Mick Byrne (Head Coach)

“Fitness has been one of the players’ strengths in their PNC campaign. The ability to play late into the game, also to continually get around the corner and put pressure on. We’re trying to come forward as a team and put pressure on and that’s a challenge.”

“This week is going to bring a set of challenges around our defense. It’s going to be more physical and we need to get off the line well and make our tackles. A lot of our players are looking to be more aggressive in line speed in defense.”

Scott Lawrence (Head Coach)

“We’re just looking for consistency and performance from the guys, which comes down to the three pillars we’ve made key components of our campaign; Discipline, so can you get into the pressure of a test match, physicality, and to be brave with the ball.”

“Our game plan will stay the same, but we have a few things in place that that we can run when we have a lead, or when we’re playing behind. We picked a strong bench again this week, I think that’s important. We went from 18% productivity to 41% productivity from our bench between the Canada and Japan match, so we’ll look to improve that again.”

Nate Augspurger (Captain)

“We had a lot of learnings from a Japanese team that was very good at the breakdown last week, so our ability and urgency to be over our own ball, and taking bodies out is going to be super important against the Fijians. Making good decisions around the breakdown is going to be a huge part of the game for us.”

PREDICTION

The Eagles will be more comfortable with the humidity after spending the past couple weeks in Japan, while Fiji should have no troubles with the conditions. Continuity strongly favorites the Fijians, who have a clear advantage in size and speed. The understrength USA side will have to hold their discipline and play error-free rugby just to have a shot at keeping it close. Fiji are heavy favorites in Tokyo.

TEAMS

FIJI
1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (capt.), 3 Samu Tawake, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 5 Temo Mayanavanua, 6 Meli Derenalagi, 7 Kitione Salawa, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 9 Frank Lomani, 10 Caleb Muntz, 11 Epeli Momo, 12 Inia Tabuavou, 13 Iosefo Masi, 14 Vuate Karawalevu, 15 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula

Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokoto, 17 Haereiti Hetet, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Leone Ratuisolia, 20 Albert Tuisue, 21 Peni Matawalu, 22 Apisalome Vota, 23 Ilaisa Droasese

USA
1 Jack Iscaro, 2 Sean McNulty, 3 Paul Mullen, 4 Vili Helu, 5 Jason Damm, 6 Paddy Ryan, 7 Cory Daniel, 8 Thomas Tu’avao, 9 Ruben de Haas, 10 Chris Mattina, 11 Nate Augspurger (capt.), 12 Tavite Lopeti, 13 Dom Besag, 14 Conner Mooneyham, 15 Toby Fricker

Replacements: 16 Kapeli Pifeleti, 17 Jake Turnbull, 18 Pono Davis, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Moni Tonga’uiha, 21 Bryce Campbell, 22 Rand Santos, 23 JP Smith

MATCH INFO

Date: Saturday, September 14
Venue: Chichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo
Kickoff: 19:05 local (03:05 Pacific, 06:05 Eastern)
Weather Forecast: partly cloudy, 82°F (28°C), humidex 91°F (33°C), wind S 21-32mph (34-51km/h)
Broadcasts:  JSports (Japan), Peacock (USA), RugbyPass TV

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistants: Hollie Davidson (Scotland) & Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)

HISTORY

HEAD-TO-HEAD (6): Fiji 5, USA 1
2014-11-21 – USA 14, Fiji 20 (Vannes)
2013-06-19 – Fiji 35, USA 10 (Nagoya)
2003-10-15 – Fiji 19, USA 18 (Brisbane)
2000-06-30 – Fiji 37, USA 21 (Apia)
1999-05-22 – USA 25, Fiji 14 (San Francisco)
1998-07-25 – Fiji 18, USA 9 (Suva)