The 2011 Pacific Nations Cup was a rugby union tournament held between the four national sides on the Pacific Rim: Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga.
Samoa was the reigning champion after they defeated Fiji in the 2010 competition at Apia Park. The tournament began on July 2 and ended on July 13, 2011 with most of the matches hosted by Fiji. Only the match between Asian 5 Nations champion, Japan and Samoa was played at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Japan. The tournament was moved to Fiji from Japan after the devastating March, 2011 Japan Tsunami.
The tournament was a round-robin where each team plays all of the other teams once. There were four points for a win, two for a draw and none for a defeat. There were 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.
Japan were crowned Champions after defeating Fiji and scoring their fourth try the last play of the final match of the tournament giving them the bonus point they needed to go with an earlier win over Tonga.irb.com Instead, by virtue of a slender 28-27 victory over Tonga, it was the Japanese who got their hands on the trophy Ill discipline by Fiji cost them the game and gifted the Pacific Nations Cup to Japan at the expense of Tonga. Fiji finished the match with 12 men after conceding 2 red and 3 yellow cards, an unenviable world record.
Table
Schedule Round 1
FB 15Vunga LiloRW 14Viliami HeluOC 13Alaska TaufaIC 12Andrew MaileiLW 11Viliame IongiFH 10Kurt MorathSH 9 Samisoni FisilauN8 8 Sione KalamafoniOF 7 Samiu Vahafolau (c) BF 6 Lisiate Faʻaoso RL 5 Paino HeheaLL 4 Tukulua LokotuiTP 3 Tonga Leaʻaetoa HK 2 Ephraim Taukafa LP 1 Sona Taumalolo Replacements:PR 16Semisi Telefoni HK 17Sione Vaiomoʻunga FL 18Joe Tuineau LK 19Tevita Ula SH 20Soana HaveaFH 21Hudson TongaʻuihaFB 22Mateo MalupoCoach: Isitolo Maka FB 15Kini Murimurivalu RW 14Vereniki GonevaOC 13Albert VulivuliIC 12Gabiriele LovobalavuLW 11Timoci NagusaFH 10Nicky LittleSH 9 Nemia Kenatale N8 8 Dominiko WaqaniburotuOF 7 Malakai RavuloBF 6 Josefa Domolailai RL 5 Tevita Cavubati LL 4 Sekonaia KalouTP 3 Deacon Manu (c)HK 2 Viliame Veikoso LP 1 Graham Dewes Replacements:HK 16Talemaitoga Tuapati PR 17Penijamini Makutu FL 18Samu Bola FL 19Leone Nakarawa SH 20Vitori Buatava PR 21Waisea LuveniyaliFB 22Adriu Delai Coach: Sam Domoni Touch judges: Peter Fitzgibbon James Bolabiu
FB 15Goshi Tachikawa RW 14Kosuke EndoOC 13Yuta ImamuraIC 12Ryan NicholasLW 11Takehisa Usuzuki FH 10Shaun WebbSH 9 Fumiaki Tanaka N8 8 Koliniasi HolaniOF 7 Tadasuke Nishihara BF 6 Takashi Kikutani (c)RL 5 Luke ThompsonLL 4 Toshizumi Kitagawa TP 3 Kensuke HatakeyamaHK 2 Yusuke Aoki LP 1 Hisateru HirashimaReplacements:HK 16Takeshi Kizu PR 17Naoki KawamataLK 18Justin Ives FL 19Itaru Taniguchi SH 20Atsushi Hiwasa FB 21Murray Williams WG 22Hirotoki Onozawa Coach: John Kirwan FB 15James So'oialoRW 14Sailosi TagicakibauOC 13George PisiIC 12Seilala Mapusua (c)LW 11Alesana Tuilagi FH 10Tusi Pisi SH 9 Lualua Vailoaloa N8 8 Tai Tu'ifuaOF 7 Manu Salavea BF 6 Ezra TaylorRL 5 Joe Tekori LL 4 Daniel LeoTP 3 Anthony PereniseHK 2 Ti'i Paulo LP 1 Sakaria Taulafo Replacements:HK 16Ole Avei PR 17Logovi'i Mulipola LK 18Filipo Levi FL 19Maurie Fa'asavalu SH 20Uale Mai FH 21Tasesa Lavea WG 22Timoteo Iosua Coach: Titimaea Tafua Touch judges: TBC TBC
Round 2
FB 15Vunga Lilo (c)RW 14Viliame HeluOC 13Alaska Taufa IC 12Andrew Mailei LW 11Viliame IongiFH 10Kurt MorathSH 9 Samisoni Fisilau N8 8 Sione KalamafoniOF 7 Viliame MaʻafuBF 6 Lisiate Faʻaoso RL 5 Joe TuineauLL 4 Paino Hehea TP 3 Sila Puafisi HK 2 Ephraim Taukafa LP 1 Sona TaumaloloReplacements:HK 16Ilaisa Maʻasi PR 17Maleko Latu LK 18Lua Lokotui FL 19Sione VaiomoʻungaSH 20Soane Havea CR 21Hudson Tongaʻuiha FB 22Mateo MalupoCoach: Isitolo Maka FB 15Shaun WebbRW 14Kosuke EndoOC 13Koji TairaIC 12Ryan NicholasLW 11Hirotoki OnozawaFH 10James ArlidgeSH 9 Fumiaki TanakaN8 8 Koliniasi Holani OF 7 Michael LeitchBF 6 Takashi Kikutani (c)RL 5 Luke Thompson LL 4 Justin IvesTP 3 Kensuke HatakeyamaHK 2 Yusuke Aoki LP 1 Hisateru Hirashima Replacements:HK 16Shota Horie PR 17Naoki Kawamata LK 18Hitoshi Ono N8 19Itaru Taniguchi SH 20Atsushi HiwasaFB 21Go ArugaWG 22Takehisa UsuzukiCoach: John Kirwan Touch judges: Keith Brown James Bolabiu
FB 15James So'oialoRW 14Sailosi TagicakibauOC 13Johnny Leota IC 12Eliota Fuimaono-SapoluLW 11David LemiFH 10Tasesa Lavea SH 9 Uale Mai N8 8 Tai Tu'ifuaOF 7 Maurie Fa'asavaluBF 6 George Stowers RL 5 Daniel Leo LL 4 Filipo Levi TP 3 Logovi'i MulipolaHK 2 Mahonri Schwalger (c) LP 1 Simon Lemalu Replacements:HK 16Ti'i Paulo PR 17Anthony Perenise LK 18Ezra Taylor FL 19Ofisa Treviranus SH 20Lualua Vailoaloa FH 21Tusi Pisi CR 22Timoteo Iosua Coach: Titimaea Tafua FB 15Taniela RawaqaRW 14Ilikena Bolakoro OC 13Albert VulivuliIC 12Ravai FatiakiLW 11Vereniki GonevaFH 10Nicky Little SH 9 Nemia Kenatale N8 8 Masi MatadigoOF 7 Malakai Ravulo BF 6 Rupeni Nasiga RL 5 Leone NakarawaLL 4 Sekonaia KalouTP 3 Deacon Manu (c)HK 2 Talemaitoga Tuapati LP 1 Campese Ma'afu Replacements:HK 16Viliame Veikoso PR 17Penijamini Makutu FL 18Josefa Domolailai FL 19Samu Bola SH 20Vitori Buatava FH 21Waisea Luveniyali WG 22Adriu Delai Coach: Sam Domoni Touch judges: Keith Brown James Bolabiu
Round 3
FB15Vunga LiloRW14William HeluOC13Suka HufangaIC12Hudson Tongaʻuiha LW11Mateo MalupoFH10Kurt Morath SH9 Soane Havea N88 Samiu Vahafolau (c) OF7 Sione VaiomoʻungaBF6 Viliame Maʻafu RL5 Joseph Tuineau LL4 Tukulua Lokotui TP3 Sila PuafisiHK2 Ilaisa Maʻasi LP1 Sona TaumaloloReplacements:HK16Ephraim Taukafa PR17Maleko LatuLK18Paino Hehea FL19 Sione Kalamafoni SH20 Samisoni Fisilau FH21 Tomasi Palu CE22 Viliame Iongi Coach: Isitolo Maka FB15James So'oialoRW14Timoteo Iosua OC13Fautua OttoIC12Herman PorterLW11David LemiFH10Fa'atonu Fili SH9 Brenton Helleur N88 Ofisa TreviranusOF7 Ray Ofisa BF6 Manaia SalaveaRL5 Jonathan Fa'amatuainuLL4 Filipo Levi (c)TP3 Census Johnston HK2 Ole Avei LP1 Simon Lemalu Replacements:HK16Ti'i Paulo PR17Logovi'i Mulipola PR18James Johnston FL19Afa Aiono SH20Lualua Vailoaloa FH21Uale Mai WG22Johnny Leota Coach: Titimaea Tafua
Touch judges: Marius Jonker James Bolabiu
FB 15Go Aruga RW 14Takehisa UsuzukiOC 13Koji TairaIC 12Ryan Nicholas LW 11Hirotoki OnozawaFH 10Murray WilliamsSH 9 Atsushi HiwasaN8 8 Takashi Kikutani (c)OF 7 Michael LeitchBF 6 Itaru TaniguchiRL 5 Toshizumi Kitagawa LL 4 Justin IvesTP 3 Nozomu Fujita HK 2 Takeshi Kizu LP 1 Naoki KawamataReplacements:HK 16Shota Horie PR 17Kensuke Hatakeyama LK 18Hitoshi Ono FL 19Tadasuke NishiharaSH 20Tomoki YoshidaFB 21Shaun Webb CR 22Yuta Imamura Coach: John Kirwan FB 15Iliesa Keresoni RW 14Timoci NagusaOC 13Ravai Fatiaki IC 12Seru Rabeni LW 11Napolioni NalagaFH 10Seremaia Bai SH 9 Vitori Buatava N8 8 Sisa Koyamaibole OF 7 Akapusi Qera BF 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu (c) RL 5 Ifereimi Rawaqa LL 4 Tevita CavubatiTP 3 Setefano Somoca HK 2 Sunia KotoLP 1 Graham Dewes Replacements:PR 16Waisea Daveta PR 17Penijamini Makutu LK 18Rupeni Nasiga FL 19Jim NaikadawaSH 20Waisale Vatuvoka CR 21Waisea Luveniyali FB 22Taniela Rawaqa Coach: Sam Domoni Touch judges: Marius Jonker James Bolabiu
Top scorers
Top points scorers RankPlayerTeamPoints 1 Kurt Morath 56 2 James So'oialo 33 3 Nicky Little 18 4 Koliniasi Holani 10 Seko Kalou Alisona Taumalolo Alesana Tuilagi Naipolioni Nalaga 9 Shaun Webb 9 10 James Arlidge 8 Source: irb.com
Top try scorers RankPlayerTeamTries 1 Koliniasi Holani 2 Seko Kalou Alisona Taumalolo Alesana Tuilagi Naipolioni Nalaga 6 25 players, Penalty try 1 Source: irb.com
See also
2011 IRB Nations Cup
References
External links IRB Pacific Nations Cup – from the IRB website (June 6, 2011) Schedule (ESPN Rugby stats