Flying Fijians soar past Manu Sāmoa and help Tonga to a RWC spot

Heartbreak for Manu Sāmoa as the Flying Fijians prevail in a physical contest, winning 29-15, in the Pacific Nations Cup Championship at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.

Fiji’s victory secures ‘Ikale Tahi a place at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia, while the Manu now face a tougher road to qualification.

For fans in Rotorua, the match showcased shifting momentum. In the opening 40, the Manu made their intentions clear with an exciting display that saw them take a 15–12 lead into halftime.

One standout performance in the first half came from Sāmoa's hooker, Pita Anae Ah-sue, whose defensive efforts at the ruck helped turn the ball over for his side when Fiji was threatening on attack.

Off the back of a great lineout drive and patience, Ah-sue scored the opening try of the match, and from then on, the momentum kept building in Manu’s favour.

The individual brilliance surged as Melani Nanai sliced through two Fijian defenders, and thanks to his skill and composure, he was able to help teammate Joel Lam over the line for their second and final try of the match.

Manu Sāmoa celebrate a try against the Flying Fijians. Photo/Photosport/Stephen Parker

Loyal Manu Sāmoa fans felt a glimmer of hope after a united first-half performance, but the second half told a very different story.

The costly 16 penalties against the Manu did not help their cause. Despite glimpses of brilliance from fullback Lolagi Visinia down the edge, they couldn't convert their opportunities into points.

The turning point came in the 50th minute when Sāmoa’s blindside flanker, Taleni Seu, received a yellow card for a no-arms tackle. While Sāmoa defended valiantly with a player down, Fiji’s patience eventually wore down the men in blue.

Fiji fans cheer their team on in Rotorua. Photo/Photosport/Stephen Parker

Fiji scored tries from halfback Simione Kuruvoli and a brilliant set-piece move that sent winger Kalaveti Ravouvou over in the 79th minute, shattering Sāmoa’s hopes of securing a World Cup spot.

Sāmoa still had chances to attack in the second half, but a lack of game awareness, especially opting to kick instead of retaining possession at crucial moments, ultimately cost them dearly.

Manu captain Michael Alaalatoa, who led the side after Theo McFarland was injured, told a post-match interview that despite the loss, he is proud of the team's effort after their dismal performance against Tonga in Nukua'lofa two weeks ago.

"We're very proud of our effort today. We were very disappointed with the Tonga game. We bounced back after a week off and a good build-up to this week.

"Just a couple of moments there where we let the Fijians back in, and when you're playing against a quality side like Fiji, we can't let those moments slip. So disappointing, but I feel like we're heading in the right direction.

"We wanted to show what it means to play for this jersey, play for Manu Sāmoa, play for our country. Again, we were disappointed after Tonga, but for long periods of this match, we showed what it means to be a Manu Sāmoa player.

Manu Sāmoa challenge Fiji ahead of their Pacific Nations Cup match in Rotorua. Photo/Photosport/Stephen Parker

"In saying that, we just got to nail our executions at the crucial moments. And when playing against a class Fijian side, we can't give them moments like that to execute."

Fiji captain Tevita Ikanivere told the post-match interview that he is proud of the boys' fightback, having to regroup after trailing 12-15 at halftime.

"Hats off to Sāmoa for the start that they had, and it really shocked us. It's a gift for us, a blessing in disguise for us, but we need to be better in our first contact.

"Proud of how the boys and how they dug deep and held the Sāmoans out and got the victory the way that we did.

"We talked about being a quality side, being number one in the world, in the tier-nations up, so just proud at how the boys came out in the second half and showed that.

"They were dominating us in the first half and we talked about coming out and doing things together, doing things as a group. But proud at how we came together at the end, we dominated them physically in the second half and coming out on top."

While Fiji and the ‘Ikale Tahi can now relieve some pressure, the challenges ahead for the Manu are significant as they wait to face the bottom finisher of Pool B, which includes Japan, Canada, and the USA.

Japan has also qualified for the 2027 RWC. Canada and the USA will play in California on Sunday morning (NZ time).

In other rugby internationals played on Saturday, the Australian Wallabies pipped Argentina's Pumas 28-24 in Townsville ahead of the All Blacks-Springboks clash at Eden Park.

Watch highlights of the Sāmoa-Fiji game in Rotorua here.