Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Wales handed rankings hope this weekend

Wales could get a rankings boost this weekend if Samoa can topple Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup (Photo by Hans van der Valk/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Given Wales have been the victims of two huge shock results at the hands of Samoa in Rugby World Cups, their supporters are hardly likely to view the Pacific Islanders as their second-favourite team.

ADVERTISEMENT

Those old enough to remember the events of Cardiff in 1991 – when Samoa was known as Western Samoa – and 1999, will normally want to look away when the team in blue are playing for fear of old memories returning to haunt them.

However, it could be well worth Wales fans logging on to RugbyPass TV’s coverage of this weekend’s Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup opener between Fiji and Samoa because a win for the latter, depending on the scoreline, would do Wales a favour.

Wales fans particularly will take a keen interest in Friday’s match in Suva as the right result would send Warren Gatland’s men back into the the top 10 in the world rankings.

The two-Test series against Australia in July did not end well for Wales from a rankings perspective, as the two losses saw them drop to 11th, an all-time low for them.

Wales fans cannot hope for too great a victory for Samoa though, as a winning margin of over 15 points would actually see Fiji be displaced by Samoa in 10th place, with the 2024 Six Nations wooden spoonists remaining outside of the top 10.

Should Samoa draw or win by fewer than 15 points, they would only climb one place in the rankings, overtaking Georgia in 12th.

ADVERTISEMENT
Fixture
Pacific Nations Cup
Fiji
42 - 16
Full-time
Samoa
All Stats and Data

Compared to Rugby World Cup 2023, the Fijian and Samoan line-ups are fairly callow in terms of experience and the respective head coaches only have a few games under their belts, so it is a tough one to call although being at home makes Fiji favourites.

Samoa’s Mase Mahonri Schwalger is enjoying a honeymoon period in charge with a couple of wins against Italy and Spain, the Italian victory being Samoa’s first against Six Nations opposition in 10 years, while Mick Byrne led Fiji to victory in Georgia before the team was well beaten by the All Blacks in San Diego.

For Fiji, household names such as Levani Botia, Josua Tuisova, Semi Radradra and Waisea Nayacalevu are missing from their roster, while Samoa are without the likes of Christian Leali’ifano, Lima Sopoaga and Duncan Paia’aua from last year, although Theo McFarland, one of the emerging stars of Test rugby is there to lead them in Suva.

ADVERTISEMENT

Both teams include a couple of debutants in their starting XVs for what is the 100th anniversary of the first Test between the teams, with a host of other players enjoying their first Test starts, and there is also a smattering of sevens Olympians.

Epeli Momo makes his debut for Fiji on the left wing while full back Vuate Karawalevu is on the verge of becoming a cross-code international having already appeared for Fiji at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

Selesitino Ravutaumada completes the back three line-up on the right wing as he switches back to 15s after helping Fiji win a silver medal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 last month. Centre Iosefo Baleiwairiki is another to have played at the Olympics.

Tevita Ikanivere captains Fiji and is one of only six survivors from the XV that lost 47-5 to the All Blacks in their last outing.

Lalomilo Lalomilo, fresh from representing Samoa on their Olympic Games debut in Paris, will make his test debut for Manu Samoa at outside centre alongside experienced campaigner, Alapati Leiua, while the other newcomer Tuna Tuitama lines up on the right wing.

Elsewhere in the opening round of the Pacific Nations Cup, a defeat to Eddie Jones’ Japan against Canada in Vancouver would see the Brave Blossoms slip below Portugal in 15th, while Canada would climb above Romania into 20th place.

A victory for Jones’ men in Sunday’s game would see no change in their ranking, but would do wonders for their confidence after losing four on the spin.

Related

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Steelers vs Brave Lupus

LIVE

Waratahs vs Force

LIVE

Reds vs Fijian Drua

LIVE

Singapore SVNS | Day 2

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 22 minutes ago
Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year

It really all depends of how much overseas players would be paid (by NZR) to play for the All Blacks. I’ve not heard a peep on this front from any author suggesting it’s a good idea.


If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.


I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.


I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.


I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.


If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?


Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?

23 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

Yeah of course it can be, it manages a good commerical outcome when 100 million people are following it. I’m saying rugby is no where near even remotely close to getting the payoff you’re talking about, never mind the distinct lack of anyway to implement it.


So you’re going for the dirty approach. I’m not surprised, it’s the only way to easily implement it right now. I wouldn’t see the benefit to doing that myself. A draft, if purely feasible in it’s own right, doesn’t need to provide commercial benefit at all (if it works, that’s all it needs to do, as it no doubt did back in america’s heyday). But without the advantageous backing of sponsors and interest levels, if you pick the wrong method to implement it, like a dirty approach, you do potential harm to it’s acceptance.


The aspect’s of the approach you chose that I don’t like, is that the franchises are the ones spending the money of the U20’s only for there opposition to get first dibs. Personally, I would much prefer an investment into a proper pathway (which I can’t really see SR U20s being at all in anycase). I’m not exactly sure how the draft works in america, but I’m pretty sure it’s something like ‘anyone whishing to be pro has to sign for the draft’, and results in maybe 10 or 20% of those being drafted. The rest (that accumulative 80/90% year on year) do go back into club, pronvincial, or whatever they have there, and remain scouted and options to bring in on immediate notice for cover etc. You yes, you draw on everybody, but what is generating your interest in the drafties in the first plaec?


This is your missing peace. If some come through school and into the acadamies, which would be most, you’ve currently got three years of not seeing those players after they leave school. Those that miss and come in through club, maybe the second year theyre in the draft or whatever, aged 20/21, you’re going to have no clue how they’ve been playing. NPC is a high level, so any that are good enough to play that would already be drafted, but some late bloomers you might see come in NPC but then Sky’s not going to broadcast that anymore. So what’s generating this massive interest you’re talking about, and most importantly, how does it tie in with the other 7 clubs that will be drafting (and providing) players outside of NZ?


Is the next step to pump tens of millions into SRP U20s? That would be a good start for investment in the youth (to get onto international levels of pathway development) in the first place but are fans going to be interested to the same level as what happens in america? Baseball, as mentioned, has the minor leagues, if we use that model it hasn’t to be broad over the whole pacific, because you’re not having one draft right, they all have to play against each other. So here they get drafted young and sent out into a lower level thats more expansive that SR, is there interest in that? There would be for large parts, but how financially viable would it be. Twiggy tried to get a league started and NPC clubs joined. BOP and Taranaki want SR representation, do we have a mix of the biggest clubs and provinces/states make a couple of divisions? I think that is far more likely to fan interest and commerical capabilities than an U20 of the SR teams. Or ofc Uni fits a lot of options. I’ve not really read anything that has tried to nut out the feasability of a draft, it can certainly work if this spitballing is anything to go by, but I think first theres got to be a need for it far above just being a drafting level.

36 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Fissler Confidential: Prem club to ringfence Six Nations star Fissler Confidential: Prem club move to ringfence Test star
Search