The 2018 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup was the thirteenth edition of the Pacific Nations Cup annual international rugby union competition. All matches for the 2018 tournament, played over two rounds, were held in Fiji at the ANZ National Stadium in Suva.
Hosts Fiji and fellow Pacific nations Samoa and Tonga were joined by Georgia who competing for the first time in the tournament. Romania was also initially scheduled to compete for the Cup until Samoa's place in the competition was confirmed in May 2018.
Fiji won the tournament with two wins from their two matches played. Tonga and Georgia placed second and third respectively with one win each.
Standings
Fixtures The match schedule:McKee Names Final June Selection
Round 1
FB 15Sione FifitaRW 14David HalaifonuaOC 13Nafi Tuitavake IC 12Siale Piutau (c)LW 11Penikolo Latu FH 10Kurt MorathSH 9 Sonatane Takulua N8 8 Nasi ManuOF 7 Fotu LokotuiBF 6 Daniel Faleafa RL 5 Joe TuineauLL 4 Leva Fifita TP 3 David Lolohea HK 2 Paul Ngauamo LP 1 Siegfried Fisiihoi Replacements:HK 16Sosefo Sakalia PR 17David Feao PR 18Ben Tameifuna N8 25Valentino Mapapalangi FL 26Michael Faleafa SH 21Shinnosuke Tu'umoto'oa CE 22Latiume Fosita WG 23Viliami Lolohea Coach: Toutai Kefu FB 15Soso MatiashviliRW 14Anzor SitchinavaOC 13Davit KacharavaIC 12Giorgi Kveseladze LW 11Alexander Todua FH 10Lasha KhmaladzeSH 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze N8 8 Mikheil Gachechiladze OF 7 Otar GiorgadzeBF 6 Shalva Sutiashvili RL 5 Nodar Tcheishvili LL 4 Giorgi Nemsadze (c)TP 3 Levan Chilachava HK 2 Shalva Mamukashvili LP 1 Karlen Asieshvili Replacements:HK 16Jaba Bregvadze PR 17Giorgi Tetrashvili PR 18Irakli Mirtskhulava LK 19Konstantin Mikautadze FL 20Saba Shubitidze SH 21Giorgi Begadze CE 22Lasha Malaghuradze FB 23Merab Kvirikashvili Coach: Milton Haig Touch judges: Graham Cooper (Australia) Cam Stone (New Zealand) Television match official: Ian Smith (Australia) Notes: David Feao, Sione Fifita, David Lolohea, Viliami Lolohea and Nasi Manu (all Tonga) made their international debuts. Jaba Bregvadze (Georgia) earned his 50th test cap.
FB 15Kini MurimurivaluRW 14Benito Masilevu OC 13Jale Vatubua IC 12Sevanaia GalalaLW 11Vereniki Goneva FH 10Ben VolavolaSH 9 Henry Seniloli N8 8 Akapusi Qera (c) OF 7 Viliame MataBF 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu RL 5 Leone NakarawaLL 4 Api Ratuniyarawa TP 3 Manasa Saulo HK 2 Talemaitoga Tuapati LP 1 Campese Ma'afu Replacements:HK 16Veremalua Vugakoto PR 17Eroni Mawi PR 18Ropate Rinakama LK 19Sikeli Nabou N8 20Nemani Nagusa SH 21Serupepeli Vularika FH 22Alivereti Veitokani WG 23Timoci NagusaCoach: John McKee FB 15Ahsee TualaRW 14Ed FidowOC 13Rey Lee-Lo IC 12Alapati LeiuaLW 11Sinoti Sinoti FH 10Tusi Pisi SH 9 Melani Matavao N8 8 Mat Luamanu OF 7 Jack LamBF 6 Piula FaʻasaleleRL 5 Chris Vui (c)LL 4 Josh Tyrell TP 3 Paul Alo-Emile HK 2 Motu Matu'u LP 1 Logovi'i Mulipola Replacements:HK 16Seilala Lam PR 17Jordan Lay PR 18Viliamu Afatia LK 19Joe Tekori FL 20TJ Ioane SH 21Dwayne Polataivao FH 22Rodney Iona WG 23Paul Perez Coach: Fuimaono Tafua Touch judges: Jérôme Garcès (France) Jordan Way (Australia) Television match official: Ian Smith (Australia) Notes: Sevanaia Galala, Eroni Mawi, Alivereti Veitokani and Veremalua Vugakoto (all Fiji) and Rodney Iona, Ed Fidow and Mat Luamanu (all Samoa) made their international debuts. Vereniki Goneva (Fiji) earned his 50th test cap.
Round 2
FB 15David Halaifonua RW 14Viliami LoloheaOC 13Nafi TuitavakeIC 12Siale Piutau (c) LW 11Cooper VunaFH 10Kurt MorathSH 9 Sonatane TakuluaN8 8 Nasi Manu OF 7 Fotu LokotuiBF 6 Steve MafiRL 5 Joe Tuineau LL 4 Leva FifitaTP 3 Siua Halanukonuka HK 2 Paul Ngauamo LP 1 Siegfried Fisiihoi Replacements:HK 16Sosefo Sakalia PR 17David Feao PR 18Ben Tameifuna N8 25Valentino Mapapalangi FL 26Maama Vaipulu SH 21Shinnosuke Tu'umoto'oaCE 22Latiume Fosita WG 23Penikolo Latu Coach: Toutai Kefu FB 15Ahsee Tuala RW 14Paul PerezOC 13Alofa Alofa IC 12Alapati LeiuaLW 11Sinoti SinotiFH 10Tusi PisiSH 9 Dwayne Polataivao N8 8 Jack Lam OF 7 TJ IoaneBF 6 Piula FaʻasaleleRL 5 Chris Vui (c)LL 4 Joe Tekori TP 3 Viliamu Afatia HK 2 Seilala Lam LP 1 Jordan Lay Replacements:HK 16Elia Elia PR 17James Lay PR 18Paul Alo-Emile LK 19Brandon Nansen FL 20Ofisa Treviranus SH 21Melani Matavao FH 22Rodney Iona WG 23Ed Fidow Coach: Fuimaono Tafua Touch judges: Graham Cooper (Australia) Cam Stone (New Zealand) Television match official: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand)
FB 15Kini Murimurivalu RW 14Vereniki GonevaOC 13Semi RadradraIC 12Jale Vatubua LW 11Nemani NadoloFH 10Ben VolavolaSH 9 Henry Seniloli N8 8 Viliame Mata OF 7 Akapusi Qera (c)BF 6 Dominiko WaqaniburotuRL 5 Leone NakarawaLL 4 Api Ratuniyarawa TP 3 Manasa Saulo HK 2 Veremalua Vugakoto LP 1 Campese Ma'afu Replacements:HK 16Ratunaisa Navuma PR 17Eroni Mawi PR 18Mosese Ducivaki LK 19Sikeli Nabou N8 20Nemani Nagusa SH 21Frank Lomani FH 22Alivereti Veitokani WG 23Timoci Nagusa Coach: John McKee FB 15Soso MatiashviliRW 14Tamaz Mchedlidze OC 13Davit KacharavaIC 12Lasha Malaghuradze LW 11Alexander ToduaFH 10Lasha KhmaladzeSH 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze N8 8 Otar Giorgadze OF 7 Viktor KolelishviliBF 6 Giorgi TsutskiridzeRL 5 Konstantin Mikautadze LL 4 Giorgi Nemsadze (c)TP 3 Levan Chilachava HK 2 Shalva Mamukashvili LP 1 Karlen Asieshvili Replacements:HK 16Giorgi Chkoidze PR 17Zurab Zhvania PR 18Giorgi Melikidze LK 19Nodar Tcheishvili LK 20Shalva Sutiashvili SH 21Giorgi Begadze CE 22Giorgi Kveseladze FB 23Merab Kvirikashvili Coach: Milton Haig Touch judges: Mike Fraser (New Zealand) Jordan Way (Australia) Television match official: Aaron Paterson (New Zealand) Notes: Semi Radradra (Fiji) made his international debut. This was Fiji's largest winning margin over Georgia, surpassing the 5-point difference set in 2012, and their first win over Georgia in Fiji.
Statistics
Points scorers PosNameTeamPts1Soso Matiashvili212Sonatane Takulua163Henry Seniloli154Viliami Lolohea10Frank LomaniMelani Matavao7Ben Volavola98Ahsee Tuala89Nemani Nadolo7Tusi Pisi
Try scorers PosNameTeamTries1Henry Seniloli32Viliami Lolohea2Frank LomaniMelani Matavao514 players1
Squads NationHead coach Captain John McKeeAkapusi Qera Milton HaigGiorgi Nemsadze Fuimaono TafuaChris Vui Toutai KefuSiale Piutau
Note: Number of caps and players' ages are indicated as of 9 June 2018 – the tournament's opening day, pre first tournament match.
Fiji On 30 May, John McKee finalised a 32-man squad for the Pacific Nations Cup and their June test match against Tonga.Fiji Airways Flying Fijians march into Camp for June Test Series
Georgia On 1 June, Head Coach Milton Haig finalised a 32-man touring squad for the Pacific Nations Cup and their June test match against Japan.
Samoa On 22 May, Titimaea Tafua named a 28-man squad for the Pacific Nations Cup and Samoa's 2019 Rugby World Cup two-test play-off series against a yet to be decided team.
Tonga On 21 May, Toutai Kefu named a 30-man squad for the Pacific Nations Cup and their June test match against Fiji.‘Ikale Tahi Team announced for Pacific Nations Cup
See also 2018 mid-year rugby union internationals
References
External links Pacific Nations Cup web page at World Rugby