Reigning Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup champions Fiji kick-off the defence of their title in Suva against Tonga, round one conquerors of Samoa, while last year’s beaten finalists Japan begin their quest to go one better at home to Canada.

Both the Flying Fijians and the Brave Blossoms are already assured of a place at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia – but the two sides making their bows in this year’s competition still have plenty to play for. There’s the small matter of the title up for grabs.

Once the pool phase is complete, all six Pacific Nations Cup sides will convene in Denver, Colorado, for the semi-finals and fifth place play-off on 14 September at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, while the final and third place play-off take place on 20 September in Salt Lake City, Utah.

FIJI v TONGA

Venue: HFC Bank Stadium, Suva

Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Takehito Namekawa, Katsuki Furuse (both Japan)
Television Match Official: Brett Cronan (Australia)

Fiji may not have to worry about qualifying for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia – but that doesn’t mean the defending Pacific Nations Cup champions plan to take this year’s tournament lightly. Far from it.

As they make their bow in the 2025 tournament, after watching last weekend’s opening-round matches from the sidelines, Flying Fijians’ captain Tevita Ikanivere has made it perfectly clear to anyone paying attention that the squad know what a seventh title would mean to fans, and the expectations that are on the shoulders of his team. 

“The team has been training very hard,” he said recently in a short interview posted on the Fiji Rugby website. “We’ve had some great sessions and work on our systems both in attack, defence and set piece to get those things right and the results will just take care of itself.”

Visitors Tonga upped the stakes with a well-constructed 30-16 opening round victory over Samoa in Nuku’alofa last weekend to take a giant step towards Australia 2027. ‘Ikale Tahi captain Ben Tameifuna promised immediately after that match that his side would quickly re-focus on the challenge that Fiji would set this weekend. 

Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne named four uncapped players in a powerful 23 for their opening match of the tournament – Etonia Waqa will make his first test appearance at blindside flanker, while Tudraki Samusamuvodre is set to make his debut at outside centre. Motikai Murray and Taniela Rakuro are on the bench

Fiji – the highest ranked side in the tournament in ninth – may have home advantage for their opening outing, but the visitors will be determined to double down on that opening round win. Expect fireworks in Suva.

Matchday squads

Fiji (1-15): 1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 3 Mesake Doge; 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 5 Temo Mayanavanua; 6 Etonia Waqa, 7 Elia Canakaivata, 8 Viliame Mata; 9 Philip Baselala, 10 Caleb Muntz; 11 Ponipate Loganimasi, 12 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 14 Kalaveti Ravouvou; 15 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 
Replacements:  16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Haereiti Hetet, 18 Samu Tawake, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Motikiai Murray, 21 Sam Wye, 22 Kemueli Valetini, 23 Taniela Rakuro

Tonga: 1 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi 2 Samiuela Moli, 3 Ben Tameifuna; 4 Tanginoa Halaifonua, 5 Harison Mataele; 6 Tupou Afungia, 7 Fotu Lokotui, 8 Siosiua Moala; 9 Augustine Pulu, 10 Patrick Pellegrini; 11 John Tapueluelu, 12 Fetuli Paea, 13 Solomone Kata, 14 Fine Inisi; 15 Salesi Piutau
Replacements: 16 Siua Maile, 17 Fe’ao Fotuaika, 18 Solomone Tukuafu, 19 Justin Mataele, 20 Talimoni Finau, 21 Sonatane Takulua, 22 Josiah Unga, 23 Uilisi Halaholo

JAPAN v CANADA

Venue: Yurtec Stadium, Sendai

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Jordan Way, Damon Murphy (both Australia)
Television Match Official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

After sitting out the opening weekend’s action Japan – who, like Fiji, have already qualified for RWC 2027 in Australia – enter the Pacific Nations Cup 2025 fray at home against a Canada side brimming with confidence after their 34-20 victory over USA last weekend. 

There can be no doubt about the target for the Brave Blossoms’ head coach Eddie Jones. “Last year we were runners-up in the competition, and this year our target is to go one better,” he told an online press conference shortly before the tournament started.

Japan’s 55-28 win in Canada during last year’s Pacific Nations Cup was the first in the second era of Jones as head coach of the Brave Blossoms. They have won four of eight tests since and, in July, recorded their first win over Wales since 2013.

But new Canada coach Stephen Meehan is determined to transform his side’s recent disappointing fortunes. Last week’s win over USA in Calgary was his first in his third match in charge, and their first in nine matches since their victory over Romania in July 2024. They look set to be a very different prospect this time around.

But the visitors will be without four-try hero Tyler Ardron and tireless second-row Evan Olmstead, who have both returned to their clubs in France. That duo, plus Cooper Coats and Talon McMullin, were replaced in Meehan’s 28-strong extended squad by Shane O’Leary, Callum Botchar, Austin Creighton, and Brock Gallagher.

Matchday squads

Japan (1-15): 1 Sena Kimura, 2 Hayate Era, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi; 4 Waisake Raratubua, 5 Warner Dearns; 6 Ben Gunter, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 8 Amato Fakatava; 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 10 Seungsin Lee; 11 Malo Tuitama, 12 Charlie Lawrence, 13 Dylan Riley, 14 Kippei Ishida; 15 Sam Greene
Replacements:  16 Kenji Sato, 17 Kenta Kobayashi, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tiennan Costley, 20 Faulua Makisi, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Yuya Hirose, 23 Tomoki Osada

Canada: 1 Calixto Martinez, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Cole Keith; 4 Piers Von Dadelszen, 5 Mason Flesch; 6 Siôn Parry, 7 Lucas Rumball 8  Matthew Oworu; 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Peter Nelson; 11 Nic Benn, 12 Spencer Jones, 13  Ben LeSage 14 Josiah Morra; 15.  Shane O’Leary
Replacements:  16 Jesse Mackail, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Conor Young, 19 Callum Botchar, 20 Matt Heaton, 21 Stephen Webb, 22 Noah Flesch, 23 Brenden Black