Nine matches and four weekends down, the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2025 has arrived at its final showpiece matches.
After the semi-finals in Denver, Colorado, it’s another high-altitude challenge for the teams involved. And, while there’s no USA for the fans to cheer – their competition ended last weekend when they won their fifth-place play-off against Samoa to book their place at Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 – there’s still plenty at stake, and plenty of questions to be answered.
Can Japan go all the way to the title for the first time since 2019? Will Fiji add another PNC crown to their already six-strong collection? Who – out of last year’s fifth-place play-off sides Tonga and Canada – will climb as high as third this time around? And will Samoa or losing Sudamericano 2025 finalists Chile have one hand on a golden ticket to Australia by the end of their play-off first-leg match?
We’ll have the answers after the three back-to-back games at America First Field in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Samoa v Chile
America First Field, Salt Lake City, Utah
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Lex Weiner (USA)
Television Match Official: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
There’s plenty riding on the curtain-raiser match on Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2025 Finals day. Whoever wins this two-leg play-off – the second is in Vina del Mar, Chile, next weekend – will claim the 23rd and penultimate spot at Men's Rugby World Cup 2027.
The losing side will have one last shot at the Final Qualification Tournament in November. But both Samoa and Chile will be keen to claim their golden ticket to Australia at the earliest opportunity – and whoever wins here will take a giant step towards that.
Samoa – who have featured at every Rugby World Cup since 1991 – find themselves in the South America/Pacific play-off after signing off their Pacific Nations Cup run this year with a 29-13 loss to USA in last weekend’s fifth-place play-off in Denver, Colorado.
They will be without the services of Tuna Tuitama, suspended following his red card for a dangerous tackle during this defeat.
Chile, meanwhile, reached their first-ever Rugby World Cup in France two years ago, at the eighth attempt. They won’t want to miss out on Australia 2027, especially after pushing Uruguay so hard in the two-leg Sudamericano 2025 final, losing 46-37 on aggregate.
Matchday squads:
Samoa (1-15): 1 Aki Seiuli, 2 Pita Anae Ah Sue, 3 Michael Alaalatoa (captain); 4 Benjamin Petaia Nee-Nee, 5 Michael Curry; 6 Olajuwon Noa, 7 Alamanda Motuga, 8 Iokopo Mapu; 9 Connor Tupa’i, 10 Christian Leali’ifano; 11 Latrell Ah Kiong, 12 Theodore Steffany, 13 Melani Nanai, 14 Elisapeta Alofipo; 15 Logali Visinia
Replacements: 16 Ray Niuia, 17 Jarred Adams, 18 Bradley So’o Amituanai, 19 Potu Leavasa, 20 Abraham Papali’i, 21 Joel Lam, 22 Henry Taefu, 23 Tomasi Alosio
Chile: 1 Javier Carrasco, 2 Diego Escobar, 3 Iñaki Gurruchaga; 4 Santiago Pedrero, 5 Javier Eissmann; 6 Raimundo Martínez, 7 Clemente Saavedra (captain), 8 Alfonso Escobar; 9 Benjamín Videla, 10 Juan Cruz Reyes; 11 Iñaki Ayarza, 12 Santiago Videla, 13 Matías Garafulic, 14 Nicolás Garafulic; 15 Cristóbal Game
Replacements: 16 Augusto Böhme, 17 Norman Aguayo, 18 Matías Dittus, 19 Bruno Sáez, 20 Ernesto Tchimino, 21 Lucas Berti, 22 Nicolás Saab, 23 Tomás Salas
Tonga v Canada
America First Field, Salt Lake City, Utah
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Lex Weiner (USA), Luke Rogan (Australia)
Television Match Official: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Two sides that contested last year’s fifth-place play-off meet in the match that decides who will finish third in the Pacific Nations Cup 2025.
The two sides were well-beaten in the semi-finals in Denver, Colorado. Tonga came up short against Japan, losing 62-24, while Canada lost 63-10 against Fiji.
But, with the primary target – qualification for Men's Rugby World Cup 2027 – achieved thanks to earlier results, both sides will want to finish the tournament with a celebration performance in front of rugby fans in Utah.
Tonga may have the experience and the Rugby World Cup pedigree, having featured in every tournament bar for 1991 – but Canada, having missed out on qualification for the most recent edition in France, will want to show how far they have come under new coach Steve Meehan.
Especially after they came off second best the last time these two sides met – in that play-off match just over a year ago.
Matchday squads:
Tonga (1-15): 1 Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 2 Sam Moli, 3 Ben Tameifuna (captain); 4 Veikoso Poloniati, 5 Harison Mataele; 6 Tevita Ahokovi, 7 Tupou Afungia, 8 Siosiua Moala; 9 Sonatane Takulua, 10 Patrick Pellegrini; 11 John Tapueluelu, 12 Fetuli Paea, 13 Salesi Piutau, 14 Nikolai Foliaki; 15 Josiah Unga
Replacements: 16 Sefo Sakalia, 17 Leopino Maupese, 18 Tau Koloamatangi, 19 Tali Finau, 20 Ephraim Tuitupou, 21 Siaosi Nai, 22 Uilisi Halaholo, 23 James Faiva
Canada: 1 Calixto Martinez, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Cole Keith; 4 Piers von Dadelszen, 5 Izzak Kelly; 6 Mason Flesch (captain), 7 Siôn Parry, 8 Matt Oworu; 9 Brock Gallagher, 10 Peter Nelson; 11 Josiah Morra, 12 Talon McMullin, 13 Spencer Jones, 14 Jack Shaw; 15 Nic Benn
Replacements: 16 Austin Creighton, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Kyle Steeves, 19 Callum Botchar, 20 Matt Heaton 21 Jason Higgins, 22 Noah Flesch, 23 Shane O’Leary
Fiji v Japan
America First Field, Salt Lake City, Utah
Referee: Damian Schneider (Argentina)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Robin Kaluzniak (Canada)
Television Match Official: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Both Fiji and Japan won their semi-finals convincingly to secure a place in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2025 title decider, a repeat of the 2024 final.
With defending champions Fiji currently ranked ninth and Japan 13th in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings, a lot is on the line in potential ranking improvements, not to mention the pride and prestige of holding the trophy aloft at the final whistle.
Brave Blossoms’ head coach Eddie Jones set out his side’s stall for the title early, saying before the tournament kicked off that they wanted to go one better than last year, when they lost 41-17 in the showpiece match in Higashiosaka.
But the Flying Fijians, coached by fellow Australian Mick Byrne – who have gradually picked up the pace throughout this year’s Pacific Nations Cup – aren’t about to give up their title.
Matchday squads:
Fiji (1-15): 1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (captain), 3 Mesake Doge; 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 5 Temo Mayanavanua; 6 Etonia Waqa, 7 Elia Canakaivata, 8 Viliame Mata; 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 10 Caleb Muntz; 11 Taniela Rokuro, 12 Inia Tabuavou, 13 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 14 Joji Nasova; 15 Ponipate Loganimasi
Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Haereiti Hetet, 18 Samu Tawake, 19 Isoa Nasilasila, 20 Kitione Salawa, 21 Samuel Wye, 22 Kemueli Valetini, 23 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula
Japan: 1 Kenta Kobayashi, 2 Hayate Era, 3 Shuhei Taekuchi; 4 Jack Cornelsen, 5 Warner Dearns (captain); 6 Faulua Makisi, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 8 Amato Fakatava; 9 Shinobu Fujiwara, 10 Seungsin Lee; 11 Haruto Kida, 12 Charlie Lawrence, 13 Dylan Riley, 14 Tomoki Osada; 15 Ichigo Nakakusu
Replacements: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Ryosuke Iwaihara, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Tiennan Costley, 20 Akito Okui, 21 Kenta Fukuda, 22 Yuya Hirose, 23 Shogo Nakano
