The 2007 IRB Pacific Nations Cup was a rugby union competition held between six Pacific Rim sides; Australia A, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the Junior All Blacks (New Zealand's second XV). This was the first year that Australia A had competed – Australia had declined the invitation to compete in the inaugural competition in 2006 because they wanted to focus on their domestic competition, but on 18 October 2006 it was announced that they would send their second XV. For this reason, the inaugural tournament was renamed the Pacific Nations Cup instead of the IRB Pacific Five Nations as it had been called in 2006.
| 2007 IRB Pacific Nations Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Countries |  Australia A Fiji Japan Junior All Blacks Samoa Tonga |
| Tournament format(s) | Round-robin |
| Date | 25 May - 24 June 2007 |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Teams | 6 |
| Matches played | 15 |
| Attendance | 89,830 (5,989 per match) |
| Tries scored | 92 (6.13 per match) |
| Top point scorer(s) | Clinton Schifcofske (Australia A) (64 points) |
| Top try scorer(s) | Ryan Cross (Australia A) Lachlan Turner (Australia A) (4 tries) |
| Final | |
| Champions | Junior All Blacks (2nd title) |
| Runners-up | Australia A |
The tournament was a round-robin of 15 games where each team played one match against each of the others. There are four points for a win, two points for a draw and none for a defeat. There are also bonus points offered with one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing by 7 points or less.
New Zealand's Junior All Blacks won the Cup for the second time in Round 4, gaining an unbeatable lead after beating Australia A 50–0 in Dunedin.[1]
Table
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| ||||||||||||||
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Points For | Points Against | Points Difference | Tries For | Tries Against | Try Bonus | Losing Bonus | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Junior All Blacks |
5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 228 | 34 | +194 | 34 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 25 | |
| 2 | Australia A |
5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 172 | 104 | +68 | 22 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 16 | |
| 3 | Samoa |
5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 96 | 67 | +29 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 13 | |
| 4 | Fiji |
5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 70 | 115 | -45 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 9 | |
| 5 | Tonga |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 69 | 184 | -115 | 10 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| 6 | Japan |
5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 51 | 182 | -131 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| Points breakdown: *4 points for a win *2 points for a draw *1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less *1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match | ||||||||||||||
Results
editRound 1
edit| 25 May 2007 19:30 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia A | 60 – 15 | Tonga |
| Try: Turner (3) Cross (2) Polota-Nau Hewat Schifcofske Con: Schifcofske (6) Hewat Pen: Schifcofske (2) | Report Stats | Try: Kiole Tupou Con: Apikotoa Pen: Apikotoa |
| Aussie Stadium, Sydney Attendance: 5,912 Referee: Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan) |
| 26 May 2007 13:00 (UTC+12) |
| Fiji | 30 – 15 | Japan |
| Try: T. Rawaqa Talei Qera Neivua Con: T. Rawaqa (2) Pen: T. Rawaqa (2) | Stats | Try: Tachikawa Thompson Con: Ando Pen: Ando |
| Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Federico Cuesta (Argentina) |
| 26 May 2007 15:00 (UTC-11) |
| Samoa | 10 – 31 | Junior All Blacks |
| Try: Lemi Con: G. Williams Pen: G. Williams | Report Stats | Try: Afoa R. Gear (2) Tuiali'i Filipo Con: Donald (3) |
| Apia Park, Apia Attendance: 15,000 Referee: James Leckie (Australia) |
Round 2
edit| 2 June 2007 13:00 (UTC+12) |
| Fiji | 8 – 57 | Junior All Blacks |
| Try: Lovobalavu Con: Buatava | Report | Try: Laulala Ellis Jane R. Gear Tuiali'i Penalty try Hamilton Tuʻipulotu Con: Donald (4) Brett (3) Pen: Donald |
| ANZ National Stadium, Suva Attendance: 21,988 Referee: Paul Marks (Australia) |
| 2 June 2007 13:30 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Tonga | 17 – 20 | Japan |
| Try: Tupou H. Tongaʻuiha Lilo Con: Apikotoa | Report Stats | Try: Endo Watanabe[2] Con: Ando (2) Pen: Ando (2) |
| BCU International Stadium, Coffs Harbour Attendance: 2,528 Referee: Federico Cuesta (Argentina) |
| 2 June 2007 15:30 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia A | 27 – 15 | Samoa |
| Try: Polota-Nau Mumm Beale Con: Schifcofske (2/2) Hewat (1/1) Pen: Schifcofske (2/3) | Report Stats | Try: Va'a Thompson Con: G. Williams (1/2) Pen: G. Williams (1/1) |
| BCU International Stadium, Coffs Harbour Attendance: 2,528 Referee: Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan) |
Round 3
edit| 19 May 2007[3] 15:00 (UTC-11) |
| Samoa | 8 – 3 | Fiji |
| Try: M. Schwalger 25' m Con: Crichton (0/1) Pen: Crichton (0/1) Williams 78' | Report Stats | Pen: T. Rawaqa (1/1) 3' Buatava (0/1) |
| Apia Park, Apia Referee: Paul Marks (Australia) |
| 9 June 2007 13:00 (UTC+13) |
| Tonga | 13 – 39 | Junior All Blacks |
| Try: Lilo (2) Pen: Lilo | Report Stats | Try: Filipo Witcombe Holah Tuʻipulotu Tuitavake Hamilton Con: Brett (3) Pen: Brett |
| Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nukuʻalofa Attendance: 10,129 Referee: Federico Cuesta (Argentina) |
| 9 June 2007 18:00 AEST (UTC+10) |
| Australia A | 71 – 10 | Japan |
| Try: Holmes (3) Cross (2) Schifcofske Sare Hardy S. Ma'afu Beale Con: Schifcofske (9) Pen: Schifcofske | Report Stats | Try: Robins Con: K. Ono Pen: K. Ono |
| Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 4,745 Referee: James Bolabiu (Fiji) |
Round 4
edit| 16 June 2007 14:00 JST (UTC+09) |
| Japan | 3 – 13 | Samoa |
| Pen: Ando | Report Stats | Try: Fa'atau Con: Crichton Pen: Crichton (2) |
| Yurtec Stadium, Sendai Attendance: 7,905 Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales) |
| 16 June 2007 14:30 (UTC+12) |
| Fiji | 15 – 21 | Tonga |
| Try: Leawere Lovobalavu Con: Luvenivali Pen: Luvenivali | Report Stats | Try: Hufanga Lutui Vahafolau Pen: Lemoto (2) |
| Churchill Park, Lautoka Attendance: 3,500 Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) |
| 16 June 2007 16:30 NZST (UTC+12) |
| Junior All Blacks | 50 – 0 | Australia A |
| Try: Donald Donnelly Lauaki Tuitavake Hamilton Nonu Braid[4] Con: Donald (6) Pen: Donald | Report |
| Carisbrook, Dunedin, Otago Referee: Willie Roos (South Africa) |
Round 5
edit| 23 June 2007 15:00 (UTC-11) |
| Samoa | 50 – 3 | Tonga |
| Try: Johnston (2) Lemi (2) Ulia M. Schwalger Al. Tuilagi Con: Crichton (4) Lui (2) Pen: Crichton | Report Stats | Pen: Hola |
| Apia Park, Apia Referee: Willie Roos (South Africa) |
| 23 June 2007 15:00 (UTC+12) |
| Fiji | 14 – 14 | Australia A |
| Try: Bolavucu (2) Con: Luveniyali (2) | Report | Try: Turner Pen: Shepherd (2) Schifcofske |
| ANZ National Stadium, Suva Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand) |
Top scorers
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Top points scorersedit
Source: irb.com |
Top try scorersedit
Source: irb.com |
See also
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References and notes
edit- ^ Junior All Blacks Clinch IRB Pacific Nations Cup Archived 2007-06-14 at archive.today, Pacific Magazine, 18 June 2007.
- ^ IRB and scrum.com reports disagree on second try scorer. IRB data used.
- ^ Early date due to pre-existing Test commitments
- ^ IRB and scrum.com disagree on try scorers. IRB data used.