A new format created by World Rugby in this year’s Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) has created a lot of interest. 

This is in partnership with the six participating nations of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Japan, Canada and the United States of America (USA). 

World Rugby’s aim is to elevate global rugby competitiveness ahead of the expanded men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027. 

FORMAT 

This year’s PNC is divided into two pools. Pool A has Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Pool B comprises of Japan, USA and Canada. 

Each time will play two matches, one of which will be a home game, during a three-week pool stage, which is from August 23 to September 7.    

The top two teams from each pool will advance to the semifinals. 

The elimination rounds kick off on September 14 with the 5th place playoff at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo, Japan.  

This will be followed by the first semi-final on the same day and at the same venue, while the second semi-final will take place there the next day.  

The tournament will culminate on September 21 with the third place play-off and the grand-final at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka, Japan. 

NEW LAWS 

The opening match on August 23 promises to be a thrilling encounter as the Flying Fijians take on a strong Manu Samoa team at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva at 6pm.  

This year’s competition will also feature trials of new rugby laws and some law changes, adding an extra layer of intrigue. 

The PNC, now in its 17th year, has been a significant event on the rugby calendar. The Flying Fijians are the defending champions, having won the Cup last year at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo, Japan, cementing a record six-title wins in the competition. This included four consecutive victories from 2015 to 2018.