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2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup

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Tournament format(s)
  
Round-robin

Matches played
  
12

Teams
  
6

Countries
  
Canada  Fiji  Japan  Samoa  Tonga  United States

Date
  
18 July - 3 August 2015

Attendance
  
70,785 (5,899 per match)

The 2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup was the tenth edition of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup (formerly known as the IRB Pacific Nations Cup), an annual international rugby union tournament. The 2015 title was contested between the Tier 2 nations of Canada, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the United States.

Contents

Due to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the tournament took place in July and August with all teams having access to overseas players. Like the 2014 IRB Pacific Nations Cup, the six teams were divided into two pools, but instead of playing each team from the same pool like in 2014, each team played the three teams from the opposing pool. Following the three rounds of cross pool matches, the six teams were seeded one through to six and played in three final play-offs to determine who finishes first to sixth. The final was contested between Fiji and Samoa, who had previously drawn 30–30 during the Cross-pool matches. Fiji won the final 39–29, scoring 6 tries to claim their second title.

Venues

Five venues will be used:

Fixtures

The full match schedule was announced on 19 February 2015.

Round 1

Notes:

  • Peceli Yato made his international debut for Fiji.
  • Telusa Veainu made his international debuts for Tonga.

    • Notes:

  • Thyssen de Goede and Callum Morrison made their international debuts for Canada.
  • Tim Bennetts made his international debut for Japan.

    • Notes:

  • AJ MacGinty and Zack Test made their international debuts for the United States.
  • Motu Matu'u and Sanele Vavae Tuilagi made their international debuts for Samoa.

    • Round 2

    Notes:

  • This was Fiji's and Samoa's first draw since 1989.
  • Faleniu Iosi made his international debut for Samoa.

    • Notes:

  • Sosefo Sakalia and Viliami Tahitu'a made their international debuts for Tonga.

    • Notes:

  • Alastair McFarland made his international debut for the United States.
  • Mike Petri earned his 50th test cap for the United States.

    • Round 3

    Notes:

  • Chris Baumann made his international debut for the United States.
  • Sosefo Ma’ake and Jack Ram made their international debuts for Tonga.

    • Notes:

  • Evan Olmstead made his international debut for Canada.
  • Francis Ieremia made hie international debut for Samoa.

    • 5th Place play-off

    Notes:

  • This was the United States first win over Canada in Canada since 2005.
  • With the United States win in 2014, this was the United States first back to back wins since 2003.

    • Squads

    Note: Number of caps and players' ages are indicated as of 18 July 2015 – the tournament's opening day, pre first tournament match.

    Canada

    Canada's 36-man squad for the 2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.

    Phil Mack, John Moonlight and Nathan Hirayama were late additions to the squad.

    Harry Jones and Conor Trainor were added to the squad ahead of the Samoan match.

    Nanyak Dala and Jake Ilnicki were added to the squad ahead of the United States final match.

    Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

    References

    2015 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA