Japan Brave Blossoms vs Samoa PNC Semifinal 2024 Preview

The Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2024 semifinals see Fiji play the USA on Saturday 14 September, while the hosts Japan Brave Blossoms play Samoa in the second semifinal on Sunday. The 5/6th place playoff between Tonga and Canada will also be played on Saturday.

All three matches will be played at Chichibu Stadium in Tokyo as Fiji look to add to the five Pacific Nations Cup titles they have won, which is more than any other team. Both Fiji and Japan are the two undefeated sides left in the tournament and the Brave Blossoms have the benefit of home advantage.

Japan last played Samoa in Pool D of RWC 2023 in Toulouse, which Japan won 28-22 after Samoa’s Ben Lam had his yellow card at the start of the second half upgraded to a red.

In the head-t0-head, the Samoans have the advantage and have won twice as many matches as Japan overall (12-6). Even their record in Japan is a good one having won 7 out of 10 matches played there but it’s the Japanese who have the better recent record with four wins in the past 5 between the two. The two teams are also 12th (Samoa) and 13th (Japan) on the World Rugby rankings.

If Samoa does win on Sunday, they will head to the final chasing a 5th PNC title (the last of which was in 2022), while Japan Head Coach Eddie Jones will hope to make it three wins in a row in 2024 and lead the side to a potential 4th title in the final. The last time they lifted the PNC was when they hosted the RWC in 2019.

Samoa came into the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup following back-to-back wins over Italy and Spain in the July internationals. Samoa Head Coach Mase Mahonri Schwalger has made a handful of changes to his starting line-up as he looks to celebrate his 46th birthday with a win.

Meanwhile, Eddie Jones has made six personnel changes of personnel to his starting line-up from last weekend’s win against the USA, as well as one positional switch.

The quick style of play has seen the Brave Blossoms beat Canada and the USA with the Japanese having the best percentage in the tournament for crossing the gain line with ball-in-hand carries (72 per cent). The Brave Blossoms are tied for most tries in the competition so far with 13 – the same number as Fiji.

Japan’s Seungsin Lee is also the current top points scorer with a haul of 36 points from the 2 matches but starts the semifinal at full-back, with all of his previous ten appearances at flyhalf.

Starting reserve, hooker Kenta Matsuoka, could make his international debut, while lock Epineri Uluiviti will earn his first cap in the starting XV. 33-year-old veteran Harumichi Tatekawa captains the side.

Interestingly, both Japan and Samoa are ranked highest in the PNC 2024 for most offloads- so expect a high-tempo and free-flowing match in humid conditions.

New Zealander Paul Williams will referee the Japan vs Samoa Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2024 semifinal.

PNC 2024 Fixtures

• Tonga plays Canada for 5/6th on Saturday 14 September
• USA faces Fiji on Saturday 14 September 2024 – Semifinal 1
• Japan vs Samoa Sunday 15 September 2024 – Semifinal 2

Match Permutations PNC 2024 –  Japan Brave Blossoms vs Samoa Semifinal (September 2024)

• A win for Japan would see them swap places with Samoa, with the Brave Blossoms moving to 13th.
• If Samoa wins, they will move above Georgia into 12th place.
• If Samoa win by more than 15 points and Fiji loses by the same margin to the USA, the two Pacific teams would have only a slight margin between them in 11th and 12th.

Japan Squad vs Samoa – Pacific Nations Cup 2024 SF

More can be seen here on Japan in the PNC 2024.

Samoa Squad vs Japan – Pacific Nations Cup 2024 SF

More can be seen here on Samoa in the PNC 2024.

How To Watch The PNC 2024

The Pacific Nations Cup 2024 will be available to watch everywhere either through a local broadcast partner or on RugbyPass TV. The match will be available on J SPORTS in Japan, and on Digicel in the Pacific Islands.

International Rugby 2024

• Eddie Jones Commits To Developing Youth In the New Era of Brave Blossoms at PNC 2024.
• Japan Brave Blossoms vs USA PNC 2024 Preview.
• Japan Brave Blossoms vs Canada PNC 2024 Preview.
• WXV 2024 Details Confirmed – WXV 3 Heads Back To Dubai.