Pacific Nations Cup 2024 Explained
As was announced in 2023, the new Pacific Nations Cup will feature Japan, Canada, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the USA and the dates for the tournament have been confirmed – with three pool rounds from 23rd August to 7th September before the finals take place in Japan from 14-21 September.
Each of the six participating Men’s XV national teams will be guaranteed a minimum of three tests and one home fixture, which World Rugby says will “boost development, exposure, and competitiveness” ahead of an expanded Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia.
World Rugby’s new High-Performance Pathways and Player Development Manager Simon Raiwalui said: “We are incredibly proud and excited to launch the revamped Pacific Nations Cup this year with a vibrant brand and an optimised match schedule. The six teams taking part in the competition will benefit from long-term certainty around fixtures, allowing them to optimise their preparations and engage with fans and commercial partners.”
Fiji and Japan qualified for RWC 2023 based on previous results, Samoa and Tonga went through the qualification process to compete in France, while neither the USA nor Canada managed to qualify from the Americas.
The Pacific Nations Cup has been embedded within the new international rugby calendar, and World Rugby confirmed “feeding into the new competition to be launched in 2026” (This refers to the proposed new two-division global competition model from 2026 which includes crossover fixtures against high-performance unions),
Following the completion of the PNC 2024 group rounds, the first Pacific Nations Cup finals series will be hosted in Japan in Tokyo and Osaka from 14-21 September 2024.
The USA will be hosting in alternate years, we assume to help the country prepare for RWC 2031 which it will be hosting for the first time before it also hosts the Women’s RWC in 2033.
Pacific Nations Cup 2024 Fixtures
There are two regional pools of three teams to minimise player travel during the pool phase from 23rd August to 7th September, with games held over consecutive weekends.
World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin added, “The model supports welfare and also provides unprecedented certainty of fixtures for unions to help increase awareness, excitement and value, while the grand final in the USA every two years is at the heart of our strategy to grow rugby visibility, accessibility and relevance on the road to Rugby World Cup 2031 and 2033. In short, this is a competition that serves several important purposes.”
The PNC will be a boost for the Pacific national teams and the format means a significant increase in the number of tests organised in the Pacific Islands.
- Tonga will host more home Pacific Nations Cup fixtures in the next four years than they have in all competitions over the last decade.
- Fiji, Samoa and Tonga makeup Pool A and will play each other in home or away fixtures.
- Canada, Japan and USA will face each other in a round-robin format to claim the top two positions in Pool B.
The winner-takes-all finals series will take place in Japan and the USA (in alternating years), which World Rugby claims are “two strategically important markets for the future advancement of the sport.”
In 2024, all six teams will travel to Tokyo to either play in the fifth-place play-off or the semi-finals between pool winners and pool runners-up on 14-15 September before the finals the following weekend.
PNC Week #1 Fixtures – 23-25 August 2024
- Fiji vs Samoa Pool A
- Canada vs Japan Pool B
PNC Week #2 Fixtures – 30-31 August 2024
- Samoa vs Tonga Pool A
- USA vs Canada Pool B
PNC Week #3 Fixtures – 6-7 September 2024
- Tonga vs Fiji Pool A
- Japan vs USA Pool B
PNC Week #4 Fixtures – 14-15 September 2024
- Fifth-place play-off or the semi-finals (Tokyo, Japan)
PNC Week #5 Fixtures – 21st September 2024
- Third Place & Final (Osaka, Japan)
Confirmation of kick-off times, venues and broadcast arrangements will be confirmed in due course.
What The Participating Unions Said – PNC 2024
JRFU – Eddie Jones
New Japan men’s head coach Eddie Jones said of the tournament: “The Pacific Nations Cup is really important for Japan because it allows us to play regular tests against strong countries in tournament conditions, which is great practice for the players for Rugby World Cup.”
The former England and Australia Head Coach explained, “The Pacific Nations Cup fits in right next to the Rugby Championship and Six Nations in providing that regular competition for Pacific nations. Having finals is also a good way for players to experience games that have consequences, and it is great for Japan to host them in the first year, showing why it is a great rugby country.”
USA Rugby – CEO, Ross Young
Current USA Rugby CEO, Ross Young said: “This is a massively exciting day for USA Rugby, as many years of hard work and collaboration come together in an official schedule of events. Kicking off our Pacific Nations Cup campaign on home soil in Los Angeles will be a premier experience as we lay the foundation for the finals series to be hosted here in 2025.
We’re thrilled for the rugby community to join us in this new era of annual competition and opportunity for USA fans and partners alike.”
(Bill Goren will take over as the new USA Rugby CEO on March 18th 2024).
Tonga Rugby Union – Acting CEO Aisea Aholelei
“The Tonga Rugby Union is excited about this revamped Pacific Nations Cup because of its significance to Tongan rugby and the ‘Ikale Tahi team. The competition will be fierce as all teams will try and prove they belong to the top teams in world rugby. Tonga will take this challenge with a smile and a thumping heart. It will be exciting,” said Tongan Acting CEO Aisea Aholelei.
Rugby Canada – CEO Nathan Bombrys
Nathan Bombrys said from a Canadian perspective of the Pacific Nations Cup: “We are very excited to see our Canadian national team return to BC Place for an international match against an exciting Japan team. The Pacific Nations Cup provides consistent annual fixtures and quality competition for our men, and we look forward to kicking off the tournament in front of a Canadian crowd in August.”
Fiji Rugby Union
In February 2024, the FRU was seeking to fill its vacant CEO role with Global Elite Sports from New Zealand responsible for undertaking the recruitment process.
How To Watch The Pacific Nations Cup 2024
The Pacific Nations Cup 2024 will be available to watch everywhere either through a local broadcast partner or on RugbyPass TV.
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