Fiji prevailed over Japan 34-28 in a nail-biter in Tokyo on Saturday, avenging a loss five weeks ago when the sides met in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup.
The sides battled end to end, sticking to quick hands and making expansive runs despite wet conditions in a game at Chichibunomiya Stadium in central Tokyo to mark the 100th anniversary of the Japan Rugby Football Union.
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Fiji battered Japan with powerful tackles and outran the hosts in open play but Japan took their chances while in the Fijian 22 to stay in the game.
Tied at three converted tries apiece at the end of the first half, Fiji kept up their momentum to finish ahead by two penalty conversions, even though a dangerous tackle by number 8 Motikiai Murray on counterpart Faulua Makisi in the 34th minute took them down to 14 men for 20 minutes.
Japan found success at the maul, scoring two tries off lineout mauls in the first half, but were undone by handling errors and beaten in the air, with Fiji trusting their power, pace and footwork to edge the hosts.
A thundering tackle on Japanese inside centre Charlie Lawrence forced a turnover on the Fijian 5-metre line and winger Nacani Boginisoko ran the length of the pitch before offloading to scrum half Terio Tamani for Fiji's fourth try.
Fiji had earlier displayed their flair in an attack starting on the halfway line, with an angled run by outside centre Tuidraki Samusamuvodre that dissected the Japanese defence to bring about Fiji's second try in the 14th minute.
Japanese skipper Warner Dearns led the resistance, putting in some thumping tackles of his own and muscling over for two tries.
The Brave Blossoms fought to the final whistle but couldn't string together enough phases in attack to overturn the deficit.
It was a valuable win for a new era with the Flying Fijians, with new head coach Jake White not picking any European-based players and handing out four debuts.
With the result, the new head coach believes his side, if they can successfully build off this win, "can beat anyone" on their day at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
"If we can just give them a little bit of control and structure and a bit of organisation, and I can get the best 33 players together for the World Cup, I genuinely believe that they can be a massive force at the World Cup," White said to AFP.
"We know that Fiji can play with flair, we know they've got unbelievable skill, all I wanted to do was bring a little bit of control.
"The way we played in the last 15 minutes really made me proud."
Japan head coach Eddie Jones lamented the number of turnovers in the game as the biggest difference in the game, and commended his opposite counterpart, having worked under White as a technical advisor when the South African led his country to victory at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
"Today he brought in four or five new caps and I saw him talking about going out to all the islands in Fiji to find more talent," said Jones.
"The one thing he'll do is find the best talent in Fiji and bring that forward."
Both sides are now looking to the northern series of the Nations Championship that begins next month, with Fiji facing France, Ireland and Italy, while Japan will play Wales, England and Scotland.
with AFP
