2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup

The 2008 Pacific Nations Cup was a rugby union tournament held between six national sides on the Pacific rim: Australia A, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and (from this year) New Zealand Māori. The inaugural competition was held in 2006. This year the tournament started on June 7th and ended on July 6, 2008.

The tournament is a round-robin where each team plays all of the other teams once. There are four points for a win, two for a draw and none for a defeat. There are also bonus points offered with one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing by 7 points or less.

Table

chedule

Round One

rugbybox
date = 2008-06-07
14:30
home = ru-rt|FIJ
score = 34 – 17
away = ru|SAM
homescore = Tries:Timoci Nagusa (2), Ifereimi Rawaqa, Taniela Rawaqa, Mosese Rauluni Con: Taniela Rawaqa (3) Pen: Taniela Rawaqa
awayscore = Tries: Henry Faafili, David Lemi, Semo Sititi Con: Neli Sasulu
stadium = Churchill Park, Lautoka
attendance =10,000
referee = Keith Brown flagicon|NZ
report = [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/matches/match=10460/index.html report]

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rugbybox
date = 2008-06-07

home = ru-rt|New Zealand Māori
score = 20 – 9
away = ru|TGA
homescore = Tries: Tamati Ellison, Piri Weepu Con: Callum Bruce (2) Pen: Callum Bruce (2)
awayscore = Pen: Fangatapu Apikotoa (3)
stadium = North Harbour Stadium, Albany, NZ
attendance =4,600
referee = Paul Marks flagicon|AUS
report = [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/matches/match=10461/index.html report]

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rugbybox
date = 2008-06-08
14:00
home = ru-rt|JPN
score = 21 – 42
away = ruA|AUS
homescore = Tries: Tomoaki Taniguchi (2) Con: James Arlidge Pen: James Arlidge (2) Drop Goal: James Arlidge

awayscore = Tries: Morgan Turinui, Mark Gerrard, Peter Kimlin (2), Van Humphries, Sam Norton-Knight Con: Mark Gerrard (6)
stadium = Level-5 stadium, Fukuoka
attendance = 7,493
referee = Willie Roos flagicon|RSA
report = [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/matches/match=10462/index.html report]

Round Two

rugbybox
date = 2008-06-14

home = ru-rt|FIJ
score = 7 – 11
away = ru|New Zealand Māori
homescore = Tries: Sireli Naqelevuki, Con: Taniela Rawaqa
awayscore = Tries: Jason Eaton Pen: Tamati Ellison, Callum Bruce
stadium = Churchill Park, Lautoka
attendance =
referee = Matt Goddard flagicon|AUS
report = [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/matches/match=10463/index.html report]

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rugbybox
date = 2008-06-14

home = ru-rt|SAM
score = 15 – 20
away = ruA|AUS
homescore = Tries: Loleni Tafunai, Muliufi Salanoa Con: Uale Mai Pen: Neli Sasulu
awayscore = Tries: Timana Tahu, Morgan Turinui Con: Mark Gerrard, Matt Carraro Pen: Mark Gerrard, Matt Carraro
stadium = Apia Park, Samoa
attendance =
referee = Keith Brown flagicon|NZ
report = [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/matches/match=10464/index.html report]

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rugbybox
date = 2008-06-15
14:00
home = ru-rt|JPN
score = 35 – 13
away = ru|TGA
homescore =Tries: Takashi Kikutani, Hirotoki Onozawa, Shaun Webb, Bryce Robins
Pen: James Arlidge (5)
awayscore = Tries: Lotu Filipine Con: Pierre Hola
Pen: Pierre Hola (2)
stadium = Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Miyagi
attendance =
referee = Willie Roos flagicon|RSA retd. hurt Francois Veldsman flagicon|RSA
report = [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/matches/match=10465/index.html report]

Round Three

rugbybox
date = 2008-06-21

home = ru-rt|New Zealand Māori
score = 17 – 6
away = ru|SAM
homescore = Tries: Callum Bruce, Piri Weepu Con: Callum Bruce (2) Pen: Callum Bruce
awayscore = Pen: Gavin Williams (2)
stadium = Waikato Stadium, Waikato
attendance =
referee =

----rugbybox
date = 2008-06-22
14:00
home = ru-rt|JPN
score = 12 – 24
away = ru|FIJ
homescore = Pens: James Arlidge (4)
awayscore = Tries: Sireli Naqelevuki, Taniela Rawaqa, Vereniki Goneva
Cons: Taniela Rawaqa (3)
Pen: Taniela Rawaqa (1)
stadium = Olympic Stadium, Tokyo
attendance = 10,994
referee =
report = [http://www.rugbyjapan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=376&Itemid=26 report] |

----rugbybox
date = 2008-06-22

home = ruA-rt|AUS
score = 90 – 7
away = ru|TGA
homescore = Tries: Stephen Hoiles (4), Digby Ioane (2), Sam Norton-Knight (2), Drew Mitchell (2), Morgan Turinui, Timana Tahu, Patrick Phibbs, Lachlan Turner Cons: Matt Carraro (4), Daniel Halangahu (3), Sam Norton-Knight (2), Brett Sheehan
awayscore = Tries: Viliami Ma'asi Con Vungakato Lilo
stadium = North Sydney Oval, Sydney
attendance =
referee =

Round Four

rugbybox
date = 2008-06-28

home = ru-rt|TGA
score = 15 – 20
away = ru|SAM
homescore = Pen: Pierre Hola (3), Vungakoto Lilo (2)
awayscore = Tries: Uale Mai, David Lemi Con: Gavin Williams (2) Pen: Gavin Williams (2)
stadium = Teufaiva Stadium, Nukuʻalofa
attendance =
referee = ----rugbybox
date = 2008-06-28

home = ru-rt|New Zealand Māori
score = 65 – 22
away = ru|JPN
homescore = Tries: Hosea Gear (3), Zar Lawrence (2), Callum Bruce (2), Tamati Ellison, Dwayne Sweeney, Jason Kawau Con: Callum Bruce (6) Pen: Callum Bruce
awayscore = Tries: Shaun Webb, Christian Loamanu, Luke Thompson Con: James Arlidge (2) Pen: James Arlidge
stadium = McLean Park, Napier
attendance =
referee = Carlo Damasco flagicon|ITA
report = [http://www.rugbyjapan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=381&Itemid=26 report]

----rugbybox
date = 2008-06-29

home = ruA-rt|AUS
score = 50 – 13
away = ru|FIJ
homescore = Tries: Lachlan Turner (2), Digby Ioane, Ben Lucas, Drew Mitchell, Morgan Turinui, Stephen Hoiles Con: Daniel Halangahu (6) Pen: Daniel Halangahu
awayscore = Tries: Graham Dewes, Kameli Ratuvou Pen: Taniela Rawaqa
stadium = Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane
attendance =
referee =

Round Five

rugbybox
date = 2008-07-05

home = ru-rt|TGA
score = 27 – 16
away = ru|FIJ
homescore = Tries: Ephraim Taukafa, Seti Kiole, Nili Latu, Epi Taione Con: Pierre Hola, Fangatapu Apikotoa Pen: Vungakoto Lilo
awayscore = Tries: Saula Radidi Con: Taniela Rawaqa Pen: Taniela Rawaqa (3)
stadium = Teufaiva Stadium, Nukuʻalofa
attendance =
referee = Carlo Damasco flagicon|ITA|

----rugbybox
date = 2008-07-05
15:10
home = ru-rt|SAM
score = 37 – 31
away = ru|JPN
homescore = Tries: Semo Setiti, Loleni Tafunai, Heroshi Tea, Anitelea Tuilagi, James Johnston Con: Gavin Williams (3) Pen: Gavin Williams (2)

awayscore = Tries: Hare Makiri, Bryce Robins, Hirotoki Onozawa, Takashi Kikutani Con: James Arlidge (4) Pen: James Arlidge (1)
stadium = Apia Park, Apia
attendance = 7,000
referee = Steve Walsh flagicon|NZ
report = [http://www.rugbyjapan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=384&Itemid=26 report]

----rugbybox
date = 2008-07-05

home = ruA-rt|AUS
score = 18 – 21
away = ru|New Zealand Māori
homescore = Tries: Timana Tahu (2) Con: Daniel Halangahu Pen: Mark Gerrard (2)
awayscore = Tries: Tanerau Latimer, Liam Messam, Thomas Waldrom Con: Piri Weepu (3)
stadium = Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney
attendance = 8,707
referee = James Bolabiu flagicon|FIJ|

Player statistics

The top five point scorers were: James Arlidge (Japan) 56, Callum Bruce (NZ Maori) 50, Taniela Rawaqa (Fiji) 33, Mark Gerrard (Australia A) 28, Gavin Williams (Samoa) 28 (Source: [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/statistics/playerStatistics.html IRB website] )

ee also

*2007 IRB Pacific Nations Cup

References

External links

* [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/index.html IRB Pacific Nations Cup] - from the IRB website (June 17, 2008)
* [http://www.irb.com/mm/document/newsmedia/0/080303drirbpacificnationscup2008competitionschedule_4490.pdf Schedule] - IRB website (pdf)
* [http://www.irb.com/pacificnationscup/news/newsid=2022481.html#irb+pacific+nations+cup+schedule+announced IRB Pacific Nations schedule announced] - IRB website, 4 March 2008