PNC: Samoa see off Tonga

Samoa scored four tries against island rivals Tonga for a 27-13 win in the Pacific Nations Cup on Tuesday while the Junior All Blacks swept past Japan 52-21.

Samoa made the most of their opportunities to score four tries against island rivals Tonga for a 27-13 win in the Pacific Nations Cup on Tuesday.

Their bonus-point victory was Samoa's second in three matches in the five-nation tournament, and will ensure they remain in second place going into the final game against Fiji at the weekend.

Tonga's forwards built a dominance of territory and possession, but failed to take advantage as they lacked coherence in attack compared with the more composed Samoans.

Tonga dominated the first half but were unable to breach their opponents' line and paid the price.

Samoa scored their first try through lock Joseph Tekori after five minutes, when he stole the ball from the breakdown to run 25 metres to touch down.

They added their second six minutes from the break from a quick tap penalty which saw the ball swung through the backline to inside centre Seilala Mapusua, who spun out of a desperate tackle to score.

Tonga stayed in touch with two first half penalties from fly-half Pierre Hola, while captain Nili Latu and fellow flanker Hale T. Pole were at the centre of the action but Tonga lacked backline punch and went into the break 10-6 down.

In the second half Samoa threatened to run away with the matchwith two converted tries inside the first 15 minutes to stretch their lead to 24-6.

Winger Sailosi Tagicakibau finished off a move in the first minute after a strong run from flanker Ofisa Treviranus breached the defence, while scrum-half Junior Poluleuluigaga latched on to a speculative kick to add the second.

Tonga soon reduced the deficit to 11 points through a converted try from replacement forward Teu'imuli Kaufusi and piled on the pressure.

But as they pushed for a try in the final minute they lost the ball on the Samoan line, a testament to another lost opportunity.

Meanwhile, The Junior All Blacks won 52-21 against Japan in a classic match of two halves. The second half saw the Japanese actually outscore the two time Pacific Nations champions 21-12, with only two tries in the dying stages of the match restoring some credibility to the scoreline.

The result maintained the Junior All Blacks unbeaten record after three matches in this year's competition.

Coached by All Blacks great John Kirwan, Japan had their moments in the first half but they were few and far between against a Junior All Blacks side who revelled in the freedom gifted them by the weak tackling Japanese.

The New Zealanders were too physical at the breakdown where the loose forward trio of Sione Lauaki, Victor Vito and Alando Soakai dominated.

Vito, a former sevens star with higher aspirations in the 15-man code, particularly enjoyed the open nature of the contest.

His two tries were both special, the first coming in the 12th minute when he picked up a loose Japanese pass, palmed off one would be tackler and sprinted 60m to the line.

His second, in the 33rd minute, saw Vito chip ahead with his left foot and casually regather en route to his team's fifth try.

They had time for one more before halftime, too, with Lauaki the beneficiary of a midfield break by fullback Israel Dagg.

In between this action, first five-eighth Colin Slade, lock Craig Clarke and wing Hosea Gear all crossed for tries.

The New Zealanders dropped their standards early in the second spell when Japan raised their spirits as captain and number eight Takashi Kikutani scored a try via a lineout drive.

They then lost prop John Schwalger temporarily when he was sinbinned for a professional foul in the 54th minute, further disrupting their increasingly disjointed efforts.

Japan continued to press and the combination between two of their New Zealand backs, Ryan Nicholas and Jack Tarrant, saw them double their score midway through the spell.

Second five-eighth Nicholas pierced the defence on an angled run and floated a high pass for wing Tarrant to accept before dotting down. Nicholas added his second sideline conversion for good measure.

Centre Koji Taira then added to the New Zealanders' discomfort when he squeezed through a small midfield hole for his team's third try in the 62nd minute.

Only now did the Junior All Blacks lift their intensity.

Stung by the second half reversal in fortunes, they upped the tempo, attacking to the far right before spreading the ball to the far left where Lauaki was left the simple duty of strolling across the tryline.

Gear had the final word in the dying seconds with his second try to enable the New Zealanders to raise their half century.