Canada 13 Samoa 17

Samoa bounced back from their surprise defeat against the Japanese to record their first win of the 1999 Epson Cup Pacific Rim, as they beat Canada 17-13 in Vancouver on May 29.

Despite trailing 3-10 at the break, the Samoans fought back for the win with second-half tries from George Leaupepe and Pat Lam to inflict Canada's third straight loss in this year's Championship.

The loss will be all the more disappointing for the Canadians as they controlled the game for much of the first half with veteran stand-off Gareth Rees excelling in a tough, physical encounter.  Almost from the kick-off the game was characterized by big hits, with Canadian winger Courtney Smith sidelined by a chest-high tackle after just two minutes.

It was Canadian Winston Stanley who scored the first try of the game as he touched down to record his 13th international try as they Canadians moved out to a seven point lead at the break.  Samoa's only reply was a penalty from fullback Tanner Vili.

However, after the break the Samoan's moved up a gear and Canada soon found themselves chasing the game after Pat Lam's try put the Samoans in the clear after 72 minutes.  The loss of captain Gareth Rees with a knee injury after 63 minutes did not help the Canadian cause and despite late pressure, the Samoa defence held out on the goal line to secure the win.

The teams:

Canada:  1 Richard Bice, 2 Pat Dunkley, 3 Rod Snow, 4 John Hutchinson, 5 Mike James, 6 Dan Baugh, 7 Ryan Banks, 8 Alan Charron, 9 John Graf, 10 Gareth Rees (c), 11 Courtney Smith, 12 Scott Bryan, 13 Kyle Nichols, 14 Winston Stanley, 15 Scott Stewart
Reserves:  Jeremy Cordle, Julian Loveday, Bobby Ross, Mike Schmid, John Tait, John Thiel

Samoa:  1 Kepi Faiva'ai, 2 Trevor Leota, 3 Fosi Pala'amo, 4 Stephen Smith, 5 Lama Tone, 6 Pat Lam, 7 Sene Ta'ala, 8 Craig Glendinning, 9 Joe Filemu, 10 Stephen Bachop, 11 Filipo Toala, 12 Mepi Faoagali, 13 George Leaupepe, 14 To'o Vaega, 15 Tanner Vili
Reserves:  Semo Sititi, Fa'apulou So'olefai, Malua Tipi

Attendance:  6500
Referee:  Sinichi Iwashita (Japan).

Points Scorers:

Canada
Tries:  Stanley W.U. 1
Conv:  Rees G.L. 1
Pen K.:  Rees G.L. 1, Ross R.P. 1

Samoa
Tries:  Lam P.R. 1, Leaupepe G.E. 1
Conv:  Vili T.A. 2
Pen K.:  Vili T.A. 1

United States 25 Fiji 14

Second-half tries from Brian Hightower and David Niu carried the United States to a 25-14 victory over favored Fiji in an Epson Cup match today before 3950 at San Francisco's Boxer Stadium.

In a match tied into the 72nd minute, stingy American defense and three Kevin Dalzell penalty goals kept the hosts in the contest.  Dalzell's fourth three-pointer, a short-range shot, put the US ahead for the third time in the game.

After a delay to attend to injured US prop Bill LeClerc, Dalzell landed a fifth penalty goal, before flyhalf Niu chipped over the defense to score a 79th-minute try.

Number eight Koli Sewabu scored to give Fiji a 7-3 lead in the first half, and center Waisake Sotutu's second-half try gave the visitors a 14-9 advantage.  But Fiji couldn't score in the game's last 25 minutes.

"We knew if we stuck to our gameplan things would come into place," Dalzell said of the US comeback.  "The guys have been very focused on our team's goals, and our discipline has improved and it shows."

The US, now 2-0, pulls into second place behind Epson Cup leaders Japan.  1-1 Fiji, 40-29 winners over defending champion Canada last weekend, remains in third place.

The Teams:

United States:  1 Ray Lehner, 2 Tom Billups, 3 George Sucher, 4 Luke Gross, 5 Alec Parker, 6 Dave Hodges, 7 Richard Tardits, 8 Dan Lyle (c), 9 Kevin Dalzell, 10 David Niu, 11 Vaea Anitoni, 12 Juan Grobler, 13 Tini Saulala, 14 Brian Hightower, 15 Kurt Shuman
Reserves:  Philippe Farner, Bill LeClerc, Mark Scharrenberg, Jason Walker
Unused:  Britt Howard, Kirk Khasigian, Chris Morrow

Fiji:  1 Niko Qoro, 2 Isaia Rasila, 3 Joeli Veitayaki, 4 Emori Katalau, 5 Simon Raiwalui (c), 6 Ilivasi Tamanivalu Tabua, 7 Setareki Tawake Naivaluwaqa, 8 Koli Sewabu, 9 Sami Rabaka Nasagavesi, 10 Opeti Turuva, 11 Fero Lasagavibau, 12 Waisake Sotutu, 13 Alfred Uluinayau, 14 Imanueli Tikomaimakogai, 15 Viliame Satala
Reserves:  Billy Cavubati, Nicky Little, Dan Rouse, Ifereimi Tawake, Jope Tuikabe
Unused:  Lawrence Little, Mosese Rauluni

Attendance:  3950
Referee:  Shinichi Iwashita (Japan)

Points Scorers:

United States
Tries:  Hightower B. 1, Niu D. 1
Pen K.:  Dalzell K. 5

Fiji
Tries:  Sewabu K. 1, Sotutu W.R.R. 1
Conv:  Little N.T. 1, Turuva O. 1

Tonga 11 Canada 29

Canada started their 2000 Epson Cup tournament with a convincing 29-11 victory over Tonga before an appreciative and often vocal home crowd of 4,000 in Vancouver.

Canada opened the scoring with fly-half Jared Barker kicking a penalty just three minutes in.  But that was the only action he would see as he was knocked out of the game four minutes later with a fierce Tongan tackle.

Mark Irvine came on as a substitution moving to inside centre with Nichols vacating to the fly-half position and taking the kicks at goal, a role he is not used to.

"The way we play the game, the way our team is structured any one of the three backs can take that ball at (fly-half) with no problem," said the Ajax, Ontario native.

Canada got across the tryline at the 17 minute mark as they applied useful rucking pressure and 8 man Phil Murphy sprung speedy scrumhalf Morgan Williams from a metre out.  Nichols converted to make it 10-0.

Canadian coach David Clark, in his first official match since taking over the job in January was pleased with how his young team played, but had especially glowing comments for his veteran captain Al Charron.

"When you sit up in the stands, and the reserves up there are saying "the man is unbelievable, how can he keep doing this".  He lead the team extremely well."

Charron was a vacuum in defence at the back of the scrum, a place he would not have been, but for three key injuries at that position coming into the match.  When he wasn't tackling any and all Tongans in the area, he lead wave after wave of attack from the scrum and in the loose, very much putting coach David Clarks stamp on the new mobile brand of rugby.

While he was happy with his young teammates and their level of play, the 33 year old veteran in his 55 appearance for Canada was upset at some of the spilled ball he that resulted in Tongan counter attacks.

"I don't really appreciate losing the ball into contact like I did in the second half.  That will haunt me.  That was the black mark on the game for me.  I was reasonably pleased with the way I played, but there are always things to improve on," conceded Charron.

Tongan coach David Waterston was not nearly as complimentary about Charron's game, particularly the way he felt that the mobile flanker was lining up in the offside position in defense.

"Look he got away with it, good luck to the guy, so I am not moaning.  You can't play offside like that," said the South African, who only met his new team Thursday in Vancouver.  "If he does that against South Africa, they'll kill him.  But he got away with it today.  When you scavenge for the ball, you're one of those animals."

Canada extended their lead to 13-0 with a 15 metre penalty from Nichols, but on the stroke of half time the Tongans got one of their own from the foot of wing Tevita Tiueti, to reduce the gap to 10.

The Tongans got their first try of the game six minutes into the second half, after Kyle Nichols mishandled a ball around midfield that got scooped up by wing Aisea Kaufusi who won a 60 metre sprint to the line.  Tonga missed the conversion attempt to make the score 13-8.

Canadian number 8 Phil Murphy, who provided exceptional mobility from the back of the scrum had a rollicking couple of runs in the loose, and was awarded for his hard work with a try from 3 metres out following a Tongan offside penalty.  Nichols missed the conversion the score 18-8 at the 57 minute mark.

Tonga switched their kicker to Taunaholo Taufahema, who got them on the board with a 40 metre pelt that lowered the gap to 18-11.

As some light rain began to fall in earnest the Thunderbird stadium pitch became greasy for both sides resulting in a number of dropped balls and quick counter attacks.  Winston Stanley, playing at fullback for the first time in a Canadian jersey made up for some less than sharp kicking from the hand with a sprint to the line from 12 metres out to extend the Canadian lead to 23-11.  Nichols added two more penalties to round out the scoring for 11 points on the day.

Waterston pointed to a weak back row combination he had on the field as a major problem for his side, something he will address before their next match in Suva, Fiji in one weeks time.

"I would change our back row.  It was in-experienced and it showed.  Guys with their first tests today in the back row, and that really cost us any chance of competing in the game," said Waterston frankly.

David Clark was immensley pleased with his first win, and especially the play of his two rookie wings Fred Asselin and Sean Fauth who played his plan of keeping the Tongans chasing after loose ball to a tee.

"That was part of the plan.  We wanted to put the ball behind them.  We knew the Tongans had pace, and while we've got international pace on the wing, we had to do something to make them scramble," revealed Clark, adding "We definitely made them scramble.  We put the ball behind him, we put it along the ground, they had to deal with it."

With the victory, their first in the Pacific Rim tournament since June 21, 1998, Canada join Fiji at 1-0 in the tournament table.  The Fijians had an impressive 47-22 victory over Japan earlier in the day.

The Teams:

Tonga:  1 Hotili 'Asi, 2 Latiume Maka, 3 Ta'u Fainga'anuku, 4 Isi Fatani, 5 Ben Hur Kivalu, 6 Kisione Ahota'e'iloa, 7 Christopher Hala'ufi, 8 'Apai Kaitu'u, 9 Sione Tuipulotu, 10 'Elisi Vunipola (c), 11 David Tiueti, 12 Keni Fisilau, 13 'Epafasi Ta'ufo'ou, 14 'Aisea Kaufusi, 15 Tauna'holo Taufahema
Reserves:  Osaoasi Filipine, Viliami Ma'asi, Fakataha Molitika, Sioeli Nau, Movete 'Oto'ota

Canada:  1 Garth Cooke, 2 Pat Dunkley, 3 Kevin Tkachuk, 4 Ed Knaggs, 5 John Tait, 6 Alan Charron (c), 7 Adam Van Staveren, 8 Phil Murphy, 9 Morgan Williams, 10 Jared Barker, 11 Fred Asselin, 12 Kyle Nichols, 13 Nik Witkowski, 14 Sean Fauth, 15 Winston Stanley
Reserves:  Mark Irvine, Duane Major

Attendance:  4000
Referee:  Klemp a.

Points Scorers:

Tonga
Tries:  Kaufusi A. 1
Pen K.:  Tiueti T.L. 1, Taufahema T. 1

Canada
Tries:  Murphy P. 1, Stanley W.U. 1, Williams M. 1
Conv:  Nichols K. 1
Pen K.:  Barker J. 1, Nichols K. 3

Canada 29 Fiji 40

Despite an impressive performance from the Canadian forwards, it was day for the Fijian backline to show an array of dazzling running and handling skills, with wing Fero Lasagavibau snatching two interceptions in the first half to set up a try for himself and Alfred Uluinnayu that condemned Canada to playing "catch-up" rugby for the rest of the game.

As you'd expect from two sides as athletic as Canada and Fiji, this was a physical contest of the highest order with the big hits coming fast and furious throughout and the pace never letting up.  It was a rewarding day's entertainment for one of the biggest rugby crowds seen at the Thunderbird Stadium for many years and the Fijian backs, in particular, thrived in the dry, sunny conditions and hard pitch.  The Canadians attempted to keep to their game-plan but a number of errors opened the door to Fiji whose backs looked extremely dangerous in broken play.  Two interceptions from Fero Lasagavibau -- who was without question the outstanding back on the field -- led to a score by him and by Alfred Uluinayau to give Fiji an early 12-0 lead at ten minutes.  Perhaps surprisingly the extremely dangerous Marika Vunibaka had a fairly quiet afternoon, receiving few passes and being effectively contained by his Canadian counterpart Jeremy Cordle who also showed well in attack until he was forced to leave the field during the first half with concussion.

It was the Canadian forwards who dominated throughout and the pressure they put on the Fijian tight-five kept them in the hunt right until the very end of the match.  The back row of Dan Baugh, Al Charron and John Hutchinson was extremely effective in defence, as time and time again they snuffed out promising Fijian attack.  The contribution of the breakaway trio was not limited to defensive duties, however, as they launched some fine drives and were always on hand to add continuity to the Canadian effort.  It was no surprise that Baugh had to depart early with a sore shoulder, such was his commitment in the tackled.  They battled hard and came back with two consolation tries late in the second half.  It was not enough to deny Fiji a deserved victory.

The teams:

Canada:  1 Richard Bice, 2 Mark Cardinal, 3 Rod Snow, 4 John Tait, 5 Chris Whittaker, 6 Dan Baugh, 7 John Hutchinson, 8 Alan Charron, 9 John Graf, 10 Bobby Ross, 11 Jeremy Cordle, 12 Kyle Nichols, 13 Winston Stanley, 14 Courtney Smith, 15 Joe Pagano
Reserves:  Fred Asselin, Ryan Banks, Scott Bryan, Pat Dunkley, John Thiel

Fiji:  1 Niko Qoro, 2 Isaia Rasila, 3 Joeli Veitayaki, 4 Simon Raiwalui, 5 Ifereimi Tawake, 6 Ilivasi Tamanivalu Tabua, 7 Setareki Tawake Naivaluwaqa, 8 Koli Sewabu, 9 Sami Rabaka Nasagavesi, 10 Nicky Little, 11 Fero Lasagavibau, 12 Waisake Sotutu, 13 Alfred Uluinayau, 14 Marika Vunibaka, 15 Viliame Satala
Reserves:  Billy Cavubati, Emori Katalau, Waisiki Masirewa Loco, Opeti Turuva

Attendance:  6500
Referee:  M McLemore (United States).

Points Scorers:

Canada
Tries:  Hutchinson J.R. 1, Nichols K. 1, Smith C.D. 1, Whittaker C.M. 1
Conv:  Ross R.P. 3
Pen K.:  Ross R.P. 1

Fiji
Tries:  Lasagavibau F.T. 2, Sotutu W.R.R. 1, Tawake I. 1, Uluinayau A.B. 1
Conv:  Little N.T. 3
Pen K.:  Little N.T. 3

Tonga 10 United States 30

In a thrilling match at Balboa Park, San Francisco, the United States were in rampant form, scoring three tries to beat an enterprising Tongan team by 30-10.

Scrum-half Kevin Dalzell's first-half try sent the United States to a 16-3 half-time lead, en route to a good win over Tonga in their Epson Cup Pacific Rim match.

Finding room out wide, Alatini Saulala and Brian Hightower scored second-half tries for the Eagles, 1-0 after their opening match of the 1999 season.  Mark Williams chipped in two penalty goals, before leaving the bruising encounter with an arm injury.

Fullback Sengili Tu'ihalamaka scored all the points for Tonga, with a try, a conversion, and a penalty goal.

Back from an injury-wracked 1998 season, Chris Morrow sparked the US offense, repeatedly finding running room out wide.  The fullback was key to Dalzell's score, a 60-yard movement.

Saulala's try, an 85-yarder sparked by wing Vaea Anitoni and Dan Lyle, featured more of the open-field attack, but several dropped balls and bad passes stopped several good scoring chances.

"Tonga is a fierce team that gives you trouble for 80 minutes, but we competed the whole way so I was pleased with the result," US coach Jack Clark said after the match.  "We left some things undone and plenty to work on, so it was a good start."

The Teams:

Tonga:  1 Puku Faletau, 2 Latiume Maka, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 4 Isi Fatani (c), 5 Falamani Mafi, 6 Matt Te Pou, 7 Kati Tu'ipulotu, 8 Va'a Toloke, 9 Sililo Martens, 10 Brian Wooley, 11 Jonathan Koloi, 12 Keni Fisilau, 13 Isi Tapueluelu, 14 Etuate Manu, 15 Sengili Tuihalamaka
Reserves:  David Edwards, Manu Vunipola

United States:  1 Ray Lehner, 2 Tom Billups, 3 George Sucher, 4 Philippe Farner, 5 Luke Gross, 6 Dave Hodges, 7 Richard Tardits, 8 Dan Lyle (c), 9 Kevin Dalzell, 10 Mark Williams, 11 Vaea Anitoni, 12 Tini Saulala, 13 Mark Scharrenberg, 14 Brian Hightower, 15 Chris Morrow
Reserves:  Doug Gillies, Bill LeClerc, David Niu, Kurt Shuman, Jason Walker

Attendance:  4600
Referee:  Bruce Kuklinski (Canada)

Points Scorers:

Tonga
Tries:  Tu'ihalamaka S. 1
Conv:  Tu'ihalamaka S. 1
Pen K.:  Tu'ihalamaka S. 1

United States
Tries:  Dalzell K. 1, Hightower B. 1, Saulala A. 1
Conv:  Dalzell K. 1, Morrow C.G. 2
Pen K.:  Dalzell K. 1, Williams M.A. 2

Tonga 17 Japan 44

In a world record performance, Japan's stand-off Keiji Hirose kicked nine penalties from nine attempts, a conversion and scored a try for a total points tally of 34 as Japan crushed Tonga 44-17 at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.  Hirose becomes the first man in international test match rugby to kick nine penalties in a game.  Seven players previously held the old record of eight.

Tonga started the game badly conceding eight penalties in the first 20 minutes which enabled Hirose to kick Japan to a 15-0 lead.  Five minutes later Japan moved the ball wide from a scrum and wing Patilai Tuidraki chipped the ball into Tonga's in-goal area and beat the defence to the touch-down.  Hirose converted to give the home side a 22-0 lead.

The Tongan forwards responded well, however, and a long period of pressure in the Japanese 22 resulted in a penalty try for Tonga after referee Kevin Hanley from the United States judged Japan's repeated offside infringments to be professional fouls.

After the break, the Tongans maintained their furious powerful driving play in the forwards until after a series of rucks, stand-off and captain Elisi Vunipola scored the try to bring them back into the game at 22-12 as fullback Sengili Tu'ihalamaka converted.  Unfortunately the indiscipline Tonga had shown in the opening quarter resurfaced and it was this which was ultimately to cost them to game.  Firstly they had a try disallowed on 63 minutes after the referee had brought them back on the advice of the tough-judge after foul play had been spotted.  They then lost wing Fepiko Tatafu who was dismissed for a dangerously high tackle.

Japan put the game out of reach with a two try burst in the last 15 minutes.  Hirose scored after the Japanese forwards had stolen a Tongan lineout and then wing Daisuke Ohata crossed to take the score to 44-12.  Isi Tapueluelu's score in the final minutes was nothing more than a consolation for the Tongans.

Note:  Nine pens is a new Test record.  Eight in the same game has been recorded on 7 previous occasions

Mark Wyatt for Canada v Scotland at Saint John, Newfoundland on 25 May 91
Neil Jenkins for Wales v Canada at Cardiff on 10 Nov 93
Diego Dominguez for Italy v Romania at Catania on 1 Oct 94
Santiago Meson for Argentina v Canada at Buenos Aires on 10 Mar 95
Gavin Hastings for Scotland v Ivory Coast at Pretoria on 30 May 95
Thierry Lacroix for France v Ireland at Durban on 10 Jun 95
Paul Burke for Ireland v Italy at Dublin on 4 Jan 97

The Teams:

Tonga:  1 Puku Faletau, 2 Maikolo Kaihea, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 4 Isi Fatani, 5 Falamani Mafi, 6 Jonathan Koloi, 7 Matt Te Pou, 8 Kati Tu'ipulotu, 9 Sililo Martens, 10 'Elisi Vunipola, 11 Fepiko Tatafu, 12 Etuate Manu, 13 Semi Taupeaafe, 14 Isi Tapueluelu, 15 Sengili Tuihalamaka
Reserves:  Aleki Lutui, Latiume Maka, Feleti Mahoni, Brian Wooley

Japan:  1 Shin Hasegawa, 2 Masaaki Sakata, 3 Naoto Nakamura, 4 Naoya Okubo, 5 Yoshihiko Sakuraba, 6 Jamie Joseph, 7 Yasunori Watanabe, 8 Greg Smith, 9 Graeme Bachop, 10 Keiji Hirose, 11 Daisuke Ohata, 12 Andrew McCormick, 13 Yukio Motoki, 14 Patiliai Tuidraki, 15 Goshi Tachikawa
Reserves:  Tsuyoshi Hirao, Takeomi Ito

Attendance:  14000
Referee:  Kevin Hanley (United States).

Points Scorers:

Tonga
Tries:  Penalty Try 1, Tapueluelu I. 1, Vunipola E. 1
Conv:  Tu'ihalamaka S. 1

Japan
Tries:  Hirose K. 1, Ohata D. 1, Tuidraki P. 1
Conv:  Hirose K. 1
Pen K.:  Hirose K. 9

Canada 21 Japan 23

Japan became the first country to record a victory in the new Epson Cup Pacific Rim tournament after defeating Canada 23-21 in the Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground, Tokyo.

The Canadians looked as if their superiority in the forwards would set the foundation for a victory, until some astute substistutions in the Japanese front-five brought the home side back into the game after trailing 10-11 at half-time.

The new found stability of the Japanese forwards set the foundation for former All Black Jamie Joseph to score on 68 minutes to add to an earlier try by captain Andrew McCormick.  Stand-off Keiji Hirose contributed 13 points with the boot, converting both tries and adding three penalties.  In reply Canada scored tries through left wing Courtney Smith and openside Dan Baugh with stand-off Bob Ross kicking three penalties but one conversion.  His second conversion attempt would have tied the scores.

The teams:

Canada:  1 Rod Snow, 2 Pat Dunkley, 3 John Thiel, 4 Tony Healy, 5 John Tait, 6 Ryan Banks, 7 John Hutchinson, 8 Dan Baugh, 9 John Graf, 10 Bobby Ross, 11 Jeremy Cordle, 12 Kyle Nichols, 13 Winston Stanley, 14 Courtney Smith, 15 Joe Pagano
Reserves:  Richard Bice, Rob Robson, Chris Whittaker

Japan:  1 Kenji Kasai, 2 Shin Hasegawa, 3 Toshikazu Nakamichi, 4 Robert Gordon, 5 Hiroyuki Tanuma, 6 Jamie Joseph, 7 Yasunori Watanabe, 8 Greg Smith, 9 Graeme Bachop, 10 Keiji Hirose, 11 Terunori Masuho, 12 Andrew McCormick (c), 13 Yukio Motoki, 14 Daisuke Ohata, 15 Tsutomu Matsuda
Reserves:  Kensuke Iwabuchi, Naoto Nakamura, Yoshihiko Sakuraba, Masaaki Sakata

Attendance:  13000
Referee:  Masunu Talapusi (Samoa)

Points Scorers:

Canada
Tries:  Baugh D.R. 1, Smith C.D. 1
Conv:  Ross R.P. 1
Pen K.:  Ross R.P. 3

Japan
Tries:  Joseph J.W. 1, McCormick A. 1
Conv:  Hirose K. 2
Pen K.:  Hirose K. 3