This time last year Fiji Warriors brought some much-needed light relief to the victims of Cyclone Winston by winning the four-team World Rugby Pacific Challenge.

The Warriors were imperious throughout, scoring 170 points and 22 tries in beating Samoa A (twice), Tonga A and Junior Japan to capture their first title in three years and their sixth in total.

The line-up is identical for this year’s event with Samoa A and Junior Japan getting proceedings underway in Friday's curtain-raiser at the ANZ Stadium in the Fijian capital of Suva, followed by Fiji Warriors versus Tonga A.

VIEW THE SCHEDULE HERE >>

Winning their opening game against Tonga A in 2016 gave Junior Japan a great deal of confidence, and they are setting their sights even higher this time around.

“Our objective is to win the tournament,” insisted Junior Japan coach Satoru Endo. “We are playing the strong opposition from Fiji Warriors, Samoa A and Tonga A, but we will take all matches courageously and challenge them aggressively.

With one eye on the future, all four teams go into the tournament looking to blood some of their best young players. As their name implies, half of Junior Japan’s squad is under 20 and most of the players are students.

BRAVE CALL

For some, the chance progress to the Brave Blossoms' set-up and potentially compete at a home Rugby World Cup in 2019 is a tantalising prospect.

“This is the tournament where our Japan hopefuls from college level can experience the quality of performance and toughness of the game at an international level. It’s a gateway for them to step up as candidates for Jamie Joseph’s Japan team,” added Endo.

Players like Takuhei Yasuda, a relative veteran at the grand old age of 20, will be looking to catch the eye again after an impressive showing 12 months ago.

Yasuda scored a try in Junior Japan’s 26-8 opening round victory against Tonga A – their first win at this level in 15 attempts – and then signed off with a hat-trick against the same opposition in the third-place play-off to finish as the tournament’s joint top try-scorer. He shared that honour with Samoan back-row forward Oneone Faafou, another returnee from 2016.

Despite their predominantly youthful look, the squads – Junior Japan aside – feature some experienced players, none more so than Fiji Warriors scrum-half Jonetani Ralulu. The 30-year-old made his representative debut for Fiji Barbarians back in 2007 and his 26 appearances at this level is a competition record.

EXCITEMENT MOUNTS

Fiji Warriors will be captained by 32-year-old back row Moses Voka, who appeared in three matches last year and admits “the boys are looking forward to the game tomorrow and have been training really hard.” 

Patrick Faapale, still only 25, returns for a fourth Pacific Challenge and leads Samoa A from fly-half. He highlighted outside-centre Tomasi Alosio and full-back Malu Falaniko as two young stars to look out for in the coming days.

“We feel great, it a great opportunity to come here to this tournament and our team here is a tough team and ready to take on Fiji, Tonga and Junior Japan. This level is a high level and after this it is Manu Samoa.” 

Tonga captain Sione Lolohea can go one better than Faapale, as this will be his fifth Pacific Challenge. The hooker dotted down for two tries in last year's event and has appeared 15 times at this level, as has blindside flanker Vainanuma Manu. The rest of the pack are relative novices though.

"Most of the boys in the forwards are new to this competition, but we've been together for the best part of a month now and I trust them," said Lolohea.

So, the stage is set for what is expected to be a series of closely-fought and action-packed matches as three Pacific rivals lock horns with Japanese RWC 2019 hopefuls to determine who will walk away with the much-coveted World Rugby Pacific Challenge trophy in 2017.

Photo credit: Bruce Southwick/Zoomfiji