IRB- Pacific Rugby Cup

Fiji Warriors travel to Apia not only seeking to become their country’s first IRB Pacific Rugby Cup champions, but also to banish the disappointment of their last meeting with Upolu Samoa when Roger Warren denied them victory with the last kick of the match.

Warren’s penalty gave the 2007 champions a 23-21 victory at Churchill Park in Lautoka a fortnight ago to preserve Upolu’s unbeaten record, leaving the Warriors needing to beat Tau’uta Reds on Tongan soil to secure a first final since the inaugural year in 2006.

They managed this convincingly, running in five tries in a 40-15 victory, and will go into the final on Friday boosted by Upolu suffering a first defeat in 2009 at the hands of inaugural champions Savai’i Samoa, 26-6, at Apia Park last weekend.

Nasiga ruled out

The Warriors will be without back rower Rupeni Nasiga, who haas failed to recover from a neck injury sustained during last week's win over Tau'uta Reds in Tonga. Derryck Thomas replaces Nasiga.

Upolu Samoa have injury concerns of their own, with fly half Roger Warren - top points scorer with 57 in this year's tournament, prop Heroshi Tea and centre Gasolo Salima, who all picked up knocks during last weekend's defeat against Savai'ia Samoa.

The atmosphere is building as the final at Apia Park approaches with the hosts hoping to celebrate a third Pacific Rugby Cup crown in four years with outgoing champions Tautahi Gold the only team to break the Samoan stranglehold on the title.

Fitting finale

Whatever the outcome, Will Glenwright, the IRB’s Regional General Manager for Oceania, is hoping to witness a fitting finale to the six-team representative tournament which continues to realise its potential in the Pacific Islands.

“This tournament just continues to grow in stature, in popularity and in standard and not only in the standard of the players, but the standard of coaching and match officiating,” Glenwright told Total Rugby.

“It has been another successful tournament, what we are starting to see now is the quality of athlete participating in the Pacific Rugby Cup improve significantly. All of these players have now been in a High Performance programme within their respective countries for three years, so the athletes are fitter, bigger and stronger and we are seeing that reflected on the field.

“It has been a fantastic tournament. Upolu Samoa continue to perform, they have made their third final in the Pacific Rugby Cup and they will be joined by the Fiji Warriors, who are participating in their second final.

“All is set for an exciting game, Apia is a buzz with the Samoa Rugby Union hosting the final on Friday night and we are looking forward to it being a fitting finale to what continues to be and continues to grow as such an important rugby tournament in the Pacific islands.”