2024 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup
The 2024 World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup was the sixteenth Pacific Nations Cup tournament and the first with a new format design. Similar to the 2019 tournament, the same teams played each other, with the same round-robin structure. However, unlike 2019, the 2024 edition had a finals series following the pool stage, to decide the champion.
While Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Japan did play each other in the lead-up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup, no official PNC tournament took place in 2023. As such, Samoa are the defending champions, having gone undefeated at the 2022 iteration of the tournament.
Fiji won the 2024 title, beating Japan in the [|Grand Final], 41–17.
Pool stage
[|Pool A]
Notes:- Vuate Karawalevu, Lalomilo Lalomilo, Jonah Mau'u, Brook Toomalatai and Tuna Tuitama made their international debuts.
Notes:
- Tupou Afungia, Tevita Ahokovi, Esau Filimoehala, Penisoni Fineanganofo, and Sam Tuitupou all made their international debuts.
Notes:
- Siaosi Nai and Salesi Tuifua made their international debut.
- Fiji scored the most points in a match against Tonga, surpassing the 47 points scored in 2003.
Pool B
Notes:- Kaden Duguid, Isaiah Collins-Mapusua, Nicholas McCurran and Malo Tuitama made their international debuts.
- This was Japan's biggest victory against Canada in Canada.
Notes:
- Pono Davis and Sean McNulty made their international debut.
Finals series
[|Fifth-place play-off]
Notes:- Tyler Matchem, Vutulongo Puloka, Josiah Unga and Kafaikamoana Vaea all made their international debut.
Semi-finals
Notes:- Rand Santos and Toby Fricker made their international debut.
Notes:
- Elisapeta Alofipo and Melani Nanai made their international debuts.
Grand Final
Notes:- Ponepati Loganimasi, and Junta Hamano are all set for their international debut.
Participants and squads
''Caps and clubs as per the first match of the tournament.''Canada
On 12 August, Canada name an initial 35-player squad ahead of the Pacific Nations Cup.Tyler Matchem was called up on 12 September for Canada's Fifth-place play-off against Tonga.
Fiji
On 13 August 2024 the Fiji named a 30-player squad for their opening Pacific Nations Cup test against Samoa.Ponepati Loganimasi and Meli Tuni were called up to the Fiji team and named in their twenty-three man squad on 19 September for their final match against Japan.
Japan
On 7 August 2024, Japan named a 35-player squad for the Pacific Nations Cup.Amato Fakatava, not named in the teams initial squad, was named in the starting twenty-three for Japan's [|second pool fixture] against the United States.
Taichi Takahashi and Yusuke Kajimura were called up to Japan's squad ahead of their [|Semi-final] match against Samoa on 15 September.
Junta Hamano was named as a replacement in Japan's squad for their final match against Fiji on 21 September.
Samoa
On 14 August, Samoa named a 31-player squad for the opening test of the Pacific Nations Cup against Fiji.After initially not being named in the squad, players Lalomilo Lalomilo, Brook Toomalatai, Jonah Mau'u and Danny Tusitala were all named in the opening round of the tournament.
Samoa called-up Elisapeta Alofipo and Melani Nanai ahead of their Semi-final match against Japan on 15 September.
Tonga
On 17 August 2024, Tonga named a 30-player squad for the Pacific Nations Cup.Players Penisoni Fineanganofo, Tupou Ma'afu Afungia, and Sosefo Sakalia were named in the squad for Tonga's [|second round] fixture against Samoa.
Salesi Tuifua was selected for Tonga's second fixture in Pool A against Fiji.
Kafaikamoana Vaea, Vutulongo Puloka and Josiah Unga were all called up for Tonga ahead of their Fifth-place play-off match against Canada on 14 September.
United States
On 15 August 2024, the United States announced a 31-player squad for the Pacific Nations Cup.Payton Telea-Ilalio was named in the United States' replacements for their squad in their final match against Samoa.