Head-to-head Encounters: Japan v Fiji
Japan v Fiji
Head-to-head Encounters
Japan and Fiji have met on 17 occasions dating back to 1990. Fiji have won 14 and Japan three.
The highest scoring wins for Japan were 24-18 in Matsuyama in May 1994 and 24-13 in Lautoka in July 2011, while the biggest winning margin was 12 points in the 20-8 win in May 1994 at the National Stadium in Tokyo. The longest winning sequence for Japan is two wins in a row in 1994.
The highest scoring win for Fiji was 47-22 in 2000, while the biggest winning margin was 28 points in the 41-13 win at the 2003 Rugby World Cup.The longest winning sequence for Fiji is nine wins between 1999 and 2010.
Of the 17 tests played, seven have been played in Japan, six games have been played in Fiji and four have been played on the neutral territory of Townsville in Australia during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, Toulouse in France during the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Toronto during the 2015 PNC and Vannes in France in 2016.
Official test results for Japan against Fiji
| No. | Date | Result
(Home – Away) |
Venue | Tournament | Japan
Test No. |
W/D/L
(For Japan) |
| 18 | 27 Jul 2019 | Japan xx – Fiji xx | Kamaishi, Iwate | 14th PNC | 348 | |
| 17 | 26 Nov 2016 | Japan 25 – Fiji 38 | Vannes, France | 332 | Lost | |
| 16 | 29 Jul 2015 | Fiji 27 – Japan 22 | BMO Stadium, Toronto | 10th PNC | 313 | Lost |
| 15 | 01 Jun 2013 | Fiji 22 – Japan 8 | Churchill Park, Lautoka | 8th PNC | 288 | Lost |
| 14 | 05 Jun 2012 | Japan 19 – Fiji 25 | Mizuho, Nagoya | 7th PNC | 278 | Lost |
| 13 | 13 Jul 2011 | Fiji 13 – Japan 24 | Churchill Park, Lautoka | 6th PNC | 267 | Won |
| 12 | 12 Jun 2010 | Fiji 22 – Japan 8 | Churchill Park, Lautoka | 5th PNC | 256 | Lost |
| 11 | 03 Jul 2009 | Fiji 40 – Japan 39 | National Stadium, Suva | 4th PNC | 249 | Lost |
| 10 | 22 Jun 2008 | Japan 12 – Fiji 24 | National Stadium, Tokyo | 3rd PNC | 237 | Lost |
| 9 | 12 Sep 2007 | Fiji 35 – Japan 31 | Toulouse | 6th RWC | 228 | Lost |
| 8 | 26 May 2007 | Fiji 30 – Japan 15 | Churchill Park, Lautoka | 2nd PNC | 221 | Lost |
| 7 | 01 Jul 2006 | Japan 15 – Fiji 29 | Nagai, Osaka | P5N | 216 | Lost |
| 6 | 23 Oct 2003 | Fiji 41 – Japan 13 | Townsville | 5th RWC | 191 | Lost |
| 5 | 20 May 2000 | Japan 22 – Fiji 47 | Chichibu, Tokyo | 5th PRC | 162 | Lost |
| 4 | 05 Jun 1999 | Fiji 16 – Japan 9 | Churchill Park, Lautoka | 4th PRC | 156 | Lost |
| 3 | 15 May 1994 | Japan 20 – Fiji 8 | National Stadium, Tokyo | 120 | Won | |
| 2 | 08 May 1994 | Japan 24 – Fiji 18 | Matsuyama, Ehime | 119 | Won | |
| 1 | 04 Mar 1990 | Japan 6 – Fiji 32 | Chichibu, Tokyo | 102 | Lost |
P5N = Pacific Five Nations (2006 only).
PNC = Pacific Nations Cup. The 2006 P5N evolved into the PNC from 2007 and thus 2007 can be considered the ‘second’ PNC.
PRC = Pacific Rim Championship.
RWC = Rugby World Cup.
Competition: World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup 2019/Lipovitan D Challenge Cup.
Date: Saturday, 27 July 2019.
Venue: Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture.
Japan Test Number: 349.
Kick-off: 14:50 JST (05:50 UTC and 06:50 BST).
Referee: Luke Pearce (England).
Assistant Referees: Mike Adamson (Scotland) and Cam Stone (New Zealand).
Japan (WR rank 11 (75.24), at 22 July 2019)
| Pos. | Name (Test Player Number) | Club | DOB | Age | Hgt/Wgt | Caps |
| 1 | Keita INAGAKI (582) | Panasonic Wild Knights | 02/06/1990 | 29 | 186/116 | 25 |
| 2 | Shota HORIE (530) | Panasonic Wild Knights | 21/01/1986 | 33 | 180/104 | 58 |
| 3 | Asaeli Ai VALU (653) | Panasonic Wild Knights | 07/05/1989 | 30 | 187/115 | 5 |
| 4 | James MOORE (uncapped) | Munakata Sanix Blues | 11/06/1993 | 26 | 195/102 | – |
| 5 | Luke THOMPSON (493) | Kintetsu Liners | 16/04/1981 | 38 | 196/110 | 64 |
| 6 | Kazuki HIMENO (651) | Toyota Verblitz | 27/07/1994 | 24 | 187/108 | 9 |
| 7 | Pieter LABUSCHAGNE (uncapped) (c) | Kubota Spears | 11/01/1989 | 30 | 189/105 | – |
| 8 | Amanaki Lelei MAFI (580) | NTT Communications | 11/01/1990 | 29 | 189/112 | 22 |
| 9 | Kaito SHIGENO (616) | Toyota Verblitz | 21/11/1990 | 28 | 170/75 | 7 |
| 10 | Yu TAMURA (555) | Canon Eagles | 09/01/1989 | 30 | 181/92 | 54 |
| 11 | Kenki FUKUOKA (569) | Panasonic Wild Knights | 07/09/1992 | 26 | 175/83 | 30 |
| 12 | Ryoto NAKAMURA (573) | Suntory Sungoliath | 03/06/1991 | 28 | 178/92 | 16 |
| 13 | Timothy LAFAELE (629) | Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers | 19/08/1991 | 27 | 186/98 | 14 |
| 14 | Kotaro MATSUSHIMA (576) | Suntory Sungoliath | 26/02/1993 | 26 | 178/88 | 30 |
| 15 | William TUPOU (650) | Coca-Cola Red Sparks | 20/07/1990 | 28 | 188/101 | 6 |
| 16 | Atsushi SAKATE (604) | Panasonic Wild Knights | 21/06/1993 | 26 | 180/104 | 13 |
| 17 | Shogo MIURA (607) | Toyota Verblitz | 08/06/1995 | 24 | 180/113 | 5 |
| 18 | Yusuke KIZU (uncapped) | Toyota Verblitz | 02/12/1995 | 23 | 178/113 | – |
| 19 | Wimpie van der WALT (652) | NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes | 06/01/1989 | 30 | 188/106 | 9 |
| 20 | Michael LEITCH (518) | Toshiba Brave Lupus | 07/10/1988 | 30 | 190/110 | 59 |
| 21 | Yutaka NAGARE (639) | Suntory Sungoliath | 04/09/1992 | 26 | 166/71 | 15 |
| 22 | Rikiya MATSUDA (617) | Panasonic Wild Knights | 03/05/1994 | 25 | 181/92 | 16 |
| 23 | Lomano Lava LEMEKI (624) | Honda Heat | 20/01/1989 | 30 | 177/92 | 8 |
Head Coach – Jamie Joseph.
Fiji (WB rank 9 (77.95), at 22 July 2019)
| Pos. | Name | Club | DOB | Age | Hgt/Wgt | Caps |
| 1 | Eroni Mawi (731) | Fijian Latui | 02/06/1996 | 23 | 189/119 | 6 |
| 2 | Sam Matavesi (690) | Toulouse (RFA) | 13/01/1992 | 27 | 183/105 | 7 |
| 3 | Manasa Saulo Ramumu (684) | London Irish (ENG) | 06/04/1989 | 30 | 189/128 | 42 |
| 4 | Albert Tuisue (735) | London Irish (ENG) | 06/06/1993 | 26 | 197/115 | 6 |
| 5 | Leone Nakarawa (628) | Racing 92 (FRA) | 02/04/1988 | 31 | 201/117 | 54 |
| 6 | Dominiko Waqaniburotu (649) (c) | Brive Olympique (FRA) | 20/04/1986 | 33 | 195/114 | 45 |
| 7 | Semi Kunatani (727) | Harlequins (ENG) | 27/10/1990 | 28 | 193/107 | 7 |
| 8 | Viliame Mata (720) | Edinburgh (SCO) | 22/10/1991 | 27 | 198/117 | 10 |
| 9 | Frank Lomani (726) | Fijian Drua | 18/04/1996 | 23 | 179/80 | 9 |
| 10 | Ben Volavola (704) | Racing 92 (FRA) | 13/01/1991 | 28 | 191/91 | 29 |
| 11 | Patrick Osborne (707) | Highlanders (NZL) | 14/01/1987 | 32 | 189/108 | 8 |
| 12 | Levani Botia (692) | La Rochelle (FRA) | 14/03/1989 | 30 | 180/103 | 12 |
| 13 | Waisea Nayacalevu (671) | Stade Francais (FRA) | 26/06/1990 | 29 | 193/108 | 18 |
| 14 | Filipo Nakosi (uncapped) | Toulon (FRA) | 08/04/1992 | 27 | 182/98 | – |
| 15 | Alivereti Veitokani (732) | London Irish (ENG) | 2/11/1992 | 26 | 175/81 | 8 |
| 16 | Mesulame Dolokoto (735) | Fijian Drua | 21/01/1995 | 24 | 181/112 | 4 |
| 17 | Peni Ravai (694) | Bordeaux Begles (FRA) | 16/06/1990 | 29 | 185/117 | 26 |
| 18 | Lee Roy Atalifo (699) | Jersey Reds (ENG) | 10/05/1988 | 31 | 190/135 | 10 |
| 19 | Api Ratuniyarawa (682) | Northampton Saints (ENG) | 11/07/1986 | 33 | 198/117 | 46 |
| 20 | Peceli Yato (705) | Clermont Auvergne (FRA) | 17/01/1993 | 26 | 196/108 | 13 |
| 21 | Henry Seniloli (695) | Doncaster Knights (ENG) | 15/06/1989 | 30 | 174/75 | 26 |
| 22 | Jale Vatubua (719) | Pau (FRA) | 30/08/1991 | 27 | 189/112 | 14 |
| 23 | Josh Matavesi (637) | Newcastle Falcons (ENG) | 05/10/1990 | 28 | 185/110 | 18 |
Head Coach – John McKee (NZL).