Fiji beats Canada 45-29 to reach Pacific Nations Cup final

Fiji's first-half surge seals semifinal win over Canada

Two-time defending champion Fiji scored three tries in the opening 23 minutes and continued its dominance to defeat Canada 45-29 in a Pacific Nations Cup rugby semifinal at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka on Saturday. Kitione Salawa opened the scoring inside the first 30 seconds, with Frank Lomani and Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula adding later first-half tries. Armstrong-Ravula also converted two of the tries as Fiji built a 26-17 halftime lead and pulled away after the break to extend its winning run in the competition.

Canada's lineup changes fail to blunt Fiji

Canada entered the semifinal a week after a 57-12 loss to Japan and head coach Stephen Meehan made 10 changes to his squad, but the reshuffle did not blunt a strong Fijian side. Canada trailed throughout the first half and could not close the gap after the interval, conceding further tries as Fiji maintained control at the contact areas and in open play. The defeat ended Canada's involvement in this year's tournament.

Tournament format and remaining schedule

This year's Pacific Nations Cup features a condensed four-team format, with the semifinal winners progressing to next Saturday's final and the losers meeting in a third-place match. Japan and the United States were scheduled to play the second semifinal at Hanazono Rugby Stadium later Saturday, with Japan entering the match having won nine of its last 10 meetings against the U.S. Both the third-place fixture and the final are scheduled to be played at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo.

Currie Cup final in Kimberley

South Africa's oldest domestic rugby competition was due to crown its 2026 Currie Cup Premier Division champion on Saturday when defending champions Griquas hosted the Pumas in Kimberley at 15:00 local time, broadcast on SuperSport. Griquas entered the final on the back of a 52-12 semifinal win over the Lions at home, having finished the regular season four points clear of the second-placed Cheetahs. The Pumas reached the final via a 27-24 away semifinal win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, sealed by Clinton Swart's 70th-minute penalty. The fixture precedes the fourth Test between the Springboks and All Blacks later Saturday night.