Manu Samoa has failed at the last hurdle of the Pacific Nations Cup, handing the title to the Flying Fijians after a crushing, 39-29, defeat in Vancouver, Canada, yesterday.
After a lacklustre performance of the past two weeks – which resulted in a 30 all draw with Fiji two weeks ago - the high error rate and slow starts finally bit the men in blue when it hurt the most yesterday.
Coach Stephen Betham and his troops would be bitterly disappointed with the result.
Samoan scrum half Kahn Fotuali’i said mistakes cost them. "It was quite a tight game, but that's just how rugby goes,” he said. “A few mistakes here and there let the Fijians in.
We missed a few tackles and the way the Fijians play, they can score from anywhere."
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A see-saw battle at the Swangard Stadium saw Fiji race away to an early 17-3 lead before the physical Samoans looked to have reeled them early in the second half with two quick tries to take a 21-17 lead.
But just as Samoa appeared to have taken control of the contest, Fiji came roaring back with three quick tries that saw them pull clear and hang on for a deserved win.
Fiji had gotten off to a dream start with early tries from athletic lock Leone Nakarawa and scrum half Niko Matawalu.
Nakarawa opened the scoring for the Fijians after just 90 seconds, bursting clear to score under the posts for a try converted by Joshua Matavesi.
Matavesi slotted a penalty to put Fiji 10-0 up before Samoa got on the scoresheet through Michael Stanley's first three-pointer of the contest, a towering longrange effort from wide on the left. But Fiji had Samoa scrambling again when they snaffled a lineout and captain Akapusi Qera peeled off before feeding Matawalu, who sprinted over close to the posts, Matavesi adding a simple conversion to make it 17-3.
Samoa fought back with two more Stanley penalties to make it 17-9 at halftime, and soon after the restart looked to have taken a grip when flanker Jack Lam crashed over from close range before a wonderful individual run from right wing Fa'atoina Autagavaia made it 21-17.
Yet Fiji's response was immediate, Nakarawa grabbing his second of the match to put his team 22-21 ahead after a clever crossfield kick by Ben Volavola caused havoc in the Samoan defence.
Samoa, though, remained calm and Stanley kicked them back in front with another cool penalty to make it 24-22.
But just as Fiji looked to be struggling against the power of the Samoan set-piece, the game turned on its head around the one hour mark as the flamboyant islanders turned on the style to score two tries out of nothing.
The first came through full-back Kini Murimurivalu, going over in the corner for a try converted by Volavola to put Fiji 29-24 ahead.
The Fijians saved their best for last, however, and opened up a 12-point lead with a magnificent try from distance.
Replacement Peceli Yato conjured a scintillating break in midfield before feeding the omnipresent Matavalu who went racing in under the posts.
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