2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations

The 2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations was the inaugural IRB Pacific 5 Nations rugby union competition held between five Pacific Rim sides; Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the Junior All Blacks (New Zealand's second XV). The inaugural tournament kicked off on 3 June 2006 with the Junior All Blacks proclaimed the winner after their 38–8 defeat of Japan on 24 June 2006.

2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations
The logo of the 2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations
Tournament details
Countries Fiji
 Japan
 Junior All Blacks
 Samoa
 Tonga
Tournament format(s)Round-robin
Date3 June - 1 July 2006
Tournament statistics
Teams5
Matches played10
Attendance66,917 (6,692 per match)
Tries scored67 (6.7 per match)
Top point scorer(s)James Gopperth (Junior All Blacks)
(47 points)
Top try scorer(s)Anthony Tuitavake (Junior All Blacks)
(4 tries)
Final
Champions Junior All Blacks (1st title)
Runners-up Samoa
Japan playing Tonga at Honjo stadium on 4 June 2006

Australia was invited to take part but decided against sending a team as they wanted focus on their domestic competition. However, Australia hosted two games, and Australian Rugby Union CEO Gary Flowers stated that Australia was keen to participate in the tournament from 2007 onwards. On 18 October 2006 it was announced that they would send their second XV. For this reason, the inaugural tournament was the only one to be known as the "Pacific 5 Nations", and from 2007 the competition was known as the Pacific Nations Cup.

Point system

The tournament is a round-robin of ten games, where each team plays one match against each of the other teams. There are four points for a win, two points for a draw and none for a defeat. There are also bonus points offered with one bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match and one bonus point for losing by 7 points or less.

Table
2006 IRB Pacific 5 Nations
Team Played Won Drawn Lost Points For Points Against Points Difference Tries For Tries Against Try Bonus Losing Bonus Points
1 Junior All Blacks440016747+1202264020
2 Samoa420212188+331892111
3 Fiji42029294-210121110
4 Tonga420291113-221313109
5 Japan400448177-129427000
Source : irb.com

Points breakdown:
*4 points for a win
*2 points for a draw
*1 bonus point for a loss by seven points or less
*1 bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match

Results
All kick off times are local.

Round 1
3 June 2006
15:00 (UTC+12)
Fiji  17 – 35  Junior All Blacks
Try: A. Ratuva
Caucaunibuca
Con: Bai (2)
Pen: Bai
 Try: Williams
Blackie
McIntyre
Leo'o
Con: McIntyre (2)
Donald
Pen: Donald (2)
McIntyre
4 June 2006
15:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan  16 – 57  Tonga
Try: Oto
Con: Onishi
Pen: Onishi (3)
 Report Try: Fifita (2)
Filipine
Hala'ufia
Hehea
Tu'ifua
Tuʻipulotu
Vaikona
Con: Hola (3)
J. Taumalolo
Pen: Hola (2)
J. Taumalolo

Round 2
9 June 2006
20:00 NZST (UTC+12)
Junior All Blacks  56 – 12  Samoa
Try: N. Williams (2)
Senio
J. Schwalger
Atiga
Gopperth
Waqaseduadua
Con: Gopperth (6)
Pen: Gopperth (3)
 Report Try: Senio
Fe'aunati
Con: Sanft
10 June 2006
19:30 AEST (UTC+10)
Tonga  24 – 23  Fiji
Try: Hufanga
Vaikona
Lutui
Con: Hola (3)
Drop: Hola
 Report Try: Ratuvou
Luveitasau
Con: Bai (2)
Pen: Bai (3)

Round 3

IRB Reports

17 June 2006
14:00 NZST (UTC+12)
Samoa  53 – 9  Japan
Try: Fa'atau
Farani
Tuilagi
Iosua (2)
Lima
Senio (2)
Con: Vili (4)
Sanft
Pen: Vili
 Report Pen: Ando (2)
Drop: Ando
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Attendance: 4,200
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
17 June 2006
16:30 NZST (UTC+12)
Junior All Blacks  38 – 10  Tonga
Try: Tuitavake
Waqaseduadua
Gopperth (2)
McIntyre
Con: Gopperth
McIntyre
Pen: Gopperth (3)
 Report Try: Lutui
Con: Hola
Pen: Hola
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Attendance: 4,200
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Round 4

IRB Reports

24 June 2006
14:30 NZST (UTC+12)
Junior All Blacks  38 – 8  Japan
Try: Tuitavake (3)
Ralph (2)
McIntyre
Con: McIntyre (4)
 Report Try: Miyake
Pen: Ikeda
Carisbrook, Dunedin
Attendance: 3,500
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)
24 June 2006
15:00 (UTC+12)
Fiji  23 – 20  Samoa
Try: Ligairi (2)
Con: Bai (2)
Pen: Bai (3)
 Report Try: Farani
Fuimaono-Sapolu
Sititi
Con: Crichton
Pen: Crichton
ANZ National Stadium, Suva
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Round 5

IRB Reports

1 July 2006
19:30 AEST (UTC+10)
Tonga  0 – 36  Samoa
Report Try: An. Tuilagi (2)
M. Schwalger
C. Johnston
Fa'atau
Con: Crichton (4)
Pen: Crichton
1 July 2006
19:00 JST (UTC+09)
Japan  15 – 29  Fiji
Try: Takei
O'Reilly
Con: Ando
Pen: Ando
 Report[1] Try: Ratuvou
Leawere
Doviverata
Qera
Con: Bai (2)
Ruivadra
Pen: Bai
Nagai Stadium, Osaka
Attendance: 5,263
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Top scorers

See also

References
  1. IRB and scrum.com reports disagree on scorers. IRB data used.
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