{"id":141213,"date":"2025-09-13T22:54:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-13T22:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/141213\/"},"modified":"2025-09-13T22:54:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T22:54:07","slug":"pnc-2025-canada-vs-fiji-arn-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/141213\/","title":{"rendered":"PNC 2025: Canada vs Fiji – ARN Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

With World Cup qualification now out of the way, Canada now moves into the Semi Finals of the Pacific Nations Cup with opportunities to advance their position on the World Rankings against tougher opposition. It\u2019s a formidable opponent at the neutral venue of Denver this week. Fiji are the defending champions and the only top-10 side in the competition.<\/p>\n

\"\" Current World Ranking: 24<\/a> (59.52 points)
2025-08-30 \u2013 Japan 57, Canada 15 (Sendai)
2025-08-22 \u2013 Canada 34, USA 20 (Calgary)
2025-07-18 \u2013 Canada 23, Spain 24 (Edmonton)
2025-07-12 \u2013 Canada 18, Belgium 25 (Edmonton)
2024-11-16 \u2013 Romania 35, Canada 27 (Bucharest)<\/p>\n

\"\" Current World Ranking: 9<\/a> (80.86 points)
2025-09-06 \u2013 Samoa 15, Fiji 29 (Rotorua)
2025-08-30 \u2013 Fiji 32, Tonga 10 (Suva)
2025-07-12 \u2013 Fiji 29, Scotland 14 (Suva)
2025-07-06 \u2013 Australia 21, Fiji 18 (Newcastle)
2024-11-23 \u2013 Ireland 52, Fiji 17 (Dublin)<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nIN
\nOUT<\/p>\n

5
\nCallum Botchar
\nLucas Rumball<\/p>\n

13
\nNoah Flesch
\nBen LeSage<\/p>\n

\"\"
\nIN
\nOUT<\/p>\n

1
\nEroni Mawi
\nHaereiti Hetet<\/p>\n

3
\nMesake Doge
\nSamu Tawake<\/p>\n

4
\nMesake Vocevoce
\nTemo Mayanavanua<\/p>\n

8
\nViliame Mata
\nKitione Salawa<\/p>\n

11
\nTaniela Rakuro
\nIsaiah Armstrong-Ravula<\/p>\n

12
\nInia Tabuavou
\nTuidraki Samusamuvodre<\/p>\n

Canada last played Fiji at the 2019 edition of the PNC\u2026 in recent years the Islanders have held a big advantage but the Canadians did sneak a close result at Twin Elm Park in 2013
\nregular captain Lucas Rumball and vice-captain Ben LeSage are both out of the remainder of the tournament, so the on-field leadership role goes to Rumball\u2019s Chicago Hounds clubmate Mason Flesch\u2026 it\u2019s the first time the 25-year-old has led the team\u2026 he moves from lock to his preferred blindside flanker role this week
\nthe only other change to the starting lineup sees younger brother Noah Flesch taking up the midfield vacancy left by LeSage\u2026 with Talon McMullin and Kainoa Lloyd both called up to act as back reserves
\nMick Byrne has made a half-dozen changes from the team that beat Samoa\u2026 the first choice front row is restored with powerhouse ball carrier Viliame Mata another notable inclusion
\nJoji Nasova could make his test debut as a replacement\u2026 the 25-year-old back won silver with Fiji\u2019s sevens side at the Paris Olympics\u2026. he is set to join the Drua in Super Rugby next season<\/p>\n

\"\" Steve Meehan<\/a>\u00a0(Head Coach)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team has had valuable time together here in Denver since our match against Japan. Players and coaches have been working hard on improving our performances with each game we play, and we all want to come away with a performance that we are proud of. We\u2019re confident in the preparation we have been putting in, and the work rate from the players has been commendable. Fiji provides another good challenge for our team that we are looking forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\" Mason Flesch<\/a> (Captain)<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing given the responsibility to lead the team, lead all my best mates into finals in the PNC\u2026 it means a lot, and we are up for the challenge. I think for a lot of us, qualifying sparked focus and a lot of dedication that when we\u2019re away from the team and the environment, we are going to put the work in and the graft for the biggest sporting event in rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Fijians won\u2019t be bothered much by the altitude and conditions look ideal for their brand of running rugby. Canada can\u2019t live with them in the wide spaces but could find ways to frustrate them at the set piece or slow down possession at the breakdown. For some members of the Canadian squad who aren\u2019t nailed on for World Cup selection, this is a chance to show they can perform against first class opposition. A scoreline similar to the Japan match seems a realistic outcome. Fiji are heavy favorites in Denver.<\/p>\n

\"\"
CANADA
1 Cali Martinez, 2 Dewald Kotze, 3 Cole Keith, 4 Piers von Dadelszen, 5 Callum Botchar, 6 Mason Flesch (capt.), 7 Sion Parry, 8 Matthew Oworu, 9 Jason Higgins, 10 Peter Nelson, 11 Josiah Morra, 12 Spencer Jones, 13 Noah Flesch, 14 Nic Benn, 15 Shane O\u2019Leary<\/p>\n

Replacements: 16 Jesse Mackail, 17 Emerson Prior, 18 Conor Young, 19 Izzak Kelly, 20 Matt Heaton, 21 Brock Gallagher, 22 Talon McMullin, 23 Kainoa Lloyd<\/p>\n

\"\"
FIJI
1 Eroni Mawi, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (capt.), 3 Mesake Doge, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 6 Etonia Waqa, 7 Elia Canakaivata, 8 Viliame Mata, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 10 Caleb Muntz, 11 Taniela Rakuro, 12 Inia Tabuavou, 13 Seta Tamanivalu, 14 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 15 Ponipate Loganimasi<\/p>\n

Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Haereiti Hetet, 18 Samu Tawake, 19 Temo Mayanavanua, 20 Motikiai Murray, 21 Sam Wye, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Joji Nasova<\/p>\n

Date: Sunday, September 14
Venue: DSG Park, Denver
Kickoff: 18:30 local (17:30 Pacific, 20:30 Eastern, Monday 12:30 Suva)
Weather Forecast: sunny, 73\u00b0F (23\u00b0C), wind E 4-6mph (6-10km\/h)
Broadcasts: Paramount+<\/a> (USA), TSN 2<\/a>\u00a0(Canada), RugbyPass TV<\/a><\/p>\n

Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistants: Craig Evans (Wales) & Lex Weiner (USA)
TMO: Tual Trainini (France)<\/p>\n

HEAD-TO-HEAD (12): \"\"\u00a0Fiji 9, \"\" Canada 3
2019-08-03 \u2013 Fiji 38, Canada 13 (Suva)
2017-11-25 \u2013 Canada 17, Fiji 57 (Narbonne)
2015-09-06 \u2013 Canada 18, Fiji 47 (London)
2013-06-05 \u2013 Canada 20, Fiji 18 (Ottawa)
2007-09-16 \u2013 Canada 16, Fiji 29 (Cardiff)
2001-07-03 \u2013 Fiji 52, Canada 23 (Tokyo)
2000-07-07 \u2013 Fiji 42, Canada 11 (Apia)
1999-10-09 \u2013 Canada 22, Fiji 38 (Bordeaux)
1999-05-15 \u2013 Canada 29, Fiji 40 (Vancouver)
1995-04-08 \u2013 Fiji 10, Canada 22 (Nadi)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With World Cup qualification now out of the way, Canada now moves into the Semi Finals of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":141214,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,760,85],"class_list":["post-141213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-rugby","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=141213"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141213\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/141214"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=141213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=141213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=141213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}