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
Date	3 June - 1 July 2006
Tournament statistics
Teams	5
Matches played	10
Attendance	66,917 (6,692 per match)
Tries scored	67 (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
(Next) 2007 →

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 to 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 Blacks	4	4	0	0	167	47	+120	22	6	4	0	20
2	Samoa	4	2	0	2	121	88	+33	18	9	2	1	11
3	Fiji	4	2	0	2	92	94	-2	10	12	1	1	10
4	Tonga	4	2	0	2	91	113	-22	12	13	1	0	9
5	Japan	4	0	0	4	48	177	-129	4	26	0	0	0
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

ANZ National Stadium, Suva Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

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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 Tuʻifua Tuʻipulotu Vaikona Con: Hola (3) J. Taumalolo Pen: Hola (2) J. Taumalolo

Honjo Stadium, Kitakyushu Attendance: 8,100 Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

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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

North Harbour Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 5,100 Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

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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)

Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford Attendance: 3,582 Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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)

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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

Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford Attendance: 5,172 Referee: Christophe Berdos (France)

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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

Top points scorers Rank Player Team Points 1 James Gopperth  Junior All Blacks 47 2 Seremaia Bai  Fiji 40 3 Cameron McIntyre  Junior All Blacks 32 4 Pierre Hola  Tonga 31 5 Anthony Tuitavake  Junior All Blacks 20 6 Loki Crichton  Samoa 16 7 John Senio  Samoa 15 Anitele'a Tuilagi  Samoa Nick Williams  Junior All Blacks 10 Eiji Ando  Japan 14 Source: irb.com

Top try scorers Rank Player Team Tries 1 Anthony Tuitavake  Junior All Blacks 4 2 James Gopperth  Junior All Blacks 3 Cameron McIntyre  Junior All Blacks John Senio  Samoa Anitele'a Tuilagi  Samoa Nick Williams  Junior All Blacks 7 10 players 2 17 27 players, Penalty try 1 Source: irb.com

See also

• Sports portal

• 2006 IRB Nations Cup
• Pacific Tri-Nations