The Fiji Warriors have sealed their fourth successive IRB Pacific Rugby Cup title after Tonga A ended Samoa A’s slim hopes of catching them with a 20-18 win in Nuku’alofa.
The Samoans needed a bonus-point victory to keep the heat on the defending champions when the tournament resumed with the concluding Pacific Island Series this week.
But Tonga rewrote the form book to post a narrow win – their first victory of this year’s competition after enduring five defeats with their other match designated a draw after inclement weather forced its cancellation.
The trans-Tasman legs of the PRC, which pits the A teams of Tonga, Samoa and Fiji against Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby development sides, were completed earlier in the year.
After a seven-month hiatus, action recommenced with the Fiji Warriors 10 points clear at the top of the table thanks to their impressive showing in Australia and New Zealand earlier in the year.
Although Samoa A needed to score tries if they were to have any hope of catching Fiji Warriors, the match belonged to the Tongans.
