Japan reaches Pacific Nations Cup final after record win over Samoa

 Japan beat Samoa by a record 49-27 in an entertaining Pacific Nations Cup semifinal at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium on Sunday.

The Japanese will face defending champion Fiji in the final next weekend in Osaka. Japan last won the PNC in 2019.

In an open, fast-paced match, Japan's Seungsin Lee shone in his first start at fullback, scoring a try and assisting in four more. His six goalkicks also extended his perfect record off the tee in the competition to 20 goals from 20 attempts.

Japan's seven tries in total built its highest score against Samoa and biggest margin.

The hosts were up 14-0 after 10 minutes. Warner Dearns' stolen lineout take led to Lee's grubber kick for center Dylan Riley's opening try.

Lee's visionary pass then set free wing Malo Tuitama, who was stopped in front of the tryline by Samoa debutant Elisapeta Alofipo. But Alofipo then was offside when he knocked down a pass, and conceded a penalty try and was sin-binned.

When 14-man Samoa finally got ball, No. 8 Iakopo Petelo-Mapu made the break that finished with wing Tuna Tuitama's try.

A clever front-of-the-lineout move caught Samoa napping. Hooker Mamoru Harada charged, and Lee's crosskick while being tackled fell to wing Tomoki Osada to score.

Two Rodney Iona penalties closed the gap to 21-13 and Samoa flanker Izaiha Moore-Aiono was set to score until Japan's Malo Tuitama tackled him on the tryline.

Just before halftime, Japan pummelled Samoa and flyhalf Harumichi Tatekawa's miss-pass put Lee over to lead 28-13.

There was no let up in the second half either.

Lee's grubber kick was collected by wing Tomoki Osada and Lee supported for flanker Kanji Shimokawa's try in the 44th minute.

Samoa replied by giving an overlap to former sevens speedster Alofipo, who sent in scrumhalf Melani Matavao.

Scrumhalf Shinobu Fukiwara scored after Japan pick-and-goes wore down Samoa.

Samoa's lineout was unreliable and 13 handling errors robbed it of momentum, so when Iona collected a kick on his 22, he counterattacked. Alofipo weaved into Japan's half and center Lalomilo Lalamilo finished an 80-meter try.

Japan had the last say, though. Soon after replacement back Taichi Takahashi couldn't grab a Lee chip behind the tryline, he did finish off a scrum set move, taking the last pass from Lee.

Following group wins over Canada and the United States, Japan has scored 40-plus points in three straight matches for the first time since 2015.

“We've got a lot of confidence heading to the Fiji game next week,” captain Tatekawa said.