The highlight of the penultimate weekend of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup is undoubtedly the meeting of title contenders Australia A and the Junior All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday, an encounter that should determine the 2007 champions.

Both will run out at Carisbrook with unbeaten records to defend, the Junior All Blacks heading the standings by virtue of having picked up three bonus point victories to their neighbours' two. Another will see them retain their title in their only match at home.

Australia A head coach Laurie Fisher though is boosted by the injection of players from the Wallabies squad after their Test victories over Wales and Fiji, among them backs Sam Norton-Knight, Digby Ioane and Cameron Shepherd.

Prop Rodney Blake and flanker Hugh McMeniman return from injuries and, like several others, will be hoping to stake a claim for a place in John Connolly's squad for Rugby World Cup 2007 with impressive performances for Australia A.

"I think it is a wonderful tournament at this time of year, particularly with that level of guys who are aspiring to get places to the World Cup or into the main Wallaby squad, so it is an excellent competition," Fisher told Total Rugby Radio this week.

Tough conditions in Dunedin

"A good thing about it is you get some time with the squad together to build your game over a period of a few weeks, so we have found it really beneficial in improving players' games and having guys who are playing at somewhere round Test standard."

Fisher, though, is not underestimating the threat posed by the Junior All Blacks or the significance of the match in terms of the title in a competition that has seen his own charges record the two highest scores - 60-15 and 71-10 against Tonga and Japan respectively.

"We have placed each game as a stand alone game and just tried to build as we go through the tournament, most likely the side that wins this will end up on top of the tournament, so it is important for us," Fisher added.

"We have got lots of experience of playing against New Zealand sides through the Super 14, so we are aware of their style of play as I guess they are well aware of our style of play, so it will be tough conditions down in Dunedin.

"It will be cold and probably a little windy down there, so we just need to probably front up physically, make sure we execute some set pieces, get some good field position and look forward to the challenge."

Fisher though will have to do without Clinton Schifcofske, the rugby league convert who has impressed for Australia A and scored 26 points in last weekend's defeat of Japan to further enhance his position as the clear leading scoring in the Pacific Nations Cup 2007.

Steep learning curve for convert

"It has been excellent, we have got some really talented players here," Schifcofske, who has a calf strain, told Total Rugby Radio. "I have learnt heaps … I think I have learnt more in these weeks than I did the whole season at Super 14 level."

The Junior All Blacks though have their own full internationals returning in back row pairing Jerome Kaino and Sione Lauaki, along with Ma'a Nonu at centre. They have though lost locks Ross Filipo and Greg Rawlinson to the All Blacks squad this week.

Co-coaches Colin Cooper and Ian Foster also welcome back second row Hoani MacDonald from injury, while Andrew Ellis and Stephen Donald get the nod at halfback with Jimmy Cowan and Stephen Brett dropping to the bench.

"After three significant wins against the Pacific Island nations, we are excited about playing at home," admitted Foster, whose side have beaten Samoa 31-10, Fiji 57-8 and Tonga 39-13 on their travels over the last month.

"Australia A is tracking well and they are also unbeaten. They have been bolstered by the inclusion of six Wallabies and we also have some players coming back from injury. The challenge for both teams is to see which side will settle best with the new combinations."

All Black brothers reunited

However, it isn't only the battle for the IRB Pacific Nations Cup title that catches the eye in the fourth round, another interesting element is the meeting of former All Black teammates and World Cup winners in Sendai as Japan host Manu Samoa.

The pair are, of course, John Kirwan and Michael Jones, who now wear the head coaching hats of Japan and Manu Samoa respectively, having almost 20 years ago to the day helped New Zealand beat France in the inaugural Rugby World Cup final.

Jones, in an interview with the Japan RFU website earlier this week, admitted that Kirwan "has a very special place in my life" and described him as a "distant brother". His respect of any side coached by Kirwan was also evident.

"Last year it took us half the game to get our game together against Japan. This year it might take us 80 minutes, regardless of what the statistics and critics say. We are here on a mission and we have brought a lot of Samoan pride with us," Jones said.

"The reality is that Japan is progressively improving and we have seen this. The team is young and they are fast at what they do. Japan is a very well drilled and disciplined team. It is no doubt since last year they are a different team and are definitely better.

"JK has brought this team to new standards. We must be physical and play with our pride. We must use the only source and naturally given gift that we were given. But we will also have to be smart out there against a John Kirwan Japan side.

Changes aplenty for Japan and Samoa

"We will go into this game to win, and we hope that whatever the outcome we all will grow from this game in Sendai and a wonderful Pacific Nations Cup tournament."

Two weeks have passed since Manu Samoa's last Pacific Nations Cup encounter - a 27-15 defeat by Australia A in Coffs Harbour - with Jones' side playing World Cup opponents South Africa in Johannesburg last weekend, a match they lost 35-8.

Jones has made a number of changes to his side, not least at halfback with Junior Poluleuligaga and Elvis Seveali'i coming in and Loki Crichton moving from fly half to fullback, while Leo Lafaiali'i taking over the captaincy from Semo Sititi.

Kirwan meanwhile has to pick his charges up after a 71-10 loss to Australia A last weekend and, once again, has rung the changes with only four players retained in the starting line up, although Hare Makiri and Kosuke Endo switch positions.

Both teams won one and lost two matches in this year's Pacific Nations Cup, Manu Samoa having beaten Fiji 8-5 in their opening match, while Japan overcame Tonga 20-17 in round two. Samoa had the edge a year ago with a 53-9 win in New Plymouth.

Tonga looking for first victory

The weekend's other match sees Tonga travelling to Lautoka to face Fiji still looking for a first win in 2007, buoyed by a promising first half performance that saw them leading the Junior All Blacks 13-10 at half time.

Tonga head coach Quddus Fielea has made 10 changes to his starting line up from that 39-13 defeat, two of them positional, with props Taufaao Filise and Tevita Taumoepeau among the returning players. Otenili Latu continues to captain the side at Churchill Park, hoping to repeat their 24-23 win in last year's tournament.

"I expect the Fijians to be physical and quick to the breakdowns," Latu told the Fiji Times. "We will have to play at our own pace because we don't want to lose the ball at the turnovers … we hope to use our power play and take them front on."

Fiji meanwhile will be looking to bounce back from a 49-0 loss to Australia in a one-off Test in Perth last weekend, and head coach Ilivasi Tabua hands debuts to wing Michael Tagicakibau, fly half Waisea Luveniyali and flanker Deryck Thomas.

Four others - Vereniki Sauturaga, Dale Tonawai, Jone Daunivucu and Sisa Waqa - could all make their debuts from the bench as Tabua rotates players and hands the captaincy to scrum half Moses Rauluni.

Squads for IRB Pacific Nations Cup round four:

FIJI: 1. Graham Dewes 2. Sunia Koto 3. Henry Qiodravu 4. Ifereimi Rawaqa 5. Kele Leawere 6. Deryck Thomas 7. Aca Ratuva 8. Sisa Koyamaibole 9. Moses Rauluni (Captain) 10. Waisea Luveniyali 11. Isoa Neivua 12. Gabiriele Lovobalavu 13. Kameli Ratuvou 14. Michael Tagicakibau 15. Norman Ligairi.

Replacements: 16. Vereniki Sauturaga 17. Apisai Turukawa 18. Alifereti Doviverata 19. Dale Tonawai 20. Jone Daunivucu 21. Sisa Waqa 22. Vereniki Goneva.

TONGA: 1. Taufaao Filise 2. Aleki Lutui 3. Tevita Taumoepeau 4. Sione Kalamafoni 5. Chris Hala'ufia 6. Hale T-Pole 7. Otenili Langilangi (Captain) 8. Samiu Vahafolau 9. Soane Havea 10. Siua Taumalolo 11. Sione Fonua 12. Hudson Tonga'uiha 13. Suka Hufanga 14. Seti Kiole 15. Mesiu Lemoto.

Replacements: 16. Feki Moala 17. Tome Toke 18. Isileli Fine 19. Teu'i Muli Kaufusi 20. Tevita Tu'ifua 21. Sila Va'enukuk 22. Epeli Taione.

JUNIOR ALL BLACKS: 1. Clarke Dermody 2. Derren Witcombe 3. John Afoa 4. Hoani MacDonald 5. Tom Donnelly 6. Jerome Kaino 7. Marty Holah (Captain) 8. Sione Lauaki 9. Andrew Ellis 10. Stephen Donald 11. Anthony Tuitavake 12. Sam Tuitupou 13. Ma'a Nonu 14. Scott Hamilton 15. Cory Jane.

Replacements: 16. Corey Flynn 17. Campbell Johnstone 18. Mose Tuiali'i 19. Daniel Braid 20. Jimmy Cowan 21. Stephen Brett 22. Tane Tu'ipulotu.

AUSTRALIA A: 1. Nic Henderson 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 3. Rodney Blake 4. Alister Campbell (Captain) 5. James Horwill 6. Hugh McMeniman 7. Julian Salvi 8. David Lyons 9. Josh Holmes 10. Sam Norton-Knight 11. Digby Ioane 12. Ryan Cross 13. Junior Pelesasa 14. Cameron Shepherd 15. Peter Hewat.

Replacements: 16. Sean Hardman 17. Troy Takiari 18. Dean Mumm 19. Jone Tawake 20. Josh Valentine 21. Gene Fairbanks 22. Lachlan Turner.

JAPAN: 1. Tatsukichi Nishiura 2. Yuji Matsubara 3. Tomokazu Soma 4. Hitoshi Ono 5. Luke Thompson 6. Hare Makiri 7. Glen Marsh 8. Takuro Miuchi (Captain) 9. Tomoki Yoshida 10. Eiji Endo 11. Kosuke Endo 12. Shotaro Onishi 13. Yuta Imamura 14. Christian Loamanu 15. Bryce Robins.

Replacements: 16. Mitsugu Yamamoto 17. Ryo Yamamura 18. Takanori Kumagae 19. Yasunori Watanabe 20. Yuki Yatomi 21. Koji Taira 22. Go Aruga.

SAMOA: 1. Justin Vaa 2. Muliufi Salanoa 3. Census Johnston 4. Iosefa Tekori 5. Daniel Leo 6. Leo Lafaialii (Captain) 7. Justin Purdie 8. Alfie To'oala 9. Junior Poluleuligaga 10. Elvis Seveali'i 11. Alesana Tuilagi 12. Seilala Maposua 13. Anitelea Tuilagi 14. David Lemi 15. Loki Crichton.

Replacements: 16. Tamato Leupolu 17. Donald Kerslake 18. Filipo Levi 19. Semo Sititi 20. Steve So'oialo 21. Josh Keil 22. Lome Fa'atau.