The eagerly awaited IRB Pacific 5 Nations double-header in New Plymouth did not disappoint as the top two sides in the competition clashed in the winner-takes-all match at the Yarrows Stadium.

In the end it was the Junior All Blacks, with the crop of experienced Super 14 players, who won 38-10, but Tonga - arguably the surprise package of the competition - showed exactly why they have risen back to 16th in the IRB World Rankings in recent weeks with a valiant performance against tough opposition.

In the first match of the afternoon, Samoa bounced back from the opening round defeat to the Junior All Blacks to put eight tries past a young Japan side in a 53-9 victory to move off the foot of the table.

Junior All Blacks win crucial clash

The Junior All Blacks are in a commanding position in the inaugural IRB Pacific 5 Nations tournament with a solid 38-10 win over Tonga in New Plymouth on Saturday evening.

The New Zealanders are now unbeaten after three rounds of the championship and with win-less Japan to play, they have all but wrapped up the title. They lead the championship with 15 points, six ahead of Tonga with a round left for both teams. Samoa could technically catch them with two matches to play but they would have to rely on Japan upsetting New Zealand.

Tonga, going into this match with wins over Japan and Fiji, produced a spirited performance throughout, creating chances and scoring a well-worked try. The Tongans were also extremely combative in the contact area and showed a 4500 strong New Plymouth crowd exactly why the are making inroads in the IRB rankings.

The Junior All Blacks ran in five tries through the backs with impressive fly half Jimmy Gopperth getting two and Anthony Tuitavake and Viliame Waqaseduadua getting one each. Replacement Cameron McIntyre got the final touchdown, winning the race to a loose ball in the Tongan in-goal to secure a well-deserved bonus point.

Gopperth finished with 21 points to top the IRB Pacific 5 Nations individual points standings.

Despite sharing possession almost 50/50, on the night Tonga simply missed too many tackles against a confident Junior All Blacks side who made the most of every opportunity that they created.

Samoans too hot for Japan

In the first match of the afternoon it was Samoa who bounced back from a disappointing start to the IRB Pacific 5 Nations last weekend against the Junior All Blacks to comprehensively defeat Japan 53-9.

Fullback Timoteo Iosua and scrum half John Senio scored two tries each in an eight-try performance which lifts the Samoans off the foot of the table.

After a scrappy start, Samoa's powerful forwards eventually ground down Japan, who were tough opposition in the opening thirty minutes, but turned over too much ball in dangerous positions and were made to pay by a clinical Samoa side.

Japan held a 9-5 advantage midway through the first half as Samoa took time to settle, before the Islanders cut loose scoring tries through winger Lome Fa'atau, flanker Daniel Farani and powerful winger Anitele'a Tuilagi to enter the interval 22-9 ahead.

Samoa cut loose after the break with Iosua's first try four minutes into the half which was immediately followed up by a score from veteran centre Brian Lima as Japan faded badly in the final thirty minutes.

A Lima break inside the Samoan half provided the impetus for Iosua's second try as he rounded thee Japan defence with ease, while Senio finished the rout with his second score in thee 69th minute.

Despite what looks like a comprehensive defeat on paper, Japan can actually take several positives from the match moving ahead. For thirty minutes an inexperienced and home grown Japan side caused a much weightier Samoa side problems in the scrums and the breakdown. Indeed Japan, with just one player over 30, could have changed the shape of the game had they capitalised on their first half pressure.

IRB Pacific 5 Nations Round Three details

Junior All Blacks: 1 Wyatt Crockett (Schwalger), 2 Corey Flynn (captain) (Taumoepeau), 3 Campbell Johnstone, 4 Hoani MacDonald (Donnelly), 5 Bernie Upton (Boric), 6 Steven Bates, 7 Josh Blackie, 8 Nick Williams. 9 Kevin Senio (Nutbrown), 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Caleb Ralph, 12 Tamati Ellison, 13 Anthony Tuitavake (McIntyre), 14 Viliame Waqaseduadua, 15 Sosene Anesi, 16 Saimone Taumoepeau, 17 John Schwalger, 18 Tom Donnelly, 19 Anthony Boric, 20 Jamie Nutbrown, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Cameron McIntyre

Scorers
Tries: Jimmy Gopperth (2), Anthony Tuitavake, Viliame Waqaseduadua, Cameron McIntyre
Cons: Jimmy Gopperth, Cameon McIntyre
Pens: Jimmy Gopperth

Tonga: 1Tonga Lea'aetoa, 2 Aleki Lutui, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 4 Paino Hehea (Molitika) , 5 Milton Ngauamo, 6 Viliami Vaki (Mahe), 7 Nili Latu ©, 8 Epeli Taione, 9 Tevita Palu (Nau), 10. Pierre Hola, 11. Tevita Tui'fua , 12. Tatafu Na'aniumotu, 13. Suka Hufanga , 14. Tevita Vaikona (Tonga'uiha), 15. Sione Mone Tu'ipoluto, 16. Ephraim Taukafa, 17. Maafu Pale, 18. Maama Molitika, 19. Rodney Mahe, 20. Sioeli Nau, 21. Fangatapu Apikotoa, 22. Hudson Tonga'uiha

Scorers
Tries: Aleki Lutui
Con: Pierre Hola
Pen: Pierre Hola

Japan: ?, Yuichi HISADOMI (Yamamoto), ?, Yuji MATSUBARA (Yamoka), ?, Ryo YAMAMURA, ?, Hitoshi ONO, ?, Tsuyoshi SATO (Kumage), ?, Takashi KIKUTANI, ?, Hare MAKIRI (Kitigawa), ?,Hajime KISO, ?, Mamoru ITO, 10, Eiji ANDO, 11, Nataniela OTO, 12, Hideyuki YOSHIDA, 13, Atsushi MORIYA, 14, Yuta IMAMURA (Mizuno), ?5, Takashi MIYAKE, 16, Takashi YAMAOKA, 17, Masahito YAMAMOTO, 18, Kenji KASAI, 19, Toshizumi KITAGAWA, 20, Wataru IKEDA, 21, Hiroki MIZUNO, ?2, Takanori KUMAGAE

Scorers
Pens: Ando (2)
Drop goal Ando

Manu Samoa: 1 Philemon Toleafoa, 2 Mahonri Schwalger (Salanoa), 3 Jeremy To'omuli (Kerslake), 4 Daniel Leo, 5 Pelu Pahivi-Taele, 6 Daniel Farani, 7 Ulia Ulia (Faosiliva), 8 Semo Sititi (Captain), 9 Garrick Cowley (Senio), 10 Tanner Vili (Sanft), 11 Anitelea Tuilagi, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 13 Brian Lima, 14 Lome Faatau (Lui), 15 Timoteo Iosua. Reserves: 16 Muliufi Salanoa, 17 Donald Kerslake,18 Chad Slade, 19 Alafoti Faosiliva, 20 John Senio, 21 Douglas Sanft, 22 Lolo Lui

Scorers
Tries: Senio (2), Iosua (2), Lima, Faatau, Tuilagi, Farani
Cons:Vili (4), Sanft
Pens: Vili

IRB Pacific 5 Nations Round Three standings

P W D L PF PA PD BP PTS
1 Junior AB 3 3 0 0 129 39 +92 3 15
2 Tonga 3 2 0 1 91 77 +14 1 9
3 Samoa 2 1 0 1 70 65 +5 1 5
4 Fiji 2 0 0 2 40 59 -19 1 1
4 Japan 1 0 0 2 25 110 -75 0 0