SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Fiji scored five tries in a 20-minute spell on either side of halftime, then held on to beat Japan 33-27 Saturday in the final of the Pacific Nations Cup.

Japan started and finished strongly, scoring first and adding the last 17 points of the match. But in between Fiji produced a series of spectacular tries to build a 33-10 lead which only just survived Japan's late comeback.

Two of those tries went to winger Joji Nasova, who scored just before and just after halftime while lock Mesake Vocevoce scored one try and helped to create another. Captain Tevita Ikanivere also scored in the period between the 23rd and 43rd minutes when Fiji took the game away from Japan.

Fiji was hard-pressed to hold on in the second half against a resurgent Japan team which scored tries th

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