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Japan XV bests Australia A in 15-try thriller

By Sam Smith
Kotaro Matsushima. (Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Japan XV has prevailed 52-48 against Australia A in a stunning 15-try point-scoring extravaganza in the final match of the teams’ three-match series, won 2-1 by Australia A.

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The Australians scored eight tries to seven in Osaka, but the home team’s goal-kicking proved the difference with an unblemished record from eight attempts at goal (seven conversions and one penalty).

It was a fast and expansive match, with attacking play the order of the evening – both teams turning down easy penalty goal opportunities on a number of occasions with the aim of more points.

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It did not take long for Japan to cross from a backline move down the right edge, an inside pass bouncing off Ryohei Yamanaka’s knee before he won the race to the ball to ground it in just the third minute.

Pone Fa’amausili levelled the scores in the tenth minute, scoring off a well-worked lineout play featuring some sharp passing among the forwards.

It was a strong start by the giant Melbourne Rebels prop, however he would leave the field shortly after with a leg injury.

The match flowed from end to end for a period, before Japan XV broke the deadlock, and went on to extend a sizeable lead after Tevita Tatafu scored a barnstorming double in the space of three minutes.

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Dylan Riley added a fourth for the home team with a 40-metre run to the tryline to establish a 28-7 lead.

The visitors hit back with two tries of their own – first, Lachlan Lonergan crossing off the back of a lineout maul, before a superb cut-out pass from Hamish Stewart set Rory Scott free to run 30 metres down the left side to score.

Ben Donaldson’s conversion from out wide reduced the deficit to nine points, before a Kotaro Matsushima try in the shadows of half-time saw Japan extend to a 35-19 lead at the break.

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Japan XV would start the second half in the best possible way with Michael Leitch collecting a cross-field kick and passing back inside to Australian-born Jack Cornelsen to go over.

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Seungsin Lee’s sublime right boot added the extras, and Japan XV had its largest lead of the match at 23 points.

From there, the Australians kicked into gear, with Brad Wilkin scoring two tries either side of a Lee penalty.

The first try came off a broken down lineout maul, and the second off some quick thinking by Mark Nawaqanitawase who took a quick tap ten metres out and sent the flanker in under the posts.

Next, hooker Lachlan Lonergan completed a double, showing off his speed with a 23-metre sprint down the left touchline.

When second-half substitute Dylan Pietsch beat two defenders to score, the Australians were within two points at 45-43 – Ryan Lonergan unable to draw level with a difficult conversion attempt from the touchline.

Japan XV halted Australia A’s run in the 72nd minute when Faulua Makisi crashed over from a lineout maul after a sustained period of pressure.

Takuya Yamasawa’s conversion from out wide saw the lead grow to nine points, ultimately proving too much for the Australians to overcome.

After some more dynamic play from Nawaqanitawase, his New South Wales Waratahs wing partner Dylan Pietsch crossed for his second try on the full-time siren, however it was too late for the visitors on a busy night for the scoreboard attendant.

The result sees the three-match series finish 2-1 to Australia A, after the visitors won the first game 34-22 in Tokyo and the second 22-21 in a thriller in Fukuoka.

AUSTRALIA A 48 (L. Lonergan 2, Wilkin 2, Pietsch 2, Fa’amausili, Scott tries; Donaldson 2, R.Lonergan 2 conversions) defeated by JAPAN XV 52 (Tatafu 2, Yamanaka, Riley, Matsushima, Cornelsen, Makisi tries; Lee 6, Yamasawa 1 conversions; Lee 1 penalty)

– Rugby Australia

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Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

37 Go to comments
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