Test Match No. 10: Cambridge University's first visit to Japan, game 6

日本語 Photo Journal
1953 September 27 at Hanazono Rugby Stadium
●Japan 11-34 Cambridge University○
Earned 2 tries but could go no further
 
Data:
27/09/53, 1st Test
Japan 11 Cambridge University 34
Hanazono Rugby Grounds, Osaka
Half-time: 8-23
Referee: Peter F. Cooper (England)
Touch Judges: unknown
Crowd: 20,000
 
JAPAN: 15 Hidehiko Sato, 14 Genpei Yokoiwa, 13 Akihiko Watanabe, 12 Ryuichi Imamura, 11 Toshiro Sasaki, 10 Keizo Kamisaka, 9 Mitsuya Otsuka, 8 Hideo Harada, 7 Shinichi Hashimoto (capt), 6 Toshiaki Tsuchiya, 5 Yoshiharu Umei, 4 Teruo Kitajima, 3 Sueharu Natsui, 2 Masaya Matsuoka, 1 Ryo Saito.
Tries: Harada, Yokoiwa; Conversion: Watanabe; Penalty Goal: Watanabe.
 
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY: 15 Petre M. Davies, 14 Kenneth James Dalgleish, 13 Micheal H. Bushby, 12 W.Phil C. Davies, 11 Dickie R.W. Dawe, 10 Robin L. Hitchcock, 9 Tim C. Pearson, 8 Donald R.J. Evans, 7 Peter J.F. Wheeler (capt), 6 Ian David Stafford Beer JP, 5 Michael J.O. Massey, 4 David A. Bland, 3 Dan G. Massey, 2 Desmond C. Allies, 1 Dennis R. W. Silk.
Tries: Dawe (3), W. Davies (2), Dalgleish; Conversions: P.M. Davies (5); Drop Goals: P.M. Davies (2).
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 4min-try Cambridge Univ., W. Davies; conv. P.M. Davies-0-5, 13min-try Cambridge Univ., Dalgleish; conv. P.M. Davies-0-10, 22min-try Cambridge Univ., W. Davies; conv., P.M. Davies-0-15, 27min-try Cambridge Univ., Dawe; conv., P.M. Davies-0-20, 32min-drop goal Cambridge Univ., P.M. Davies-0-23, 35min-try Japan, Harada; conv., Watanabe-5-23, 37min-pen Japan, Watanabe-8-23, Half-time, 51min-try Cambridge Univ., Dawe; conv. P.M. Davies (missed)-8-26; 60min-drop goal Cambridge Univ., P.M. Davies-8-29; 73min-try Cambridge Univ., Dawe; conv. P.M. Davies-8-34, 78min-try Japan, Yokoiwa; conv. Watanabe (missed)11-34.
 


Cambridge followed Oxford to visit Japan. Although Cambridge also won all eight games, Japanese teams did show that they had learned from the preceding visit by Oxford: the all-Meiji, all-Keio, and all-Kyushu teams put up great fights, for example. While Oxford gained possession of the ball in scrum with their skilful hooking, Cambridge's back-row centre (number 8 in the current rule) gave a hard push while calling out “Cambridge Now!” to gain possession.
As coach Okumura expected, the forwards of Japan showed their guts even more than in the preceding five games after changing the way they bound in a scrum. Japan was awarded only one try in each half, by Harada and Yokoiwa respectively. Cambridge's defence shield was too hard for Japan.