Test Match No. 54: British and Italian Tour 1976, game 8

日本語 Photo Journal
16 October 1976 in Twickenham
●Japan 15-58 England U23○
Got smashed by England U23
 
Data:
16/10/76
Japan 15 England Under 23 58
Twickenham, London
Half-time: 8-26
Referee: M. Bonnet (France)
Touch Judges: P.M. Eveleigh (London Society R.F.U.R.), R.J. Howard (London Society R.F.U.R.)
Crowd: 10,000
 
JAPAN: 15 Noboyuki Ueyama, 14 Masaru Fujiwara (21 Nobufumi Tanaka 2nd Half), 13 Shigetaka Mori, 12 Masao Yoshida, 11 Ken Aruga, 10 Yuji Matsuo, 9 Ryozo Imazato, 8 Ichiro Kobayashi, 7 Hideo Akama, 6 Yoshiaki Izawa, 5 Toshio Terai, 4 Koichi Shibata, 3 Susumu 'Asura' Hara (16 Toshiaki Yasui 37), 2 Manabu Sasada, 1 Tsukasa Takata (capt).
Reserves: 17 Naoshi Kumagai, 18 Kyoichi Toyoyama, 19 Ryozo Imazato, 20 Sigekazu Hoshino.
Tries: Fujiwara (2), Ueyama; Penalty Goal: Matsuo.
 
ENGLAND UNDER 23: 15 Derek Roger Boyd (17 D.P. Sorrell Half-time), 14 Richard Roy Mogg, 13 Paul William Dodge, 12 Anthony Matthew Bond, 11 Charles Philip Kent, 10 Alan John Wordsworth, 9 Nigel Paul Coombes, 8 Adrian Clive Alexander, 7 Stephen Richard Callum, 6 Peter John Polledri, 5 Stephen Brent Boyle, 4 John Philip Scott (capt), 3 Jeffrey Alan Hlmut Bell, 2 Gary Nicholas Jonathan Cox, 1 Richard John Doubleday.
Reserves: 16 J.L. Moyes, 18 D.R. Cullen, 19 J. White, 20 G.J. Sass, 21 T.R. Anderson.
Tries: Kent (3), Mogg (2), Callum, Bond, Boyd, Dodge, Coombes; Conversions: Sorrell (4), Boyd (2); Penalty Goal: Boyd;
Drop Goal: Wordsworth.
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 4min-drop goal England U23, Wordsworth-0-3, 7min-try England U23, Callum; conv. Boyd-0-9, 9min-pen England U23, Boyd-0-12, 13min-pen England U23, Boyd (missed)-0-12, 17min-try England U23, Kent; conv. Boyd-0-18, 26min-try Japan, Fujiwara; conv. Ueyama (missed)-4-18, 30min-try England U23, Bond; conv. Boyd-4-22, 31min-pen Japan, Ueyama (missed), 34min-try England U23, Boyd; conv. Boyd (missed)-4-26, 42min-try Japan, Ueyama; conv. Ueyama (missed)-8-26, Half-time, 43min-pen Japan, Ueyama (missed), 46min-pen Japan, Matsuo-11-26, 49min-try England U23, Kent; conv. Sorrell (missed)-11-30, 62min-try England U23, Mogg; conv. Sorrell-11-36, 57min-pen Japan, Matsuo (missed), 61min-try England U23, Mogg; conv. Sorrell-11-42, 62min-try England U23, Dodge; conv. Sorrell (missed)-11-46, 66min-pen Japan, Matsuo (missed), 70min-try England U23, Kent; conv. Sorrell-11-52, 74min-try try Japan, Fujiwara; conv. Ueyama (missed)-15-52, 76min-try England U23, Coombes; conv. Sorrell-15-58.
 


During this tour, Japan beat Oxford, Cambridge, and the Universities select team. These three wins proved that Japan could now beat a university-class team. However, they were roundly defeated by England U23, a team full of elite players. Japan played close matches against the England National Rugby Union Team when they visited Japan in 1971 (19-27 and 3-6), and also against the U23 team of Britain (10-19) during the British tour in 1973. However, Japan was overwhelmed by England U23's large-sized forwards, and could not stop them dashing straight. England U23 led the first half 8-26, and continued attacking in the second half and scored ten tries. The number of tries was 2-4 three years ago but 2-10 this time. The reason why Japan's defence failed was because the forwards were defeated and the sides of scrums and mauls were penetrated by the opponent.