Test Match No. 125: Romania National Rugby Union Team's first visit to Japan, game 2

日本語 Photo Journal
3 May 1995 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
○Japan 34-21 Romania●
Hirao made a comeback to beat Romania
 
Data:
03/05/95
Japan 34 Rumania 21
Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground, Tokyo
Half-time: 10-15
Referee: Enrique C. Cazenave (Argentina)
Touch Judges: Naoki Saito (Japan), Shinsuke Shimoi (Japan)
Crowd: 30,000
 
JAPAN: 15 Tsutomu Matsuda, 14 Lopeti Oto, 13 Akira Yoshida, 12 Yukio Motoki, 11 Yoshihito Yoshida, 10 Seiji Hirao, 9 Masami Horikoshi, 8 Sione Latu, 7 Sinali Latu, 6 Hiroyuki Kajihara, 5 Bruce Ferguson, 4 Yoshihiko Sakuraba, 3 Masanori Takura, 2 Masahiro Kunda (capt), 1 Osamu Ota.
Reserves: 16 Wataru Murata, 17 Katsuhiro Matsuo, 18 Kiyoshi Imaizumi, 19 Eiji Hirotsu, 20 Kazuaki Takahashi, 21 Kou Izawa–Nakamura.
Tries: Yoshihito Yoshida, Motoki, Sinali Latu, Oto, Sione Latu; Conversions: Yoshihito Yoshida (3); Penalty Goal: Yoshihito Yoshida.
 
RUMANIA: 15 Gheorghe Solomie, 14 I. Lician Colceriu, 13 Nicholae Racean (21 Vasile Brici 79), 12 Romeo S. Gontineac, 11 Ionel L. Rotaru, 10 Neculai Nichitean, 9 Vasile M. Flutur (19 Daniel Neaga 65), 8 Tiberiu E. Brinza (capt), 7 Alexandru Gealapu, 6 Catalin S. Draguceanu, 5 Traian Oroian (18 Ovidiu Slusariuc 71), 4 Constantin Cojocariu, 3 Leodor D. Costea, 2 Ionel Negreci (17 Valere Tufa 73), 1 Gheoghe Leonte.
Reserves: 16 Dragos Niculae, 20 Ilie Ivanciuc.
Penalty Goals: Nichitean (5); Drop Goals: Nichitean (2).
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 3min-try Japan, Y. Yoshida; conv. Y. Yoshida-7-0, 16min-pen Romania, Nichitean-7-3, 19min-drop goal Romania, Nichitean-7-6, 14min-pen Japan, Y. Yoshida-10-6, 30min-pen Romania, Nichitean-10-9, 36min-pen Romania, Nichitean-10-12, 39min-drop goal Romania, Nichitean-10-15, 40min-pen Japan, Y. Yoshida (missed), 40+min-pen Japan, Y. Yoshida (missed), Half-time, 45min-try Japan, Motoki; conv. Y. Yoshida-17-15, 49min-try Japan, Sinali Latu; conv. Y. Yoshida-24-15, 57min-pen Romania, Nichitean-24-18, 62min-pen Romania, Nichitean-24-21, 74min-try Japan, Oto; conv. Y. Yoshida (missed)-29-21, 81min-try Japan, Sione Latu; conv. Y. Yoshida (missed)-34-21.
 


Japan won a tight game against Romania in the third World Cup South African tournament tune-up test match. In this game, Seiji Hirao made a comeback as the stand-off and led the team well. Japan conceded no tries, five penalties, and two drop goals to Romania, won the game, and kick-started their way to the World Cup. Stand-off Hirao rhythmically passed the ball to the left and the right. The ball flow disturbed the opponent's defence because it was beyond their expectations. Japan pretended to pass the ball but ran away with it from the side of a ruck. The playmaker Hirao's return shed light on the way to the World Cup more than we expected. “I guess it was a good win. For me, it was 60 percent, but as a team, we played as intended. I wasn't afraid to take a risk. I thought only about attacking,” said Hirao, smiling with a face full of sweat. It has been three years and seven months since the last time he played in the national squad, and five years since he played as stand-off, but he has honed his ability as a game player since then.