Test Match No. 127: The 3rd Rugby World Cup (South Africa), game 2

日本語 Photo Journal
31 May 1995 in Bloemfontein
●Japan 28-50 Ireland○
Japan came up short in power
 
Data:
27/05/95, the 3rd WC Pool C
Japan 10 Wales 57
Free State Stadium, Springbok Park, Bloemfontein
Half-time: 0-36
Referee: Efraim Jorge Sklar (Argentina)
Touch Judges: Stephen R. ('Steve') Hilditch (Ireland), Claudio Giacomel (Italy)
Crowd: 25,000
 
JAPAN: 15 Tsutomu Matsuda, 14 Lopeti Oto, 13 Akira Yoshida, 12 Yukio Motoki, 11 Terunori Masuho, 10 Seiji Hirao, 9 Masami Horikoshi, 8 Sione Latu, 7 Sinali Latu, 6 Hiroyuki Kajihara, 5 Bruce Ferguson, 4 Yoshihiko Sakuraba, 3 Kazuaki Takahashi, 2 Masahiro Kunda (capt), 1 Osamu Ota.
Reserves: 16 Wataru Murata, 17 Katsuhiro Matsuo, 18 Kiyoshi Imaizumi, 19 Eiji Hirotsu, 20 Masanori Takura, 21 Kou Izawa-Nakamura.
Tries: Oto (2).
 
WALES: 15 Anthony ('Tony') Clement, 14 Ieuan Cenydd Evans, 13 Michael Robert Hall (capt), 12 Neil Roger Jenkins, 11 Gareth Thomas, 10 Adrian Davies (17 David Wyn Evans 57), 9 Andrew Philip ('Andy') Moore, 8 Emyr Wyn Lewis, 7 Hemi Takatou Taylor, 6 Sruart Davies, 5 Gareth Owen Llewellyn, 4 Derwyn Jones (19 W. Stuart Roy 72), 3 John David Davies, 2 Garin Richard Jenkins, 1 Michael ('Mike') Griffiths.
Reserves: 16 Wayne Thomas Proctor, 18 Robert Nicholas Jones, 20 Ricky Evans, 21 Jonathan Matthew Humphreys.
Tries: Thomas (3), I. Evans (2), Moore, Taylor; Conversions: N. Jenkins (5); Penalty Goals: N. Jenkins (4).
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 3min-pen Wales, Jenkins-0-3, 9min-pen Wales, Jenkins-0-6, 14min-pen Japan, Masuho (missed), 18min-pen Japan, Masuho (missed), 22min-pen Wales, Jenkins-0-9, 25min-try Wales, Moore; conv. Jenkins-0-16, 28min-try Wales, Evans; conv. Jenkins-0-23, 28min-pen Wales, Jenkins-0-26, 39min-try Wales, Evans; conv. Jenkins (missed)-0-31, 42min-try Wales, Thomas; conv. Jenkins (missed)-0-36, Half-time, 43min-try Wales, Thomas; conv. Jenkins-0-43, 61min-try Japan, Oto; conv. Masuho (missed)-5-43, 73min-try Wales, Thomas; conv. Jenkins-5-50, 76min-try Wales, Taylor; conv. Jenkins-5-57, 83min-try Japan, Oto; conv. Masuho (missed)-10-57.
 


Japan fought well against Ireland with its characteristic fast-paced sequence of attacks, but regrettably could not win the game. They still lack basic elements. Japan conceded two penalty tries by being pushed in the scrum. They still don't have the power to fight neck and neck with the world-class teams. They need two or three players to tackle down an opponent, too. Good tactics are useless when they cannot gain possession of the ball. Surprise attacks and manipulative techniques can work sometimes, but everyone in the team should have physical strength to endure the pressure from the opponent, even when they go by a straight method. Coaches should raise young players not just domestically, but to be world-class based on a long-term perspective. They should work hard on the good old Japanese tradition of technical innovation without hesitating to apply new strategies and tricks.