日本語 Photo Journal
20 May 2000 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
●Japan 22-47 Fiji○
Newly formed Japan XV, with an average age of 24.9, lost their debut game
Data:
20/05/2000, the 5th EPSON CUP Pacific Rim Championship
Japan 22 Fiji 47
Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground, Tokyo
Half-time: 14-25
Referee: Masunu Tuisila (Samoa)
Touch Judges: 1st Sinsuke Shimoi (Japan), 2nd Masahiro Sakuraoka (apan), 3rd Hideomi Miyahara (Kanto)
Crowd: 7,000
JAPAN: 15 Koji Fukuoka, 14 Daisuke Ohata (22 Toru Kurihara 78), 13 Akira Yoshida, 12 Hideki Nanba (21 Shotaro onishi 71), 11 Terunori Masuho (capt), 10 Keiji Hirose, 9 Yuji Sonoda, 8 Masahiro Kurokawa, 7 Yashunori Watanabe (19 Kazuya Koizumi 64), 6 Hiroshi Sugawara, 5 Karl Todd (18 Hiroyuki Tanuma 53), 4 Naoya 'Katsuo' Okubo, 3 Masahiko Toyoyama (17 Kohei Oguchi 46), 2 Shin Hasegawa, 1 Toshikazu Nakamichi.
Reserves: 16 Yashuhiko Iwama, 20 Mamoru Ito.
Tries: Ohata (2); Penalty Goals: Hirose (4).
FIJI: 15 Jone Waqa, 14 Saimoni Rokini, 13 Kameli Tilalati, 12 Sililo Lala Ragata (21 Seru Rabeni 73), 11 Imanueli Tikomaimakogai (22 Alipate Naqaya 56), 10 Nicky Little, 9 Masese Rauluni (20 Seremaia Baikeinuku 74), 8 Inoke Male, 7 Sailosi Naiteqe, 6 Alifereti Doviverata (19 Jope Tuikabe 64), 5 Simon Naiteqe (capt), 4 Emori Katalau (18 Itaitia Tuisese, Jr. 76), 3 Joeli Veitayaki (17 Bill Godolo 74), 2 Isaia Rasila (16 Peniasi Damu 74), 1 Paula Biu.
Tries: Katalau (2), Rauluni, Rokini, Waqa, Tuikabe; Conversions: Little (4); Penalty Goals: Little (3).
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 1min-try Fiji, Rauluni; conv. Little-0-7, 8min-pen Fiji, Little-0-10, 10min-pen Japan, Hirose-3-10, 15min-pen Fiji, Little-3-13, 17min-pen Fiji, Little (missed), 23min-pen Japan, Hirose-6-13, 26min-try Fiji, Rokini; conv. Little-6-20, 28min-pen Japan, Hirose-9-20, 31min-try Fiji, Katalau; conv. Little (missed)-9-25, 36min-try Japan, Ohata; conv. Hirose (missed)-14-25, Half-time, 43min-try Fiji, Katalau; conv. Little (missed)-14 -30, 48min-pen Japan, Hirose-17-30, 58min-try Japan, Ohata; conv. Hirose (missed)-22-30, 63min-pen Fiji, Little-22-33, 70min-try Fiji, Waqa; conv. Little-22-40, 72min-try Fiji, Tuikabe; conv. Little-22-47.
Hirao remained as the coach after the World Cup, but his challenge to match Fiji with new members (seven players gained their first cap in this match) and with tactics failed. Stand-off Hirose scored three penalties in the first half. Ohata scored a try from a quick deployment to make it 14-25 in the 36th minute. Ohata scored another try from consecutive possessions in the 18th minute of the second half to cut Fiji's lead to 8 points. However, they conceded two tries after that due to mistakes such as interception, and lost the match 22-47. The fans visiting the stadium in the rain might have felt a little empty because many of the key players of the last year had been replaced. The Pacific Rim Championship is held every year, so I believe it is possible to use older, more experienced players and younger ones together, and replace the former with the latter only when their ability diminishes. I want the Japanese national squad to remember that fans are here to see the “strong Japan”, last year's champion.
20 May 2000 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
●Japan 22-47 Fiji○
Newly formed Japan XV, with an average age of 24.9, lost their debut game
Data:
20/05/2000, the 5th EPSON CUP Pacific Rim Championship
Japan 22 Fiji 47
Prince Chichibu Memorial Ground, Tokyo
Half-time: 14-25
Referee: Masunu Tuisila (Samoa)
Touch Judges: 1st Sinsuke Shimoi (Japan), 2nd Masahiro Sakuraoka (apan), 3rd Hideomi Miyahara (Kanto)
Crowd: 7,000
JAPAN: 15 Koji Fukuoka, 14 Daisuke Ohata (22 Toru Kurihara 78), 13 Akira Yoshida, 12 Hideki Nanba (21 Shotaro onishi 71), 11 Terunori Masuho (capt), 10 Keiji Hirose, 9 Yuji Sonoda, 8 Masahiro Kurokawa, 7 Yashunori Watanabe (19 Kazuya Koizumi 64), 6 Hiroshi Sugawara, 5 Karl Todd (18 Hiroyuki Tanuma 53), 4 Naoya 'Katsuo' Okubo, 3 Masahiko Toyoyama (17 Kohei Oguchi 46), 2 Shin Hasegawa, 1 Toshikazu Nakamichi.
Reserves: 16 Yashuhiko Iwama, 20 Mamoru Ito.
Tries: Ohata (2); Penalty Goals: Hirose (4).
FIJI: 15 Jone Waqa, 14 Saimoni Rokini, 13 Kameli Tilalati, 12 Sililo Lala Ragata (21 Seru Rabeni 73), 11 Imanueli Tikomaimakogai (22 Alipate Naqaya 56), 10 Nicky Little, 9 Masese Rauluni (20 Seremaia Baikeinuku 74), 8 Inoke Male, 7 Sailosi Naiteqe, 6 Alifereti Doviverata (19 Jope Tuikabe 64), 5 Simon Naiteqe (capt), 4 Emori Katalau (18 Itaitia Tuisese, Jr. 76), 3 Joeli Veitayaki (17 Bill Godolo 74), 2 Isaia Rasila (16 Peniasi Damu 74), 1 Paula Biu.
Tries: Katalau (2), Rauluni, Rokini, Waqa, Tuikabe; Conversions: Little (4); Penalty Goals: Little (3).
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 1min-try Fiji, Rauluni; conv. Little-0-7, 8min-pen Fiji, Little-0-10, 10min-pen Japan, Hirose-3-10, 15min-pen Fiji, Little-3-13, 17min-pen Fiji, Little (missed), 23min-pen Japan, Hirose-6-13, 26min-try Fiji, Rokini; conv. Little-6-20, 28min-pen Japan, Hirose-9-20, 31min-try Fiji, Katalau; conv. Little (missed)-9-25, 36min-try Japan, Ohata; conv. Hirose (missed)-14-25, Half-time, 43min-try Fiji, Katalau; conv. Little (missed)-14 -30, 48min-pen Japan, Hirose-17-30, 58min-try Japan, Ohata; conv. Hirose (missed)-22-30, 63min-pen Fiji, Little-22-33, 70min-try Fiji, Waqa; conv. Little-22-40, 72min-try Fiji, Tuikabe; conv. Little-22-47.
Hirao remained as the coach after the World Cup, but his challenge to match Fiji with new members (seven players gained their first cap in this match) and with tactics failed. Stand-off Hirose scored three penalties in the first half. Ohata scored a try from a quick deployment to make it 14-25 in the 36th minute. Ohata scored another try from consecutive possessions in the 18th minute of the second half to cut Fiji's lead to 8 points. However, they conceded two tries after that due to mistakes such as interception, and lost the match 22-47. The fans visiting the stadium in the rain might have felt a little empty because many of the key players of the last year had been replaced. The Pacific Rim Championship is held every year, so I believe it is possible to use older, more experienced players and younger ones together, and replace the former with the latter only when their ability diminishes. I want the Japanese national squad to remember that fans are here to see the “strong Japan”, last year's champion.