Test Match No. 305: Japan tour Europe, game 1

日本語 Photo Journal
15 November 2014; G: Bucharest (National S); R: Stuart Berry (SA)
○Japan 18-13 Romania●
 
Data:
15/11/2014, European tour 2014 1st Match
Japan 18 Romania 13
Bukarest National Stadium, Romania
Half-time 9 - 10
Refree: Stuart Bary (SA)
Crowd: 2,715
 
JAPAN: 15 Ayumu Goromaru, 14 Karne Hesketh (23 Toshiaki Hirose 74), 13 Kotaro Matsushima, 12 Male Sa'u, 11 Akihito Yamada (22 Harumichi Tatekawa 38), 10 Kosei Ono, 9 Atsushi Hiwasa, 8 Amanaki Lelei Mafi, 7 Michael Leitch (capt) (20 Hayden Hopgood 50), 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Shinya Makabe (19 Hitoshi Ono 65), 4 Shoji Ito, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama (18 Hiroshi Yamashita 80), 2 Takeshi Kizu (17 Hiroki Yuhara 81), 1 Masataka Mikami (16 Keita Inagaki 62).
Reserves: 21 Yuki Yatomi.
Coach: Eddie Jones.
Penalty Goals: Goromaru (6).
 
ROMANIA: 15 Catalin Fercu (22 Luke Samoa 62), 14 Dorin Manole, 13 Csaba Gal, 12 Robert Dascalu, 11 Ionut Botezatu (22 Florin Ionita 75), 10 Florin Vlaicu, 9 Valentin Calafeteanu, 8 Daniel Carpo (20 Stelian Burcea 38), 7 Mihai Macovei (capt), 6 Ovidiu Tonita (19 Alin Coste 59), 5 Valentin Poparlan, 4 Marius Sirbe (13, 23), 3 Ion Paulica (18 Horatiu Pungea 66), 2 Andrei Radoi (16 Otar Turashvili 55), 1 Andrei Ursache (17 Mihaita Lazar 71).
Reserves: 21 Grigoras Diaconescu, 23 Robert Neagu.
Coach: Lynn Howells.
Tries: Penalty try; Conversions: Florin Vlaicu; Penalty Goals: Florin Vlaicu (2).
Yellow Cards: Marius Sirbe (13, sin-bin).
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 14min-pen Japan, Ayumu Goromaru-3-0, 17min-pen Romania, Florin Vlaicu-3-3, 27min-try Romania, Penalty try; conv. Florin Vlaicu-3-10, 32min-pen Japan, Ayumu Goromaru-6-10, 42min-pen Japan, Ayumu Goromaru-9-10, 47min-pen Japan, Ayumu Goromaru-12-10, 57min-pen Japan, Ayumu Goromaru-15-10, 80min-pen Japan, Ayumu Goromaru-18-10, 83min-pen Romania, Florin Vlaicu-18-13.
 


In the 8th minute of the first half, wing Karne Hesketh jumped into the right corner of Rumania's goal, responding to a grubber kick by stand-off Kosei Ono, but unfortunately incurring a knock-on. Japan missed a chance by incurring a penalty in this first scrum. “Set pieces and discipline.” was what Flanker Michael Leitch had said. Nevertheless, Japan incurred a penalty in a scrum, and in the 27th minute, Romania scored a penalty try from a scrum. Prop Masataka Mikami didn't seem to be shocked, saying “We attacked and turned, then incurred the penalty. I didn't feel we had lost.” Actually, after that, there were no scenes where Japan was overwhelmed in a scrum until the match ended. Japan had an advantage in lineouts such as when they took opponent's third ball. For set pieces, it could be said that they got a passing mark.
On the other hand, for discipline, even while Japan made lots of mistakes in the beginning under the conditions unfamiliar to them, such as the low temperature which was almost below zero, and the soft and damp pitch, they took control with an overwhelming ball keeping rate, and full-back Ayumu Goromaru scored six penalty goals in the first and second halves in a fighting way, to test match specifications, to aim possible penalty goals effectively. Also, in defense, there were almost no scenes in which Japan's line was broken. Japan maintained a stable play for 80 minutes to win 18-13.