Test Match No. 337: Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2017, game 1

日本語 Photo Journal
10 June 2017; G: Kumamoto (Egao Kenkou S); R: Alexandre Ruiz (FRA)
○Japan 33-21 Romania●
 
Data:
10/6/2017, Romania 2nd Japan tour
Japan 33 Romania 21
Egao-Kenko Stadium, Kumamoto
Half-time: 23-9
Referee: Alexander Louis (FRA)
Crowd: 18,585
 
JAPAN: 15 Ryuji Noguchi, 14 Akihito Yamada, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Derek Carpenter (23 Kotaro Matsushima 73), 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Jumpei Ogura (22 Yu Tamura 66), 9 Fumiaki Tanaka (21 Keisuke Uchida 66), 8 Amanaki Lelei Mafi (20 Hendrik Tui 57), 7 Yoshitaka Tokunaga, 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Uwe Helu (19 Yuya Odo 66), 4 Kotaro Yatabe, 3 Takuma Asahara (18 Heiichiro Ito 57) (62, 72), 2 Shota Horie (capt) (16 Yusuke Niwai 70), 1 Koki Yamamoto (17 Keita Inagaki 40).
Reserves:
Coach: Jamie Joseph.
Tries: Yamada, Fukuoka, Leitch; Conversions: Ogura (3); Penalty Goals: Ogura (4).
Yellow Cards: Ito (62, sin-bin).
 
ROMANIA: 15 Sabin Stratila (22 Luke Samoa 62), 14 Fonovai Tangimana, 13 Paula Kinikinilau, 12 Sione Fakaosilea, 11 Jack Cobden (23 Ionut Dumitru 61), 10 Florin Vlaicu, 9 Florin Surugiu, 8 Mihai Macovei (capt), 7 Viorel Lucaci, 6 Andrei Gorcioaia (20 Vlad Nistor 70), 5 Marius Antonescu (19 Valentin Poparian 53), 4 Johannes Van Herden, 3 Andrei Ursache (18 Alexandru Tarus 76), 2 Otar Turashvili (16 Andrei Radoi 66), 1 Ionel Badiu (17 Constantin Pristavita 57).
Reserves: 21 Tudorel Bratu.
Coach: Lynn Howells.
Tries: Mihai Macovei, Fonovai Tangimana; Conversions: Florin Vlaicu; Penalty Goals: Florin Vlaicu (3).
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 3min-pen Romania, Florin Vlaicu-0-3, 5min-pen Romania, Florin Vlaicu-0-6, 12min-try Japan, Akihito Yamada; conv. Jumpei Ogura-7-6, 19min-Pen Japan, Jumpei Ogura-10-6, 23min-Pen Japan, Jumpei Ogura-13-6, 30min-pen Romania, Florin Vlaicu-13-9, 33min-Pen Japan, Jumpei Ogura-16-9, 37min-try Japan, Kenki Fukuoka; conv. Jumpei Ogura-23-9, 41min-try Japan, Michael Leitch; conv. Jumpei Ogura-30-9, 52min-Pen Japan, Jumpei Ogura-33-9, 55min-try Romania, Mihai Macovei; conv. Florin Vlaicu (missed)-33-14, 65min-try Romania, Fonovai Tangimana; conv. Florin Vlaicu-33-21.
 


In the beginning, movement of Japan's players was stiff, and Japan conceded two penalty goals to Romania from their penalties. Players who broke this heavy flow were the Japan national members for the World Cup 2015. In the 12th minute, hooker Shota Horie tackled to put the ball in touch, then scrum-half Fumiaki Tanaka got the ball and did a quick throw in. The ball went to the backs quickly, and was then passed from stand-off Jumpei Ogura to full-back Ryuji Noguchi. Centre Lafaele Timothy received a pass from Noguchi and rolled a punt, then wing Akihito Yamada responded to this. He avoided the opponent who approached him and jumped in the in-goal. Ogura scored a conversion to come from behind 7-6. The team regained their calm as they scored by switching from defending and executed the unstructured attack they were aiming for. After that, Japan kept stopping Romania's attacks, who were stronger in size, and Ogura scored an additional two penalty goals. In the 37th minute, Japan built 11th phases from a lineout, and at the end, wing Kenki Fukuoka scored a try with a body turn. The first half ended with a score of 23-9.
Also in the 1st minute of the second half, Ogura passed the ball to flanker Michael Leitch from a lineout, who remained in the backs line and rushed in in an excellent timing. Leitch ran out almost 20 meters and scored a try. The score gap was widened to 30-9. Before the match, the Japan side had predicted “The opponent will be tired in the second half.” (head coach Joseph) Actually, even while Romania “was not able to even speak due to the humidity from the 20th to 30th minutes of the first half,” (head coach Lynn Howells), they really regained their power in the second half. After widening the lead to 33-9, Japan conceded their goal easily after Romania formed a lineoutmaul in front of Japan's goal (in the 15th minute). In the 22nd minute, prop Heiichiro Ito was sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes due to a deliberate penalty. Just after this, Romania chose a scrum from a penalty in front of the goal. Wing Fonovai Tangimana entrapped the in-goal. With this double T1G, the lead of 24 points was narrowed to 12 points very quickly. Past the 30th minute, a “Japan call” came to Japan, who were fighting with their own goal behind them. After that, with calm plays by stand-off Yu Tamura and other player who subbed in, Japan got out of their own territory, and managed to avoid a come-from-behind loss.