Test Match No. 346: New Zealand third time comes to Japan

日本語 Photo Journal
3 November 2018; G: Ajinomoto Stadium; R: Matthew Carley (ENG)
●Japan 31-69 New Zealand○
 
Data:
3/11/2018, New Zealand 3rd Japan tour
Japan 31 New Zealand 69
Ajinomoto Stadium
Half-time 19-38
Refree: Mashoe Currey (ENG)
Crowd: 43,751
 
JAPAN: 15 Ryohei Yamanaka (22 Rikiya Matsuda 67), 14 Jamie Henry (23 Ryoto Nakamura 61), 13 William Tupou, 12 Timothy Lafaele, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Yutaka Nagare (21 Fumiaki Tanaka 49), 8 Hendrik Tui, 7 Kazuki Himeno, 6 Michael Leitch (capt), 5 Samuela Anise (19 Uwe Helu 65), 4 Wimpie Van Der Walt (20 Isileli Nkajima 49), 3 Hiroshi Yamashita (18 Asaeli Ai Valu 65), 2 Atsushi Sakate (16 Yusuke Niwai 65), 1 Keita Inagaki (17 Masataka Mikami 65).
Reserves:
Coach: Jamie Joseph.
Tries: Samuela, Tui, Lafaele (2), Jamie; Conversions: Tamura (3); Penalty Goals:
 
New Zealand: 15 Jordie Barrett, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder (23 George Bridge 40), 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Waisake Naholo (22 Brett Cameron 71), 10 Richie Mo'unga, 9 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi (21 Mitchell Drummond 58), 8 Luke Whaitelock, 7 Dalton Papalii (19 DillonHunt 58), 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Jackson Hemopo, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (Gareth Evans 54), 3 Angus Ta'Avao (18 Tyrel Lomax 58), 2 Dane Coles (16 Liam Coltman 54),1 Ofa Tuungafasi (17 Tim Perry 54).
Reserves:
Coach: Steve Hansen.
Tries: Dane Coles, Richie Mo'unga, Ngani Laumape (3), Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, George Bridge(2), Waisake Naholo, Matt Proctor.
Conversions: Richie Mo'unga (7), Jordie Barrett; Penalty Goals: Richie Mo'unga.
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 3min-Pen NZ, Richie Mo'unga-0-3, 4min-try Japan, Samuela Anise; conv. Yu Tamura-7-3, 15min-try NZ, Dane Coles; conv. Richie Mo'unga-7-10, 19min-try NZ, Richie Mo'unga; conv. Richie Mo'unga-7-17, 28min-try NZ, Ngani Laumape; conv. Richie Mo'unga-7-24, 33min-try Japan, Hendrik Tui; conv. Yu Tamura-14-24, 35min-try NZ, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi; conv. Richie Mo'unga-14-31, 38min-try NZ, Ngani Laumape; conv. Richie Mo'unga-14-38, 41min-try Japan, Timothy Lafaele; conv. Yu Tamura (missed)-19-38, 47min-try NZ, George Bridge; conv. Richie Mo'unga-19-45, 52min-try Japan, Jamie Henry; conv. Yu Tamura (missed)-24-45, 57min-try NZ, Waisake Naholo; conv. Richie Mo'unga (missed)-24-50, 60min-try NZ, Matt Proctor; conv. Richie Mo'unga-24-57, 63min-try NZ, Ngani Laumape; conv. Jordie Barrett-24-64, 67min-try NZ, George Bridge; conv. Jordie Barrett(missed)-24-69, 70min-try Japan, Timothy Lafaele; conv. Yu Tamura-31-69.
 


In the 4th minute of the match, Japan conceded the opening penalty goal and scored a try as planned. Stand-off Yu Tamura threw the ball high up in the air to the center accurately. Captain and number 6 Michael Leitch fought patiently and was unpleasant to scrum-half Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi. Japan's lineout attacked a return kick by full-back Jordie Barrett. Anise Samuela charged and scored a try, hooking his hand. Such a team who scored “a no whistle try” also from a restart against All Blacks was unusual. This was a result of their proficiency in “pressure from a kick” which they had improved under Jamie Joseph.
In the 15th minute, Japan's style conceded a try when fighting back. There was a ruck around the middle and scrum-half Yutaka Nagare had a punt to the edge of the right touchline. Everything up until this point was as expected. However, disturbances then occurred to the flow of the match. Number 12 Lafaele Timothy who chased the ball first hit his head when contacting, and was not able to run back, so he was late to return. The All Blacks attacked the defense line with a hole immediately. They carried the ball to the far right and made a gain along the right line easily. With several phases of attacking, hooker Dane Coles ran into the left in-goal. A try in the same structure appeared also in the 20th minute of the second half. Japan made a high kick from their own territory, full-back Ryohei Yamanaka chased and fell down. However, he got his leg injured slightly here. A delay was occurred in returning to the backs. The All Blacks moved the ball to the right and left and made a kick pass which went across the field to the left widely. George Bridge, who subbed in, grabbed the ball, immediately kicked it forward and down, then caught it by himself and passed it to support and number 13 Matt Proctor.
Japan number 7 Kazuki Himeno, who cast a light in fighting for the ball and rushing in, said, “Simple and robust. The accuracy of our skills is high.” The comment by scrum-half Fumiaki Tanaka, who subbed in, was also similar, “What they do is not that special. Rather, they play just in a way they should play always. They are similar to Ireland (Japan fought against them last year). All of their players do their own work completely.”
31-69, the number of tries 5 to 10. It was not a close match, but it was not boring either. We must not be too optimistic, but we should not be pessimistic. In the 12th minute of the second half, Japan moved forward little by little with Tanaka's good lead, Tamura received a pass while coming around to right, and made a kick which was as if he had placed the ball on the ground carefully. Henry Jamie, who was the first cap, was born in Auckland, and graduated from Rissho University, predicted “a kick pass with advantage” and entrapped the right corner. The best moment of Japan came after the 25th minute of the match. Left wing Kenki Fukuoka caught up with from the opponent's number 14 Waisake Naholo from behind, got up, came around behind, and made a turnover. It was a demonstration of world class responses and skills.