Test Match No.352: World Cup 2019 Warm Up Test Match

日本語 Photo Journal
6 September 2019: G: Kumagaya Rugby Stadium; R: Nic Berry (AUS)
●Japan 7-41 South Africa○
 
Data:
6/9/2019, World Cup 2019 Warm Up Test Match
Japan 7 – RSA 41
Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Japan
Half-time 0-22
Refree: Nic Berry (Australia)
Crowd: 22,258
 
JAPAN: 15 William Tupou, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Kenki Fukuoka (23 Ataata Moeakiola 4) (22 Rikiya Matsuda 66), 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Kaito Shigeno (21 Yutaka Nagare 54), 8 Amanaki Lelei Mafi (20 Yoshitaka Tokunaga 47), 6 Michael Leitch (capt), 5 Uwe Helu (19 James Moore 56), 4 Luke Thompson, 3 Jiwon Koo (18 Asaeli Ai Valu 40), 2 Atsushi Sakate (16 Takuya Kitade 72), 1 Keita Inagaki (17 Isileli Nakajima 61).
Reserves:
Coach: Jamie Joseph.
Tries: Kotaro Matsuchima; Conversions: Yu Tamura; Penalty Goals:.
Yellow Cards:
 
RSA: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am (23 Jesse Kriel 64), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard (22 Frans Steyn 60), 9 Faf de Klerk (21 Herschel Jantjies 66), 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph Du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (Capt) (20 Francois Louw 66), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth (19 RG Snyman 70), 3 Frans Malherbe (18 Trevor Nyakane 51) (3 Frans Malherbe 64), 2 Malcolm Marx (16 Bongi Mbonambi 54), 1 Steven Kitshoff (17 Tendai Mtawarira 54)
Reserves:
Coach:
Tries: Cheslin Kolbe (2), Makazole Mapimpi (3), Herschel Jantjies; Conversions: Handre Pollard (2), Frans Steyn (2); Penalty Goals: Handre Pollard.
 
Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first): 7min-try RSA Cheslin Kolbe; conv. Handre Pollard-0-7, 9min-try RSA Makazole Mapimpi; conv. Handre Pollard-0-14, 22min-try RSA Makazole Mapimpi; conv. Handre Pollard (missed)-0-19, 39min-Pen RSA, Handre Pollard-0-22, 53min-try RSA Makazole Mapimpi; conv. Handre Pollard (missed)-0-27, 72min-try Japan, Kotaro Matsushima; conv. Yu Tamura-7-27, 73min-try RSA Cheslin Kolbe; conv. Frans Steyn -7-34, 79min-try RSA Herschel Jantjies; conv. Frans Steyn -7-41
 


Japan held an RWC tune-up game with South Africa at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium located in the hottest place in Japan, Kumagaya, Saitama. The highest daytime temperature reached 33 degrees C (91.4 degrees F). At the kick-off time, 7:15 PM, the temperature was dropped to 28 degrees C (82.4 degrees F), but everybody was laced with sweat. On this day, 22,258 spectators flocked to Kumagaya Rugby Stadium which will also be used as one venue for the RWC. At the time of singing the national anthems just before the match began, the members of Kumagaya Rugby Choral Group stood up and sang the national anthem of South Africa together with the South African supporters.
The match itself was quite tough for an RWC tune-up game of Japan. The Springboks fully demonstrated their top-notch world class performance and stood in front of Japan as a huge wall, as they revived their powerful offensive strength as well as ironclad defense that they showed in the 6th RWC (2007) where they won the cup. Pressuring Japan with their heavy scrum, South Africa spread out very wide and made their first try. This try was followed by consecutive tries produced from a maul or ruck that was formed at where the ball landed from a high punt and kick to charge Japan. South Africa thoroughly dedicated themselves to develop their firm offensive structure without taking risk caused by unnecessarily spreading out their formation. They totally overpower Japan taking turnovers based on their secure and tenacious defense.
Finding that Japan's Achilles heel was in their weak response to kicks, the Springboks completely stopped Japan's engine for developing by using their powerful defense. Japan did quite well by staying defensive enduring the attacks of South Africa with scrums. However, Japan tended to delay in defending aerial attacks from South Africa, which steadily prevented Japan from counterattacking. With South Africa's charge, Japan made mistakes in passing the ball which resulted in allowing several tries.
Sadly, Japan was clamped down by South Africa with only one try made by WTB Matsushima (with successful conversion by Tamura) in the 72nd minute. Japan learned a lot from this match.