29 October 2022: G: National Stadium (Japan); R: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
●Japan 31-38 NZ○
Data:
29/10/2022, Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2022
Japan 31 – 38 NZ
National Stadium, Japan
Half-time 17 - 21
Refree: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Crowd: 65,188
JAPAN: 15 Ryohei Yamanaka, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Ryoto Nakamura , 11 Siosaia Fifita (23 Gerhard Van Den Heever 57), 10 Takuya Yamasawa (22 Seungshin Lee 49), 9 Yutaka Nagare (21 Naoto Saito 62), 8 Tevita Tatafu (20 Faulua Makishi 49), 7 Kazuki Himeno 6 Michael Leitch (19 Kanji Shimokawa 62), 5 Jack Cornelsen 4 Warner Dearns , 3 Jiwon Koo (18 Shuhei Takeuchi 72), 2 Atsushi Sakate (capt), 1 Keita Inagaki (17 Craig Millar 48).
Reserves:
HIA:
Coach: Jamie Joseph.
Tries: Takuya Yamasawa, Yutaka Nagare, Warner Dearns, Kazuki Himeno; Conversions: Takuya Yamasawa (2), Seungshin Lee (2); Penalty Goals: Takuya Yamasawa
Yellow Cards:
NZ: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Braydon Ennor (23 Anton Lienert-Brown 62), 12 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (22 David Havili 70), 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Richie Mo'unga , 9 Finlay Christie (21 Aaron Smith 62 ), 8 Hoskins Sotutu (20 Dalton Papalii 67), 7 Sam Cane (capt), 6 Shannon Frizell (19 Patrick Tuipulotu 63), 5 Tupou Vaa'i, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Nepo Laulala (18 Tyrel Lomax 55), 2 Samisoni Taukei'aho (16 Codie Taylor 55), 1 George Bower (17 Ofa Tu'ungafasi 55).
Reserves:
Coach:.
Tries: Brodie Retallick, Braydon Ennor, Sevu Reece, Caleb Clarke, Hoskins Sotutu ; Conversions: Richie Mo'unga (5); Penalty Goals: Richie Mo'unga
Red Cards: Brodie Retallick (Dangerous play)
Scoring sequence (Japan’s score shown first): 11min-try NZ, Brodie Retallick-0-5; conv. Richie Mo'unga-0-7, 19min-pen Japan, Takuya Yamasawa-3-7, 26min-try NZ, Braydon Ennor-3-12;conv.Richie Mo'unga-3-14, 32 min-try NZ, Sevu Reece-3-19; conv. Richie Mo'unga-3-21, 37min-try Japan, Takuya Yamasawa-8-21; conv. Takuya Yamasawa-10-21, 40min-try Japan, Yutaka Nagare-15-21; conv. Takuya Yamasawa-17-21, 42min-try NZ, Caleb Clarke-17-26; conv. Richie Mo'unga-17-28, 56min-try Japan, Warner Dearns-22-28;conv. Seungshin Lee-24-28, 61min-try NZ, Hoskins Sotutu-24-33; conv. Richie Mo'unga-24-35, 79min-try Japan, Kazuki Himeno-29-35; conv. Seungshin Lee-31-35, 83min-pen NZ, Richie Mo'unga-31-38
The first match against the New Zealand national team (All Blacks) in four years must have been an exciting one for the 65,188 people who filled the National Stadium, as well as the rugby fans watching on TV. Japan has lost all six of its matches, has had two 100-point games, and has never conceded less than 50 points. However, in recent years, the gap in ability has narrowed significantly, and Japan's physical and mental complexes are gradually disappearing. Even before the All Blacks' traditional, powerful haka before the match, Japan captain Sakate and former captain Leitch had fearless smiles on their faces.
At Japan's kickoff, Yamazawa kicked a high, straight ball near the 22m line of the opponent's territory. Fifita, who took the lead, stabbed the New Zealand receiver, and Leitch supported him. Japan continued to attack, pushing the New Zealand national team into the New Zealand territory. Japan responded to the physically superior New Zealand with a double tackle that they had honed in practice, stopping the opponent's momentum. After several attacks, Mo'unga was forced to try to regain the territory with a kick. Japan's lineout was also well organized, with Leitch, Warner and Cornelsen securing the ball. In the 6th minute of the first half, Japan's backs made successive attacks, and the forwards took consecutive rucks, swinging the New Zealanders from side to side. Tatafu received a return pass from Himeno on the left side and ran alone in a free run. He passed the ball to Nagare who supported him, but the final support was a step too late, and he was tackled by New Zealand and lost the chance.
In the 8th minute of the first half, Japan's forward knocked on after receiving a pass from Yamanaka during a counter attack. New Zealand never misses such an opportunity. They played well and kicked the ball in front of the Japanese goal. Yamazawa, the only one to return, kicked the ball to the dead goal line to prevent a pinch. However, the game resumed with a 5m scrum with New Zealand ball. New Zealand's No. 8 approached the goal with a side attack, but dropped the ball. Warner picked it up and moved forward to make a ruck, and Yamanaka's touch kick brought them back to 10m in the Japanese territory. However, in the 11th minute, New Zealand went on the offensive again, playing to the left from a lineout, and the forward ran vertically near the center and make a ruck. The ball was played to the right, and the Japanese DF was confused by a loop, and in a situation where they could not make a double tackle, New Zealand's No. 2 Taukeiaho escaped Warner's tackle and ran in all at once, and Retallick, who was free to support him, easily scored a try (Mo'unga's goal was also scored, making it 0-7). However, the Japanese team was not at all hesitant, repeatedly making double tackles, and when they got the ball, they all launched bold attacks. In the 19th minute, a Japanese attack induced a foul from New Zealand, and Yamazawa easily scored a penalty goal in the center of the 22m line to make the score 3-7. In the 21st minute, New Zealand then moved left from a maul after a right lineout inside the Japanese 22m line. SO Mo'unga's chip kick was brilliantly caught by No. 13 Enoh and ran into the in-goal. Just when it seemed a try was sure to be scored, backup Matsushima made a tackle, and together with Yamanaka, they brilliantly saved the try without allowing the ball to be grounded. However, New Zealand's momentum did not subside, and in the 26th minute, New Zealand moved left in front of the Japanese goal, and Japan steadily made one-on-one tackles, but New Zealand's skillful offload pass kept the ball alive, and in the end No. 13 Enoh was free to score a try (Mo'unga's goal was also scored, making the score 3-14). In the 32nd minute, New Zealand threw a long ball to No. 12, who ran in from a lineout on the right of the halfway line, and the moment he caught it, he passed it to No. 14, Sevu Reece, who ran inside. Japan's defense was cut apart by a brilliant sign play, and they easily conceded a try (Mo'unga's goal made it 3-21). Even after the kickoff resumed, New Zealand's offensive continued. They won consecutive rucks from their own 22m, repeated phases, and regained their position to the Japanese 22m. If they had conceded a try here, the outcome of the game might have been decided. However, the well-trained Japanese national team did not let their spirits down even in this disadvantageous situation, and when Caleb Clarke charged, Himeno, who had been looking for a chance to play the jackal, immediately seized the ball, and from here Japan's counter attack began. Japan started a ruck in the center of their own 22m line with Nagare, Gu, and Warner, who then powerfully advanced 15m to a ruck, which was passed to Nagare, Yamazawa, Yamanaka, and Riley on a brilliant shallow line, and Riley kicked it into the enemy's line. Riley and Yamanaka got involved with the ball that was dropped by NZ's No. 15 Perofeta, and Yamazawa carried the loose ball forward with a brilliant dribble, and finally caught the floating ball in front of the goal and rushed into the in-goal for a try (Yamazawa's goal was successful, making it 10-21). After the kickoff, NZ committed a foul, and Yamazawa's touch kick put them in the right of the enemy's line. From there, Japan went on the offensive, shaking them left and right, and in the 39th minute, Nagare, Sakate, and Inagaki connected with a ruck from a ruck on the left of the enemy's 22m line. The ball was passed to Nagare, Nakamura, and Fifita, who tried to kick it behind, but it was charged. However, Yamazawa picked up the ball that was bounced back and passed it to Yamanaka on the left, who attracted the disorganized New Zealand defense and passed it to Nakamura, who then passed it to Riley, who ran alone along the left line and finally sent a backflip pass to Nagare who was following on the inside, who scored a try (Yamazawa's goal was successful, making it 17-21) to end the first half. Instead of immediately returning to the bench, the Japanese national team formed a circle on the field to unify their intentions for the second half.
However, early in the second half, New Zealand entered the Japanese half and launched an attack with all players. Two minutes into the second half, No. 1 made a vertical run from a ruck 10m inside the Japanese half, and the ball was passed to the left, where it was passed to Sam Cane, Sheck, and Caleb Clark, who blew off the tackles of the two Japanese players one after another and ran alone, scoring an easy try (Mo'unga's goal made it 17-28). In the eighth minute, Japan moved short side wing Fifita to the right side from a scrum 10m to the left of their own half, received a direct pass from Nagare, and gained more than 20m vertically, but the pass to Matsushima who followed up did not connect, and the opportunity was lost. In the 13th minute, New Zealand went on the offensive and attacked 5m in front of the Japanese goal post, and the forwards repeatedly attacked from the side, but Japan's Himeno's perfect jackal prevented them from being in a pinch. In the 15th minute, SH Christie tried to get area with a kick from a ruck near the center of their own 10m line, but Warner, who jumped out from behind Makisi who was trying to get back onside, charged the kick. Warner catch that ball to ran 40m to score a try (24-28 with Lee's successful goal), bringing them within one try (5 points). However, in the 20th minute, New Zealand launched a side attack from a lineout near the left of the Japanese goal, with No. 12 Sheck charging vertically, and then the forwards continued to win rucks with side attacks, approaching the Japanese goal, and finally No. 8 Sotutu, immediately after being tackled by Yamanaka, turned around to avoid the tackle and jumped into the in-goal (24-35 with Mo'unga's successful goal). Then, in the 25th minute, Himeno tried to jackal the ball brought by New Zealand near the center of the Japanese goal 22m, but Retallick hit it head-on without binding. After the TMO check, Retallick was shown a red card and sent off (the fact that he will be suspended for several games after this match will be a big blow to the New Zealand national team). In the 25th minute, Japan threw a long lineout 10m to the left of the New Zealand line to Lee, who passed it to Saito, van Den, and Yamanaka, who passed it to Matsushima, who skipped Riley, and Matsushima, who ran well, formed a ruck beyond the 22m to the right of the New Zealand line. From this ruck, Japan swung to the left, and Maxi, who received a pass from Lee, created a ruck in the center of the 22m, and Saito passed the ball to van Den on the right. Van Den attracted his marker, leaving Matsushima free, and Matsushima ran well along the line. However, he was pushed out by Reinert Brown, who backed him up 5m in front of the goal. They struggled to convert their chances into tries, but finally, in the 38th minute, Maxi charged into a ruck at a peel-off from a lineout 5m to the left of the New Zealand line, and Himeno and Nakamura charged vertically to the front of the New Zealand goal. Finally, Himeno slipped into the left side where the defense was thin and scored a try (Lee's goalkeeper was successful, making it 31-35). There was still time left, and Japan, aiming for victory, boldly attacked the ball from New Zealand's kickoff from their own half. However, in the end, a penalty was awarded for not releasing the ball, and all was lost. However, normally, a touch would be taken off the ball after a quick kick to end the game, but New Zealand aimed for a penalty goal and Mo'unga scored, ending the game at 31-38. It is speculated that the rugby kingdom of New Zealand was obsessed with the score difference at the end, but it was proof that the Japanese team had pushed the New Zealand team to the brink. The attendance of 65,188 on that day was a new record for the New National Stadium and the highest attendance for a rugby match in Japan excluding the RWC2019 Japan tournament. Despite pushing the New Zealand team to the brink, the Japanese players looked reliable as they said, "I'm disappointed that we couldn't win!"