12 November 2022: G: NTwickenham Stadium (England); R: James Doleman (NZRU)
●Japan 13-52 England○
Data:
12/11/2022, Lipovitan D Challenge Tour 2022
Japan 13 – 52 England
Twickenham Stadium, England
Half-time 6 – 24
Refree: James Doleman (NZRU)
Crowd: 81,017
JAPAN: 15 Ryohei Yamanaka, 14 Kotaro Matsushima, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Ryoto Nakamura , 11 Gerhard Van Den Heever (23 Siosaia Fifita 49), 10 Takuya Yamasawa (22 Seungshin Lee 40), 9 Yutaka Nagare (21 Naoto Saito 55), 8 Tevita Tatafu (20 Pieter Labuschagne 52 ), 7 Kazuki Himeno 6 Michael Leitch, 5 Jack Cornelsen (19 Wimpie Van Der Walt 72) 4 Warner Dearns, 3 Jiwon Koo (18 Yusuke Kizu 73 ), 2 Atsushi Sakate (capt) (16 Kosuke Horikoshi 73 ), 1 Keita Inagaki (17 Craig Millar 49)(1 Keita Inagaki 80).
Reserves:
HIA:
Coach: Jamie Joseph.
Tries: Naoto Saito; Conversions: Seungshin Lee; Penalty Goals: Takuya Yamasawa (2), Seungshin Lee
Yellow Cards: 23 Siosaia Fifita (70, sin-bin)
England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Jack Nowell (22 Henry Slade 64 ), 13 Guy Porter (23 Manu Tuilagi 64) , 12 Owen Farrell (22 40), 11 Jonny May, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Jack van Poortvliet (21 Ben Youngs 64), 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Maro Itoje, 5 Jonny Hill (20 Billy Vunipola 61), 4 David Ribbans (19 Alex Coles 55), 3 Kyle Sinckler (18 Joe Heyes 67), 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (16 Jamie George 53), 1 Ellis Genge (17 Mako Vunipola 53).
Reserves:
Coach: Eddie Jones
Tries: Freddie Steward, Marcus Smith (2), Guy Porter (2), Ellis Genge, PT ; Conversions: Owen Farrell (6); Penalty Goals: Owen Farrell.
Yellow Cards: Jonny May (34, sin-bin).
Scoring sequence (Japan’s score shown first): 5min-pen Eng, Owen Farrell-0-3, 12min-try Eng, Freddie Steward-0-8; conv. Owen Farrell-0-10, 24min-try Eng, Marcus Smith -0-15; conv. Owen Farrell -0-17, 32 min-pen Japan, Takuya Yamasawa-3-17, 44min-pen Japan, Takuya Yamasawa-6-17, 40min-try Eng, Guy Porter-6-22; conv. Owen Farrell-6-24, 44min-pen Japan, Seungshin Lee (missed), 48min-try Eng, Ellis Genge-6-29; conv. Owen Farrell-6-31, 50min-try Eng, Guy Porter -6-36; conv. Owen Farrell-6-38, 59min-try Japan, Naoto Saito -11-38; conv. Seungshin Lee-13-38, 70min-try Eng, Penalty try-13-45,74min-try Eng, Marcus Smith -13-50; conv. Owen Farrell -13-52
Although it will be the first match since 2018, England has fielded their best lineup, excluding injured players. This is proof that former Japan national team head coach Eddie Jones has recognized Japan's rapid growth. Japan also has almost their best lineup. The substitution of No. 11 Fifita for van den Heever seems to be a strategy to prepare for England's kick attack.
The match started with England's kick-off, but the England team, who lost to Argentina the previous week, was terrifying. Japan was pressured by a faster start than they had ever experienced before against Japan's high-tempo consecutive attacks. In addition, England's handling of high balls was almost perfect, and Japan was hardly able to secure the ball, either the opponent's or their own. England's new fly-half Marcus Smith and veteran No. 12 Owen Farrell changed positions depending on the location, launching consecutive attacks that were characteristic of Japan. The only thing England could not control well that day was the lineout in the first half, and the lineout maul was countered by the Japanese forwards and they were unable to push forward. Nevertheless, five minutes into the first half, Owen Farrell effortlessly scored a penalty for Japan's offside in front of the Japanese goal (0-3). Japan also tried to carry out their usual attacking moves, but England's fast defense prevented them from getting into the rhythm and they made a mistake at a crucial moment. Then, in the 12th minute, England dominated Japan with a scrum, earned a penalty (falling down foul) and took complete control. From a 22m lineout maul obtained by a touch kick, England moved to the left, and the attack by everyone, including the blind wing, was successful. Matsushima, who was unable to focus the mark, was unable to make a tackle and No. 15 Stewart scored a try (Farrell's goal made it 0-10). There were times when the game was evenly matched, but England's initiative remained unshakable, as they were able to secure penalties by pushing the scrum and almost always catch high balls. Japan attacked boldly when they got the chances they occasionally got, but they made mistakes at the end and were unable to score. In the 24th minute, Yamazawa kicked a ball from near his own 22m line to the opponent's 22m line, but England's No. 15 Stewart, who was in top form that day, made a brilliant counter attack, gaining 30m and connecting with No. 9 and No. 14. Yamazawa stopped No. 14 Kokanasinga with a tenacious tackle in front of the goal, but No. 10 Marcus Smith followed up and connected with him, dragging Yamazawa, who got up and tackled, and allowed a try in the right corner (Farrell's goal made it 0-17). After the restart, the opponent knocked on at the scrum, and the Japanese team went on a bold continuous attack with sign plays. The forwards also provided good support, winning consecutive rucks, and Leitch, who swung to the left and waited on the side, made a good run, but was pushed out to the touch. However, the Japanese team took advantage of the opponent's lineout mistake and approached the English goal, inviting the opponent to make a penalty, and in the 32nd minute, Yamazawa easily scored an easy penalty goal (3-17). After the restart, Japan continued to attack, and Yamazawa kicked the ball to van den Heever on the far side, who kicked it forward to attack the enemy's territory, but Stewart (number 15) launched a counterattack. While England continued to attack with high punts from the SH, Japan took back the grubber kick from CTB. Then, when the SH's pass was disrupted, Yamazawa judged the situation and passed it to Leitch, who followed from the inside. Leitch broke through the English defense and made a good run, passing it to Riley, who followed up. Riley then made a grubber kick in front of the goal, passing the fast-footed Jonny May and making a good run, but the moment he picked up the floating ball, he was tackled by May.However, May sensed the pinch and continued to get involved with the ball while lying down, which resulted in a penalty, and he received a yellow card for unfair play. Yamazawa scored the penalty in the 35th minute, making the score 6-17. It seemed as though the momentum was shifting in Japan's favour, but then, after the opposition scored a penalty, Yamazawa had a chance to kick for touch in front of the opposition's goal, but he managed to kick it no-touch, albeit just barely. After that, the game continued to go back and forth with kicks being exchanged and Japan making mistakes in passing. England kicked the ball into the far right corner of the Japanese half, and Yamanaka passed it to van den Heever, who was in a good position to kick for touch, but the pass was weak, and three English defenders read that and surrounded him. England seized the ball and moved it to the left in front of the Japanese goal, where a long pass was made from the SH to the No. 8, and finally nomarked No. 13 Porter jumped into the in-goal (Farrell's goal made it 6-24). It's no mean to think about what could have been in a match after the result, but if Yamazawa's no-touch had gone for a touch and Japan had scored a try and a goal, the first half would have ended with a score of 13-17. It was a really painful for Japan no-touch, and a try,a goal by England.
In the second half, Japan replaced fly-half Yamazawa with Lee Seung-shin from the start, aiming to make a comeback. In the third minute, Lee tried to make a penalty goal over 40 meters by England high tackle. But he missed it. After England resumed dropping out, Japan went on the offensive, but despite swinging from side to side, they continued to struggle to gain ground. After that, they received a counter attack from England after a series of kicks, and allowed gains with consecutive attacks. Japan was penalized for not releasing the ball on a grubber kick to the left of the Japanese side's 22m line. England kicked a touch kick to the front of the Japanese goal, and although they avoided a lineout maul push, England launched another series of attacks. In the eighth minute, No. 3 Sinckler rushed from a ruck and approached the goal, and No. 1 Genji charged powerfully to the ball, knocking off the Japanese tackle and getting a try (Farrell's goal made it 6-31). At this point, Japan replaced van den Heever with Fifita. Afterwards, England kicked a high ball that was a little deep, and Fifita caught it to make the ruck, and Japan began a series of attacks. However, the England defense was not only fast on this day, but also aggressive in rushing into the breakdown, and when they realized that Japan was not putting enough players, they turned it over and took the ball back. After taking the ball, Owen Farrell picked up the ball at the ruck himself in the 10th minute and punted it with his left foot into the in-goal. No. 13 Guy Porter ran in and beat Yamanaka in the in-goal, scoring a try (Farrell's goal made it 6-38). In the 15th minute, Japan brought in SH Saito in an attempt to change the flow of the game. Then, after being beaten in the scrums in the first half, Japan pushed back and earned their first penalty. SO Lee's good touch kick advanced area to 5m to the left of the goal of England. Japan launched a series of attacks from this lineout, going through 13 phases, and finally in the 19th minute, Warner picked up the ball that had been spilled from the ruck to the opposing side, charged forward, and although he was tackled, the pass went through to Saito, who followed up well and jumped into the in-goal (13-38 with Lee's goal). Finally, Japan's typical series of attacks led to a try. Wanting to get on the momentum, Japan launched a series of bold attacks, but England's DF did not lose their momentum at all, and Japan's attacks were cut off. Still, Japan did not give up, and after multiple phases, Riley kicked a grubber kick into the in-goal, but Farrell stopped it first and dropped out to prevent it. After that, Japan was accused of a knock-on offside and a lineout barging faul, and England kicked to touch, resulting in a lineout 5m to the right of the Japanese goal. In the 29th minute, England pushed a lineout maul, and Fifita, who came in from the side to try to stop it just before the goal, was given a yellow card, and England was awarded a certified try (13-45).
After the kick-off, Japan continued to attack with full throttle. Using sign plays, they tried to break through the gain line, and a long pass from Lee to Yamanaka was made free to approach the right of England's goal, and a return pass to Matsushima was also made, but it was pushed into touch by the English defense. In the 34th minute, England pushed with a maul from a lineout on the left of the halfway line, and spread to the right, and fullback Stewart caught a kick pass from fly-half Marcus Smith on the far side and kicked it straight again. Matsushima was backing up, but the last bounce bounced inward, and England's No. 22 Slade kicked it diagonally to the left, and the ball finally bounced to Marcus Smith who followed and jumped into the in-goal (Farrell's goal made it 13-52). They were able to exploit the space left by Fifita's dismissal. England continued to attack, and in an open attack on the left in the midfield, Farrell's brilliant offload pass allowed Slade to break through and punt it into the in-goal. Jonny May used his characteristic speed to give chase, but the ball bounded off the outside in the end, and the luck help Japan. England continued to mount an offensive after that, but Japan continued to make good tackles and the game reached full time.
Japan was completely defeated by England's strong scrums, fast defence and perfect handling of high balls. It is a relief that this happened the year before, and not at the RWC itself. In the remaining 10 months, all we can do is implement these measures thoroughly and hope to get revenge at the tournament, but we will also give our all to win next week's match against France, and hope to be able to improve on any areas for improvement that we see in the process over the next 10 months.