21 July 2024: G: Sapporo Dome（Sapporo） ; R: Christoph Ridley (RFU)
●Japan 14-42 Italy○
Data:
21/7/2024, Challenge Cup 2024
Japan 14 – 42 Italy
Sapporo Dome, Japan
Half-time 7 – 24
Refree: Christoph Ridley (RFU)
Crowd: 17,411
JAPAN: 15 Yoshitaka Yazaki, 14 Jone Naikabula (23 Takuya Yamasawa 68), 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Samisoni Tua, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Rikiya Matsuda (22 48), 9 Daiki Koyama (21 Shinobu Fujiwara 40 ), 8 Faulua Makisi, 7 Michael Leitch (capt), 6 Amanaki Saumaki (20 Tevita Tataf 49), 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Eisin Kuawno (19 Sanaila Waqa 40), 3 Shuhei Takeuchi (18 Keijiro Tamefusa 75), 2 Mamoru Harada (16 Atsushi Sakate 49), 1 Takayoshi Mohara (17 Takato Okabe 37).
Reserves:
HIA:
Coach: Eddie Jones.
Tries: Dylan Riley (2); Conversions: Rikiya Matsuda (2); Penalty Goals:; Drop Goals:
Red Cards: , Yellow Cards:
Italy: 15 ANGE CAPUOZZO, 14 LOUIS LYNAGH (23 MARCO ZANON 45), 13 JUAN IGNACIO BREX, 12 TOMMASO MENONCELLO, 11 JACOPO TRULLA, 10 PAOLO GARBISI (22 LEONARDO MARIN 75), 9 MARTIN PAGE-RELO (21 ALESSANDRO GARBISI 61), 8 LORENZO CANNONE, 7 (c) MICHELE LAMARO (20 MANUEL ZULIANI 61), 6 ROSS VINTCENT , 5 ANDREA ZAMBONIN, 4 NICCOLO'CANNONE (19 FEDERICO RUZZA 56), 3 MARCO RICCIONI (18 SIMONE FERRARI 48), 2 GIACOMO NICOTERA (16 GIANMARCO LUCCHESI 48), 1 DANILO FISCHETTI (17 MIRCO SPAGNOLO 48).
Reserves: 23 TEDO ABZHANDADZE
HIA: 8 LORENZO CANNONE (19 FEDERICO RUZZA 67), 10 PAOLO GARBISI (22 EONARDO MARIN 68), 12 TOMMASO MENONCELLO 75).
Coach: Gonzalo Quesada
Tries: ANGE CAPUOZZO, MARTIN PAGE-RELO, ANDREA ZAMBONIN, ALESSANDRO GARBISI, ROSS VINTCENT ; Conversions: MARTIN PAGE-RELO, ALESSANDRO GARBISI (2), LEONARDO MARIN; Penalty Goals: MARTIN PAGE-RELO (3).
Yellow Cards: 6 ROSS VINTCENT (31 Repeated foul play), 11 JACOPO TRULLA (53 Repeated foul play),16 GIANMARCO LUCCHESI (74 Dangerous Play: 2 GIACOMO NICOTERA ← 9 MARTIN PAGE-RELO)
Scoring sequence (Japan’s score shown first): 3min-pg Italy, MARTIN PAGE-RELO-0-3, 8min-try Italy,ANGE CAPUOZZO-0-8; conv. MARTIN PAGE-RELO-0-10, 13min-try Italy, MARTIN PAGE-RELO-0-15; conv. ALESSANDRO GARBISI-0-17, 35min-try Italy, ANDREA ZAMBONIN-0-22; conv. ALESSANDRO GARBISI-0-24, 40+2min-try Japan, Dylan Riley-5-24 ; conv. Rikiya Matsuda-7-24, 42min-try Japan, Dylan Riley-12-24 ; conv. Rikiya Matsuda-14-24, 47min-pg Italy, MARTIN PAGE-RELO-14-27, 59min-pg Italy, MARTIN PAGE-RELO-14-30, 72min-try Italy, ALESSANDRO GARBISI-14-35; conv. LEONARDO MARIN-14-37, 80+1min-try Italy, ROSS VINTCENT-14-42; conv. LEONARDO MARIN (missed).
Speaking of Italy, they have been the weakest country in the Six Nations Tournament so far, and Japan, which has beaten Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, was thought to be an opponent that Japan could not afford to lose. However, Italy's ability was real, beating Wales and Scotland in this year's Six Nations Tournament and drawing with France. Unlike the Japan national team, which was formed with many new members in June this year , the team's completeness was also excellent. It was a match that clearly showed the example of the "super-speed rugby" that Japan is aiming for.
The match started with an Italian kickoff, and for the first three minutes, Italy continued to stop Japan's consecutive attacks with their stubborn defense. Then, Italy's number 9 Pajerello easily scored a 50m penalty goal near the 15m line to the left of the halfway line, which was obtained by a skillful jackal, demonstrating his world-class kicking power. Italy went on the offensive in the 8th minute, approaching the Japanese goal and gathering the defenders with consecutive vertical attacks by the forwards, then swung to the right and No. 15 Capuozzo ran vertically with his famous speed into the in-goal (Pajero's successful goal made it 0-10). After that, Japan made a good decision by Yazaki, and the opponent's kick was a direct touch, securing a lineout on the right of 10m line at the Italian area, and began a series of attacks. In the 13th minute, after a few phases, SH Koyama joined the ruck to secure the ball, but at that moment the ball spilled to the Japanese side. The ball was kicked by Italy's No. 6 Vincent, who catched it and carried it 10m in front of the Japane goal, and No. 9 Pajerero, who followed him, received a pass and scored a try (Garbige's successful goal made it 0-17). Up to this point, it was completely Italy's pace, and Japan had a hard time getting the ball. After that, Japan tried to secure the ball several times and make a super-fast attack, but they did not get a chance to score a try, and the stalemate continued. In the 35th minute, No. 15 Capuozzo caught a Japanese kick on the left side of the Italian 10m line and launched a counter attack, shaking off the Japanese defenders with speed and running 55m. He got within 5m of the Japanese goal, and from that ruck he passed the ball to No. 5 Zambonin who was near the ruck side and scored a try (No. 10 Garbij scored a goal, making it 0-24).
Japan had been unable to create any decisive moments up until that point, but in the 42nd minute of added time, Italy pressed close to their goal, but Japan's No. 15 Yazaki picked up a loose ball from a ruck and launched a counter attack from his own half, firing a super long pass to the left. Tua received the pass and used his speed to cross his own 22m line, drawing his marker and passing to Riley, who was supporting him at inside instead of outside. Riley accelerated in one go, shaking off the Italian defenders, running 70m and diving directly under the goal post (Matsuda's goal was successful, making it 7-24). And so the first half ended.
Two minutes into the second half, Italy took advantage of a Japanese mistake and attacked up to the Japanese 22m line. However, this time Riley intercepted the pass to the left, running 70m again and diving into the in-goal (Matsuda's goal was successful, making it 12-24). If Japan had scored some points here, the momentum would have suddenly shifted to Japan. Japan made bold, rapid succession of attacks, approaching the Italian goal several times, but could not score a try against Italy's solid defense. On the other hand, Italy, who was determined to win, scored penalty goals in the 7th and 19th minutes (No. 9 Pajerero) and maintained a safe lead (14-30). Japan tried to attack boldly from a scrum on the right of their own 22m line with a sign play (loop) by substitute SO Lee and SH Fujiwara, but the timing of the pass was not right and the ball was dropped, which was kicked by Italy's No. 21 Garbij, who finally catched the ball to score for a try that decided the game (No. 22 Marin's goal, 14-37). In the 76th minute, the Japan also mustered their last strength to attack, and from a lineout on the left beyond the 22m line, Tatafu charged in with a sign play, and Maxi, who was charging besaide the ruck, received the pass and made a vertical run into the in-goal, but due to a TMO decision, the ball was tapped by an Italian player to lose just before the try, so it was ruled no try. Then, in the 41st minute of added time, Italy pushed forward with a scrum on the left of the Japanese 22m line. Despite getting a penalty kick, No. 6 Vincent picked up the loose ball and scored a try (Marin missed the goal, making it 14-42). Then the game went to full time.
The scrums and lineouts that had worked well against England and Georgia were not effective against Italy, and when a Japanese player charged forward alone, he was stopped by powerful tackles from Italy, and when the Japan player's support was delayed, Japan was stopped by a two-man jackal and was given a penalty kick many times.
It was clear that each national team is steadily strengthening itself, and has also thoroughly analyzed the Japanese team. In the upcoming PNC (Pacific Nations Cup), I hope that Japan will respect all teams, make effort to put their bodies on the line with full preparation and analysis, and lead to victory on next time.