15 September 2024: G: Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (Japan) ; R: Paul Williams (NZRFU)
○Japan 49-27 Samoa●
Data:
15/9/2024, Pacific Nations Cup 2024
Japan 49 – 27 Samoa
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (Japan)
Half-time 28 – 13
Refree: Paul Williams (NZRFU)
Crowd: 14,893
JAPAN: 15 Seungsin Lee, 14 Tomoki Osada , 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Nicholas Mccuran (22 Yusuke Kajimura 70), 11 Malo Tuitama , 10 Harumichi Tatekawa (capt) (23 Taichi Takahashi 62), 9 Shinobu Fujiwara (21 Daiki Koyama 67 ), 8 Faulua Makisi (20 Tiennan Costley 62), 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Amato Fakatava, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Epineri Uluiviti (19 Isaiah Mapusua 61), 3 Shuhei Takeuchi (18 Keijiro Tamefusa 61), 2 Mamoru Harada (16 Kenta Matsuoka 75), 1 Shogo Miura (17 Takato Okabe 52).
Reserves:
HIA:
Coach: Eddie Jones.
Tries: Dylan Riley, Tomoki Osada, Seungsin Lee, Kanji Shimokawa, Shinobu Fujiwara, Taichi Takahashi. Conversions: Seungsin Lee (6); Penalty Goals: Nothing ; Drop Goals: Nothing
Red Cards: , Yellow Cards:
Samoa: 15 Tomasi Alosio, 14 Tuna Tuitama, 13 Lalomilo Lalomilo, 12 Alapati Leiua (23 Melani Nanai 59) , 11 Elisapeta Alofipo, 10 Rodney Iona, 9 Melani Matavao (21 Danny Tusitala 59), 8 Iakopo Mapu, 7 Izaiha Moore-Aiono (20 Murphy Taramai 47), 6 Theodore McFarland (capt), 5 Samuel Slade (19 Michael Curry 41), 4 Benjamin Petaia Nee-Nee, 3 Marco Fepuleai (18 Brook Toomalatai 62), 2 Sama Malolo (16 Luteru Tolai 59), 1 Aki Seiuli (17 Andrew Tuala 64).
Reserves: 22 Afa Moleli
HIA: 5 Samuel Slade (19 Michael Curry 29)
Coach: Mahonri Schwalger
Tries: Tuna Tuitama, Melani Matavao, Lalomilo Lalomilo ; Conversions: Rodney Iona (3) ;Penalty Goals: Rodney Iona (2).
Yellow Cards: 11 Elisapeta Alofipo (10 Unfair play).
Scoring sequence (Japan’s score shown first): 6min- try Japan, Dylan Riley-5-0; conv. Seungsin Lee-7-0, 10min-try Japan, Penalty try-14-0, 13min-try Samoa, Tuna Tuitama-14-5; conv. Rodney Iona-14-7, 16min- try Japan, Tomoki Osada-19-7; conv. Seungsin Lee-21-7, 25min-pg Samoa, Rodney Iona-21-10, 29min-pg Samoa, Rodney Iona-21-13, 39min-try Japan, Seungsin Lee-26-13; conv. Seungsin Lee-28-13, 44min-try Japan, Kanji Shimokawa-33-13; conv. Seungsin Lee-35-13, 52min-try Samoa, Melani Matavao-35-18; conv. Rodney Iona-35-20, 58min-try Japan, Shinobu Fujiwara-40-20; conv. SeungsinLee--42-20, 72min-try Samoa, Lalomilo Lalomilo-42-25; conv. Rodney Iona-42-27, 79min-try Japan, Taichi Takahashi-47-27; conv. Seungsin Lee--49-27.
Japan won consecutive games against Canada and the United States in the pool matches, but their opponent in the final series semi-finals will be Samoa, a team one rank above them. Japan has won consecutive games in the past three RWCs, but will the young Japanese team, who are in the midst of a generational change, have the strength to overcome that physical battle? The absence of Sakate, who has played in two RWCs, is a big blow, but the team will assign super-veteran Tachikawa to the fly-half and leave him to lead the game. We hope that he will calm the young players and put in a good game.
Amid the heat of approaching 33 degrees, the game started with a Japanese kick-off. Samoa knocked on the ball that Lee, who was at fullback, kicked deep. Warner caught the ball and charged forward, and Japan's super-fast rugby begin. Samoa fought back with strong tackles from each player, but they were pushed around and a penalty was awarded. Although they were in a position to aim for an easy goal, Japan kicked for touch in front of the left goal, determined to score a try. The maul drive was blocked just before the goal by Samoa's power, but Japan's forwards, including No. 4 Epineli, who was making his first cap, repeatedly charged vertically in front of the Samoan goal. They struggled to score a try against Samoa's strong defense, and Tachikawa's kick pass to the left side went into touch, denying them a chance. In the 6th minute, Warner took the Samoan ball from a lineout on the left of the 22m line, and the forwards and backs attacked together to win consecutive rucks. Lee, while closing the line, kicked a grubber kick behind the Samoan defender who was coming forward, as expected of a fly-half. The line passed each other, and No. 13 Riley, who was behind, caught the ball and jumped into the in-goal (Lee's goal was successful, making it 7-0). Even after Samoa's kickoff, Japan continued to taunt Samoa with their super-fast rugby in Samoa area. Finally, No. 11 Tuitama broke through the right side where the defense was thin, and brought the ruck to the right goal, where No. 9 Fujiwara tried to pass to the free Riley who was supporting him on the right, but Samoa's No. 11 Alofipo, who was making his first cap of the day, smashed Fujiwara's pass. As a result of the TMO's decision, Alofipo was given a yellow card for a deliberative knock-on, and Japan was awarded a certified try (14-0). It seemed that the momentum would perfectly shift to Japan, but Samoa, inspired by this, went on the offensive. In the 13th minute, after getting consecutive rucks after a lineout, No. 8 Map broke through spectacularly, evading Japan's tackle and approaching the center in front of the goal. With this opportunity, Samoa's No. 14 Tuitama was freed by team's swinging play to the right and went around the in-goal to score a try (No. 10 Iona's goal made it 14-7). Although Japan allowed Samoa to score a try from their favorite method, Japan entered Samoa's territory again, and in the 16th minute, at a lineout on the left just beyond the 10m line of Samoa territory, Japan caught the ball, returned it to thrower Harada, who charged forward and passed it to Fakatava, and he approached the 5m line to the left. After a vertical charge by No. 3 Takeuchi, the ball was swung to the right and Lee kicked the ball to the open, despite being tackled by Samoa. No. 14 Osada caught it and jumped into the in-goal (Lee's goal made it 21-7). After that, as the game remained deadlocked, Japan committed a foul in the midfield under pressure from Samoa. In the 25th and 29th minutes, Iona scored a penalty goal that was not easy (21-13). In the 32nd minute, after a Japanese foul, Samoa formed a maul from a lineout 10m to the right of the Japanese goal, and No. 7 broke through and it looked like he would score a try, but tackles by Fujiwara, Tuitama, and Harada caused the judge of "goal line drop out". After that, with neither team scoring, Japan approached the Samoan goal, tweaking them with lightning-fast play. In the 39th minute, from a ruck on the left side, Tachikawa, who was playing as Japan's fly-half that day and was also the captain, made an accurate judgment of the situation and passed the ball to Lee, who was left alone on the left side, and Lee dove into the in-goal (Lee's goal made it 28-13). This marked the end of halftime.
In the second half, they wanted to add more points first, but in the fourth minute, Samoa made consecutive attacks from a lineout, and after a tackle, McCarran stole the ball from the opponent and created a ruck. Lee received the ball and kicked a grubber kick towards the Samoan side, which was caught brilliantly by No. 14 Osada, who followed up and passed it to No. 7 Shimokawa, who shook off the defender and dove into the in-goal (Lee's successful goal made it 35-13). It was nothing short of amazing that Shimokawa, who kept moving around and making tackles like that, was even able to make it here. It seemed like a safety lead, but Samoa's FW was good at rashing and connecting, and the BK also showed a great attacking, and they suddenly went on the offensive. In the 12th minute, from consecutive rucks, No. 11 Alofipo broke through on the left side and passed it to No. 9 Mataavao who followed inside and he jumped into the in-goal (Iona's goal made it 35-20). After that, Samoa continued to attack with momentum, but was saved by a mistake at the end. After that, Japan also went on the offensive, and in the 18th minute, after repeated side attacks by the forwards in front of the Samoan goal, No. 9 Fujiwara shook off the defender with a dummy and jumped into the in-goal (Lee's goal made it 42-20). It seemed that this would lower Samoa's motivation, but their individual strength showed no signs of weakening with the substitutions, and they swung the Japanese defense around. Japan also brought in Mapusua (substitute for Epineli), Costley (substitute for Maxi), and Takahashi Taichi (substitute for Tachikawa), and again launched a super-fast rugby. However, although they approached the Samoan goal several times, they were unable to score a try. In the 32nd minute, Samoa's No. 10 Iona caught a half-hearted kick from Japan, which had been struggling to attack in the midfield, on the 22m line of their own territory and launched a counter attack, attracting the marker and sending No. 11 Alifipo running. Finally, No. 13 Lalo Milo, who followed on the outside, ran alone and scored a try (Iona's goal made it 42-27). They didn't give up and kept fighting until the end. Japan also stuck to their super-fast rugby until the end, launching continuous attacks with everyone. In the 39th minute, they pushed the left scrum in front of the Samoan goal and then swung to the right, and Japan passed the ball to Kajimura (who replaced McCarran in the 30th minute), Lee, and Takahashi, and finally Takahashi shook off the defender and jumped into the in-goal (Lee's goal made it 49-27). After that, it was full time.
In the scorching heat of nearly 33 degrees, both teams' fighting spirit was amazing. And Japan's super-fast rugby is finally starting to bear fruit. Lee's kicks, which have steadily scored six conversions, have also become stable. In the final against Fiji, I hope that they will tire out Fiji with their super-fast rugby, and that they will thoroughly use their team's defense to stop Fijian fast runners at all costs. And I hope that the young Japanese national team will grow even more from the experience of winning.