RUGBY IN JAPAN NEWSLETTER: Vol.10, No.28

Congratulations RIJ Newsletter 10th Anniversary 2003-2013

Japan continue on their winning way with a gritty 16-13 win over Canada in the wet in Nagoya.

Ian McDonnell lives and works in Japan. He can be contacted at ianmcdo@apost.plala.or.jp

CONTENTS

• IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013-Wrap

Winners

2013: Fiji. Fiji etched their name on the PNC trophy for the first time in 2013 finishing on top of the table with 16 points from three wins from their four matches. Canada led the way early in the tournament but the loss to Japan in Nagoya in their final game opened the door for either Fiji or Tonga to leapfrog the Canucks into first place for the title. In a winner-take-all clash between the two island sides in Tokyo, Fiji came out on top with a bonus point 34-21 win to scoop the prize. Canada finished second on 13 points from Tonga on 10 points. Japan lost their opening two games to Tonga and Fiji but then finished strongly with home wins over Canada and the USA to finish fourth on 9 points. The USA collected the wooden spoon with one point from four straight losses.

2012: Samoa. Samoa took out the title for the second time in 2012 with three straight wins in the tournament held in Japan. Although Samoa could not manage any bonus points, 12 points from their three wins gave them the title ahead of Fiji on 10 points in second place with just the one loss to Samoa. Tonga finished third on 5 points from one win over Japan while Japan as the hosts finished last on four points with three losses on the trot in front of their home fans. It was not all doom and gloom for Japan as they gained a losing bonus point in all three games and had a few things gone differently for the new look side under new head coach Eddie Jones they could have won all three tests.

2011: Japan. After the New Zealand representative sides had won all four previous titles, Samoa etched their name on the trophy for the first time last year, but in 2011 a new name was engraved on the Cup with Japan taking the title for the first time. Japan left it till deep in injury time in the last game against Fiji to win the crown when they won 24-13 with a bonus point to deny Tonga in the process. Both Japan and Tonga finished on ten points but Japan took the title as they beat Tonga in their round match. Fiji finished third on 5 points while Samoa finished last on the same five points.

2010: Samoa. After the New Zealand representative sides had won all four previous titles, Samoa etched their name on the trophy for the first time. Samoa left it till the last game against Fiji to win the crown when they won 31-9 with a bonus point while denying Fiji any form of bonus point in the process. Both sides finished on nine points but Samoa took the title on a better points differential. Japan finished third on 8 points after picking up two wins for the first time while Tonga finished last on four points with three losses.

2009: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB again took the PNC title undefeated on 19 points. Fiji were runner-up on 14 points followed by Samoa on 12 points, while Japan finished fourth on 6 points with one win and three losses. Tonga took the wooden spoon on one point.

2008: The New Zealand Maori. The Maori took the PNC title undefeated with 21 points when they beat Australia A 21-18 in the final game in Sydney. Australia A finished runner-up on 20 points. Japan finished fifth on 7 points with one win and four losses.

2007: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB took the PNC title undefeated with 25 points garnering maximum points in each game. Australia A finished a distant runner-up on 16 points after they lost to the JAB and drew with Fiji. Japan finished last on 4 points with one win and four losses.

2006: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB took the P5N title undefeated with 20 points with maximum points in each game. Japan finished last on 0 points with four losses.

IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 Results

Date	Team	Score	Team	Kick-off	Venue	Referee
Saturday 25 May 2013	Japan	17-27	Tonga	14:10	Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, Yokohama	Angus Gardner (AUS)
	Canada	16-9	USA	14:10	Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton	Francisco Pastrana (ARG)
Saturday 01 June 2013	Fiji	22-8	Japan	15:40	Churchill Park, Lautoka	Garratt Williamson (NZL)
Wednesday 05 June 2013	Canada	20-18	Fiji	18:40	Twin Elms Rugby Park, Nepean	JP Doyle (ENG)
Saturday 08 June 2013	Canada	36-27	Tonga	14:10	Richardson Stadium, Kingston	JP Doyle (ENG)
Friday 14 June 2013	USA	9-18	Tonga	19:30	Home Depot Centre, Carson, California	Francisco Pastrana (ARG)
Wednesday 19 June 2013	Fiji	35-10	USA	17:10	Mizuho Park Rugby Ground, Nagoya	Greg Garner (ENG)
	Japan	16-13	Canada	19:10	Mizuho Park Rugby Ground, Nagoya	Jonathon White (NZL)
Sunday 23 June 2013	Tonga	21-34	Fiji	12:10	Chichibu, Tokyo	Jonathon White (NZL)
	Japan	38-20	USA	14:10	Chichibu, Tokyo	Greg Garner (ENG)

IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 Table

Pos.	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	BP1	BP2	Pts
1	Fiji	4	3	0	1	109	59	50	3	1	16
2	Canada	4	3	0	1	85	70	15	0	1	13
3	Tonga	4	2	0	2	93	96	-3	1	1	10
4	Japan	4	2	0	2	79	82	-3	1	0	9
5	USA	4	0	0	4	48	110	-62	0	1	1

Four points for win, two points for draw, one bonus point for scoring four tries or more (BP1) and one for losing by seven points or less (BP2).

Games Played By Japan

Game 1

Tonga 27 d Japan 17

Competition: IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013.
Date: Saturday 25 May 2013.
Venue: Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, Yokohama.
Japan Test Number: 287.
Japan Game Number: TBC.

Kick-off: 14:10 local time (05:10 GMT/UTC).

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia) (3^rd test). Assistant Referees: Taizo Hirabayashi (Japan) and James Leckie (Australia).

Conditions: Fine and sunny with forecast maximum for Yokohama 20 degrees Celsius. Surface firm, fast and well grassed.
Attendance: 5,598.
Halftime: Japan 5 – Tonga 22.
Yellow Card: Paula Kaho (Tonga No.8, 30 min 1H, repeated team infringements in collapsing a five metre lineout maul).
Match Points: Tonga 5, Japan 0.

Man of the Match: Nili Latu, Tonga No.7.

Tonga 27 – Tries: Fetu’u Vainikolo 2, Will Helu and Eddie Aholelei; Conversions: Fangatapu Apikotoa 2; Penalty: Fangatapu Apikotoa d.

Japan 17 – Tries: Takeshi Kizu, Male Sau and Hendrik Tui; Conversion: Ayumu Goromaru.

Although Tonga only had a few days together as a squad to prepare for this test, captain Nili Latu who plays his rugby with the NEC club in Japan led from the front to inspire his charges to a bonus point 27-17 win over Japan in the opening game of the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 at the Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium in Yokohama on Saturday 25 May 2013. The Tongans hustled and bustled a somewhat out of sorts Japan side that just did not cope with the extra physicality the islanders brought to the game. On the ground after the match, Japan stand-in captain Takashi Kikutani said, “We were slow in the first half and gave away some easy tries, but now we have to look ahead to Fiji.” Tongan captain Nili Latu said, “We only had two days to prepare for Japan but a great win and a great start. Our aim is to win this tournament.”

Game 2

Fiji 22 d Japan 8

Competition: IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013.
Date: Saturday 01 June 2013.
Venue: Churchill Park, Lautoka.
Japan Test Number: 288.
Japan Game Number: TBC.
Kick-off: 15:40 local time (03:40 GMT/UTC).
Referee: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand) (2^nd Test). Assistant Referees: Sam Tuidraki (Fiji) and Mikea Rokodrakia (Fiji).

Conditions: Maximum forecast for Lautoka 30 degrees Celsius, thunderstorms. Surface very heavy and water-logged.
Attendance: 3,500.
Halftime: Fiji 5 – Japan 0.
Match Points: Fiji 5, Japan 0.

Fiji 22 – Tries: Sireli Bobo, Api Naikatini, Aisea Natoga and Nemani Nadolo; Conversion: Setareki Koroilagilagi d.

Japan 8 – Try: Kenki Fukuoka; Penalty: Ayumu Goromaru.

In wet and atrocious conditions at Churchill Park in Lautoka Fiji hosted Japan in their IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 encounter on Saturday 01 June 2013. After the match, Japan head coach Eddie Jones made the following comments, “The result is an you saw it. We were never in a position to win. We were well beaten at lineout, scrum and breakdown and there are no positives to take from this game. We have Wales next week and if we play like this we will lose by 80 points. We cannot use the atrocious weather conditions as an excuse either as that is test match rugby. The players did their best and I take full responsibility as coach.” On becoming the most-capped player for Japan, wing Hirotoki Onozawa said. “The record doesn’t mean anything as the result is everything. When we had to up the ante in this test we were unable to do so. We wanted to take control of the game and speed things up but we couldn’t. we didn’t do what we had to do.”

 
Wing Hirotoki Onozawa becomes the most-capped Japan player in his eightieth test. (Photo Kenji Demura)

Game 3

Japan 16 d Canada 13
Competition: IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013.
Date: Wednesday 19 June 2013.
Venue: Mizuho Park Rugby Ground, Nagoya.
Japan Test Number: 291.
Japan Game Number: TBC.

Kick-off: 19:10 local time (10:10 GMT/UTC).
Referee: Jonathon White (New Zealand) (1^st test). Assistant Referees: Richard Kelly (New Zealand) and Taku Otsuki (Japan).
Conditions: Daily forecast for Nagoya 24-28 degrees Celsius, steady rain and high humidity, no breeze. Surface well grassed but wet and slippery.

Attendance: 4,456.

Halftime: Canada 3 – Japan 0.

Japan 16 – Tries: Ayumu Goromaru; Conversions: Ayumu Goromaru; Penalties: Ayumu Goromaru 3 d.

Canada 13 – Try: Ciaran Hearn; Conversion: James Pritchard; Penalty: James Pritchard 2.

In a gritty, hard-fought encounter in the rain in the second game at Nagoya, it took a late penalty from fullback Ayumu Goromaru to get Japan across the line 16-13 to put a spanner in the works for Canada. A win for the Canucks would have virtually sealed the deal in taking the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 title but as it now stands they will have to sit back and see what pans out in the game between Tonga and Fiji on Sunday. It may well be a fruitless wait, however, as Canada sit on 13 points ahead of Fiji on 11 and Tonga on 10 so in all likelihood the title will head to the South Pacific again this year. There was never more than a few points separating Japan and Canada and with both teams scoring one try apiece the result came down to goal kicking. In fact, Goromaru scored all the points for Japan through a try, a conversion and three penalties.

Game 4

Japan 38 d USA 20

Competition: IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013.
Date: Sunday 23 June 2013.
Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo.
Japan Test Number: 292.
Japan Game Number: TBC.

Kick-off: 14:10 local time (05:10 GMT/UTC).
Referee: Greg Garner (England) (9^th test). Assistant Referees: Richard Kelly (New Zealand) and Taku Otsuki (Japan).
Conditions: Daily forecast for Tokyo 21 to 28 degrees Celsius, light cloud, slight breeze. Surface well grassed, firm and fast.

Attendance: 9,467.
Halftime: Japan 19 – USA 15.
Yellow Card: Eric Fry (USA No.3, 9 min 2H, repeated scrum collapses).

Japan 38 – Tries: Yoshikazu Fujita, Male Sau, Hendrik Tui, Toshiaki Hirose, penalty try and Fumiaki Tanaka; Conversions: Ayumu Goromaru 4 d.

USA 20 – Tries: Chris Wyles, Eric Fry and Luke Hume; Conversion: Chris Wyles; Penalty: Chris Wyles.

Japan scored three tries in either half to outscore the USA six tries to three in their 38-20 win in the second game in Tokyo on Sunday 23 June to bring the curtain down on the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 tournament. The Eagles came out firing in the first forty minutes to trail 19-14 at the break but the Japan scrum dominated their rivals in the second half drawing a penalty try early in the half and from there the Japanese never looked back against a weary looking American outfit. The hosts collected their second win of the tournament but it meant the fourth straight loss for the Americans who finished bottom of the PNC table in 2013.

Name (Test Player Number)	Club	Age	Caps		TON	FIJ	WAL1	WAL2	CAN	USA	Caps
Masataka MIKAMI (TBC)	Toshiba Brave Lupus	24	3		1	1	1	1	17	1	9
Takuma ASAHARA (TBC)	Toshiba Brave Lupus	25	4		-17	17	-	-	-	-	5
Yusuke NAGAE (551)	Ricoh Black Rams	27	9		-	-	17	17	1	17	13
Hiroki YUHARA (537)	Toshiba Brave Lupus	29	11		-	-	-	-	-	-	11
Takeshi KIZU (534)	Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers	24	16		2	16	16	16	16	16	22
Yusuke AOKI (490)	Suntory Sungoliath	29	26		16	2	-	-	-	-	28
Shota HORIE (530)	Panasonic Wild Knights	27	19		-	-	2	2	2	2	23
Hiroshi YAMASHITA (523)	Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers	27	19		3	18	3	3	18	3	25
Kensuke HATAKEYAMA (515)	Suntory Sungoliath	27	40		18	3	18	18	3	18	46
Hitoshi ONO (445)	Toshiba Brave Lupus	35	67		4	4	4	4	19	4	73
Shinya MAKABE (533)	Suntory Sungoliath	26	13		5	-	-	19	5	19	17
Shoji ITO (553)	Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers	31	11		19	20	5	5	20	5	17
Justin IVES (544)	Canon Eagles	29	11		-	-	-	20	4	20	14
Toshizumi KITAGAWA (473)	Toyota Verblitz	32	41		-	19	19	-	-	-	43
Hendrik TUI (565)	Suntory Sungoliath	25	8		6	7	6	6	6	6	14
Michael LEITCH (518)	Toshiba Brave Lupus	24	28		-	6	-	-	-	-	29
Michael BROADHURST (566)	Ricoh Black Rams	26	6		7	5	7	7	7	7	12
Takashi KIKUTANI (474) (v-c)	Toyota Verblitz	33	57		8 (c)	8 (c)	8 (c)	8	8	8	63
Ryuta YASUI (TBC)	Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers	23	1		-20	-	20	-	-	-	2
Ryu Koliniasi HOLANI (512)	Panasonic Wild Knights	31	25		-	-	-	-	-	-	25
Atsushi HIWASA (545)	Suntory Sungoliath	26	21		9	9	21	21	21	21	27
Keisuke UCHIDA (558)	Tsukuba University	21	3		-21	21	-	-	-	-	4
Fumiaki TANAKA (510)	Panasonic Wild Knights	28	33		-	-	9	9	9	9	37
Kosei ONO (492)	Suntory Sungoliath	26	17		10	-	-	-	-	-	18
Yu TAMURA (555)	NEC Green Rockets	24	7		22	10	22	22	12	22	13
Ryoto NAKAMURA (TBC)	Teikyo University	21	1		-	-	-	-	-	-	1
Harumichi TATEKAWA (557)	Kubota Spears	23	13		12	12	10	10	10	10	19
Craig WING (TBC)	Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers	33	1		-	22	12	12	-	12	5
Male SAU (TBC)	Yamaha Jubilo	25	3		13	13	13	13	13	13	9
Seiichi SHIMOMURA (454)	Panasonic Wild Knights	31	4		-	-	-	-	-22	-	4
Yuta IMAMURA (480)	Kobe Steel Kobelco Steelers	28	36		-	14	-	-	-	23	38
Kenki FUKUOKA (TBC)	Tsukuba University	20	2		23	23	11	11	11	-	7
Hirotoki ONOZAWA (416)	Suntory Sungoliath	35	78		11	11	23	-	-	-	81
Yoshikazu FUJITA (562)	Waseda University	19	4		14	-	14	23	23	11	9
Toshiaki HIROSE (c) (495)	Toshiba Brave Lupus	31	12		-	-	-	14 (c)	14 (c)	14 (c)	15
Ayumu GOROMARU (467) (v-c)	Yamaha Jubilo	27	23		15	15	15	15	15	15	29

Staff
Eddie Jones, head coach, JRFU.
Scott Wisemantel, technical adviser, JRFU.
John Pryor, strength and conditioning coordinator, JRFU.
Takahiro Murakami, strength and conditioning coach, Vital Strength Co., Ltd.
Yuji Takazawa, team doctor, Juntendo University.
Hidenori Izawa, physiotherapist, Dome Co., Ltd.
Junnosuke Aono, physiotherapist, JRFU.
Shota Nakajima, analyst, JRFU.
Takenori Omura, team manager, JRFU.
Julia Nakazawa, translator, Field of Dreams.
Mayuko Watanabe, media manager, JRFU.

Japan Point Scorers in the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013

Below is a list of the point scorers for Japan in the four tests played during the IRB PNC 2013.

Fullback Ayumu Goromaru with 29 points from one try, 6 conversions and 4 penalties was the leading point scorer for Japan in the PNC 2013.

Centre Male Sau and backrower Hendrik Tui were the leading try scorers for Japan with two 5-pointers each.

A total of 11 tries were scored across the four tests, including one penalty try, 6 of which were converted by the goal kicker Goromaru.

Name	T	C	P	Total
Ayumu Goromaru	1	6	4	29
Male Sau	2	0	0	10
Hendrik Tui	2	0	0	10
Kenki Fukuoka	1	0	0	5
Yoshikazu Fujita	1	0	0	5
Toshiaki Hirose	1	0	0	5
Takeshi Kizu	1	0	0	5
Fumiaki Tanaka	1	0	0	5
Penalty try	1	0	0	5
TOTALS	11	6	4	79

Cards
In the four tests of the IRB PNC 2013, Japan did not receive any cards.

Milestones

At the completion of the IRB PNC 2013, Hirotoki Onozawa finished the series with 81 caps to become the most-capped player for Japan surpassing former centre Yukio Motoki (79). Furthermore, lock Hitoshi Ono has earned 73 caps, with only Onozawa and Motoki ahead of him on the all time list of appearances for Japan.

Tighthead prop Kensuke Hatakeyama finished the series with 46 caps, becoming the most-capped prop overtaking Shin Hasegawa (40).

Backrower Takashi Kikutani finished the series with 63 caps, becoming the most-capped backrower (flanker and No8) for Japan overtaking Takeomi Ito (62).

Halfback Fumiaki Tanaka finished the series with 37 caps, the second most-capped halfback for Japan behind Wataru Murata (41).

The 29 points fullback Ayumu Goromaru scored in the series took his total to 295 international points, fourth on the leading points scorers list for Japan behind Daisuke Ohata (345), Toru Kurihara (347) and Keiji Hirose (413).