Japan’s bonus point victory over Fiji earns them first IRB Pacific Nations cup title – Rugby news
Japan’s bonus point victory over Fiji has helped them lift the International Rugby Board (IRB) 2011 Pacific Nations Cup. Japan’s 24 – 13 win over the hosts in Churchill Park, Lautoka on Wednesday, July 13, earned visitors their first Pacific Nations Cup
title.
Japan started the match needing five points from the match. However, they started the match poorly as Fiji kept the visitors scoreless in the entire first-half.
Fiji was playing in front of a home crowd and started the match enthusiastically as they took an eight points lead in the first ten minutes of the game. It all started when Fiji’s fly half, Seremaia Bai, scored a penalty in the first minute of the game.
With momentum on their side Fiji sent their winger Napolioni Nalaga to score the first try of the match in the 7th minute of the game to take the scorecard reading 8 – 0.
However, Bai failed to capitalise on the conversion and in the remaining part of the first-half both teams were unable to score. Both teams temporarily enjoyed ball possession but were not able to gain much territory. Each time a move was created, either
the team lost possession or were tackled.
Japan started the second half-trailing by eight points but moved quickly to get their first points on board in the 5th minute of the second-half courtesy of Go Aruga’s try. Japan’s centre Ryan Nicolas missed on the conversion.
Fiji retained ball possession and replied strongly with their winger Nalaga’s second try of the match in the 8th minute to again extend their lead to eight points. Fiji’s scrum half, Vitori Buatava, failed to score on the subsequent conversion.
Minutes later, Bai missed a penalty and a chance to further build their lead.
In last 25 minutes of the game, Japanese were able to take control of the ball and started to gain territory and put pressure on the Fijian defence.
Japan started to create openings as they moved the ball across the field. Nicholas scored their second try of the game in the 59th minute. Japan’s substituted full back Shaun Webb and followed with a conversion to reduce the lead to a single point.
Five minutes later, Japan’s substitute hooker, Shota Horie, scored their third try in the game to take the score to 17 – 12 but Webb failed on the conversion.
In the remaining time of the game, both teams fought hard to win and retain possession of the ball and to create scoring opportunity.
Even though Japan was in the lead, they needed a bonus point victory to win the title. Their bonus point try came in the last minute of injury time at the hands of substitute inside centre Yuta Imamura. Webb followed with a successful conversion to make
it 24 – 13 at the end of the game.
Japan head coach, John Kirwan, has expressed his satisfaction with the performance of his team. He said, “This is big for Japan Rugby and Fiji gave us the chance as their discipline let them down. However, I salute my players for the effort and they did
what I asked them at the break.”
Kirwan admitted that tournament was a good learning experience for the side and he will make sure that his squad will not repeat the same mistakes again in the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
Tags: