Japan take series title: Singapore Sevens

Japan Take Series Title

HSBC Asian Sevens Series 2013
Singapore Sevens
9-10 November 2013, Yio Chu Kang Sports Complex, Singapore.

Japan beat Hong Kong 24-19 in the Cup Final of the Singapore Sevens, the fourth and final leg of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series 2013 to not only take the Cup but also win the overall series outright. The series title also gives Japan core status at the Hong Kong Sevens in the HSBC Sevens World Series 2013-14.

In the first day of action on Saturday 9 November 2013 at the HSBC Asian Sevens Series 2013, Singapore Sevens, Japan were in Pool D together with Thailand and Chinese Taipei. In their first game late in the afternoon, Japan were far too strong for Chinese Taipei running in five unanswered tries to take the match 31-0 with Kosuke Hashino from the Canon Eagles scoring one of the tries while also kicking two conversions. In their second outing in the evening, Japan trounced Thailand 54-0 with Canon Eagles’ wing Tokiro Harada getting one of the eight tries. Japan topped their pool with these two big wins pitting them against Malaysia as the runner-up in Pool B on Sunday.

On Sunday 10 November 2013 in the knock-out stages of the Singapore Sevens, Japan kept the momentum going in their Cup Quarterfinal clash with Malaysia winning easily to the tune of 41-5 with Hashino and Harada bagging a try each. In the Cup Semi-final, Japan were too good for China taking the win 26-0.

In the Cup Final, Japan faced nemesis Hong Kong. Recent encounters between these two sides have tended to be tight affairs and this one was no exception with Japan doing enough to win the final 24-19. In a contrasting contest Hong Kong led 19-5 at the break but Japan stormed home in the second half with Harada scoring the crucial try in the seventh minute of the half that gave the result to the Japanese.

Comments by head coach Tomohiro Segawa, “This team really came together and to take the title and become series champions is fantastic. We struggles at times against Hong Kong in the final but our defence and ability to move the ball quickly in attack got us there in the end. We aim to become a core team on the HSBC Sevens World Series and also win an Olympic medal and we are going to work hard to achieve these ends.”

Comments by captain Katsuyuki Sakai, “We achieved our goal here in Singapore of winning the overall Asian Series title. In the tough final against Hong Kong, it was not just our skills but our fighting spirit that got us the result.

The Japan Sevens Squad

Head Coach: Tomohiro Segawa.