Japan beat U.S. for 9th straight win

CARSON, California (June 14) – Japan recorded their ninth straight win and their second in this year’s IRB Pacific Nations Cup as they beat the United States 37-29 on Saturday at the StubHub Center.

 

Fumiaki Tanaka and Akihito Yamada both crossed in the first half before Ryu Koliniasi Holani added a brace of tries early in the second half, with Ayumu Goromaru weighing in with four conversions and three penalties.

 

Blaine Scully grabbed a hat trick of five-pointers for the hosts, with Cam Dolan also going over and Chris Wyles adding three penalty goals and conversion.

 

Dolan opened the scoring in the eighth minute when he intercepted a wild pass from a line-out. But Japan hit back four minutes later when some sustained pressure saw Tanaka dummy his opposite number and go over for the try.

 

Japan should have gone ahead in the 15th minute when a flowing backline move saw Kenki Fukuoka go over. But the wing lost control of the ball in the in-goal area and the chance went begging.

 

Goromaru and Wyles then traded penalties before Yamada used his pace to cross the whitewash in the 28th minute as Japan led 17-10.

 

But the Eagles hit back with Wyles gathering a loose ball following a handling error and Scully using his speed to make it 17-17 at the break.

 

Japan started the second half with renewed intensity and Holani went over twice from scrums close to the line as the Brave Blossoms raced into a 34-17 lead.

 

But just as they did in the first half, the Eagles hit back and two tries closed the gap to 34-29 before Goromaru made sure of the win with a penalty a few minutes before the final whistle