Japan get off to winning start in ARC

INCHEON, South Korea (April 18) – Japan opened the new Asia Rugby Championship with a 56-30 win over South Korea on Saturday as they started their journey to Rugby World Cup 2015 on a winning note.

Eddie Jones’ side scored nine tries – six in the second half – to pick up the bonus-point win but they had to overcome some tenacious hosts.

The Koreans led 17-3 after 15 minutes, thanks to two tries from Jang Seong Min in the space of four minutes and two conversions and a penalty by Oh Youn Hyung after Ayumu Goromaru had opened the scoring with a penalty in the second minute.

Fortunately for Jones and his players, the Japan pack eventually wore down their opponents, and Hayden Hopgood and debutant Chihito Matsui crossed and referee Tim Baker awarded a penalty try as the Brave Blossoms led 22-20 at the break.

The second half saw Japan take control of the game and three tries in the final nine minutes ensured the Koreans ended up short of what would have been a deserved bonus point or even two.

Karne Hesketh opened the stanza with a five-pointer six minutes after play resumed and he was followed onto the scoresheet by Yoshikazu Fujita and Yu Tamura as Japan went 37-23 up.

A good try by Korean centre Kim Nam Uk had the crowd thinking the bonus points – for scoring four tries and losing by seven of less – were on but a second try by Hopgood and further scores from Ryu Koliniasi Holani and Justin Ives saw the visitors home, Ayumu Goromaru finishing the day with four conversions and a penalty goal.

Japan travel to England on Sunday for four days in England to acclimatize themselves with some of the venues for Rugby World Cup 2015, and are back in action in the ARC on May 2 in Tokyo against Hong Kong.