Japan Score 4 Tries to Beat Georgia, Hand Joseph 1st Win

TBILISI (Nov. 12) – Japan scored four tries Saturday to beat Georgia 28-22 and hand Jamie Joseph his first win as Brave Blossoms coach.
Played in front of a packed house at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Japan led early before being forced to come from behind.
Lomano Lava Lemeki scored two tries, Kotaro Matsushima and Kenki Fukuoka one each with Yu Tamura adding two penalties and a conversion.
The hosts started quickest of the two sides and dominated early possession and territory.
But Japan defended well and a good counter-attack started by Matsushima was finished by the fullback when latched onto a great pass from Karne Hesketh to go over in the ninth minute.
Tamura’s first penalty made it 8-0, before Georgia struck back with two tries.
Mamuka Gorgodze went over from a line-out five metres out and then Vasil Lobzhanidze made the most of a poor Japan line-out to grab the second, though Matsushima looked as if he had done enough to prevent the Georgian scrumhalf from grounding the ball.
Merab Kvirikashvili’s conversion made it 12-8 at the break.
Lemeki’s first try shortly after the break came from an intercept 10 metres from his own line.
The Lelos hit back when Beka Bitsadze dived over from a ruck in the 50th minute. Kvirikashvili added the conversion and then a penalty but was the last time the hosts bothered the scoreboard operator.
Instead it was Japan who finished the stronger with Lemeki adding a second try, thanks to a good kick from Harumichi Tatekawa, and Fukuoka sprinting over in the 64th minute.
Tamura’s second penalty in the 75th minute meant Georgia needed a converted try to win but it was beyond them as Japan held out.