Junior Japan Open with a Win in World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2017

Junior Japan are participating in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2017 in Fiji in March 2017. The Junior Japan side will play the Fiji Warriors, Samoa A and Tonga A.

Junior Japan 34 d Samoa A 31
Date: Friday, 10 March 2017
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Suva
Kick-off: 15:00

Junior Japan opened their account in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2017 in Fiji with a 34-31 win over Samoa A on Friday, 10 March 2017. Number 8 Tevita Tatafu scored a hat trick of tries with lock Koji Iino the other try scorer for Junior Japan. Halfback Naoto Saito contributed to the win with four conversions and two penalties.

After the match, head coach Satoru Endo commented, “We had limited time together, but every player fulfilled their role on the pitch. Given the tough conditions out there, everyone put in excellent performances. We still have some issues to take out of this game, but we will positively prepare for our next game on the back of this win.”

Captain Kosuke Horikoshi added, “We expected a tough match against the big Samoans here in the Fijian heat. We had a short time together in the build-up for this tournament, but we prepared well and produced the result. We let Samoa A back into the game over the final ten minutes and we cannot afford that against the Fiji Warriors.”

Junior Japan

1- Shogo Miura, 2- Kosuke Horikoshi (c), 3- Yusuke Kizu, 4- Naoaki Horibe, 5- Koji Iino, 6- Faulua Makisi, 7- Ryoi Kamei, 8- Tevita Tatafu, 9- Naoto Saito, 10- Yasunori Mano, 11- Shinsuke Izeki, 12- Kanta Shikao, 13- Taiji Hongo, 14- Takuhei Yasuda, 15- Shinya Morita. Reserves: 16- Ahn Chang-Ho, 17- Hinata Takei, 18- Kojiro Arito, 19- Takara Imamura, 20- Kei Sato, 21- Takumi Sue, 22- Tomoki Kishioka and 23- Koki Takeyama.

Junior Japan v Fiji Warriors
Date: Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Suva
Kick-off: 17:30

Junior Japan v Tonga A
Date: Saturday, 18 March 2017
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Suva
Kick-off: 12:30