Japan Open ARC with Win over South Korea

INCHEON, South Korea (April 22) – Japan opened their 2017 Asia Rugby Championship campaign with a 47-29 win over South Korea on Saturday.

Jamie Joseph’s side scored seven tries – five in the first half and two in the second – to once again pick up a bonus-point win.

But they were made to work hard by a Korean side that showed a great deal of improvement from the team that finished bottom of the competition a year ago.

Played in ideal conditions at Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field, the Brave Blossoms got off to the perfect start with Ryoto Nakamura touching down with a minute on the clock following a good offload from Jumpei Ogura.

Kazuhiko Usami dived over a few minutes later and with Ogura adding the extras it was 14-0.

The hosts, however, responded with two quick tries of their own through Han Kun Kyu and Kim Jeep as they made it a two-point game.

Further tries from Nakamura and Usami and a try on debut from Ryuji Noguchi saw Japan stretch their lead to 35-12 at the break, before the hosts once again hit back.

Lee Yong Seung touched down 20 seconds after the restart and Shin Ki Cheol soon followed him onto the scoresheet to make it 35-24 before a second five-pointer from Noguchi and a try from Shintaro Ishihara put 23 points between the teams.

It was the Koreans though who finished strongest with the final play of the game seeing Chang Yong Heung finish off a 90-meter effort that began on the hosts’ own goal line.

The two teams meet again in Round 2 on April 29 in Tokyo before Hong Kong join the competition a week later when they play Japan at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.