WRWC2017: Wallaroos Edge Sakura Fifteen in Final Pool Match
At the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, the Japan Sakura Fifteens played Australia in their third and final pool game at the Billings Park UCD ground in Dublin on Thursday, 17 August 2017.
In what was the first meeting between the Australian and Japanese women’s sides, the Wallaroos dominated possession and territory in the opening exchanges and this led to the opening try of the match to fullback Samantha Treherne in the sixteenth minute of play.
Not long after, Sakura Fifteens fullback Mayu Shimizu pulled off a try saving tackle on right wing Nareta Marsters that prevented the Australians from notching up their second try. Nevertheless, the continued weight of possession on the Japanese defence took its toll with No8 Grace Hamilton barging over for that second try on the half hour.
Left wing Mahalia Murphy scored the third try for the Wallaroos turning defence into attack with a runaway try just before halftime. The successful conversion stretched the lead to 19-0.
Japan finished off the first half, however, with prop Saki Minami scoring the try after 25 phases of play on the Australian try line. The conversion was unsuccessful with the sides going to the break with Australia leading Japan 19-5.
Early in the second half, the 17-year-old halfback for Japan in the form of diminutive Moe Tsukui set up the second try for the Sakura Fifteens when she scooped up ball from the tackle area and fed it on to centre Riho Kurogi. Tsukui is the youngest player at the tournament.
The Sakura Fifteens were next to score with No8 Maki Takano burrowing over just short of the hour mark to narrow the gap to 19-15.
The Wallaroos responded with their power game creating the space for Marsters to run in the bonus-point try in the sixty-fifth minute. They then turned up the heat in attack with Treherne touching down in the right-hand corner in the seventy-third minute to pick up a double.
Australia then wound down the clock to run out 29-15 victors.
Grace Hamilton was the player of the match.
Australia 29 – Tries: Samantha Treherne 2, Grace Hamilton, Mahalia Murphy and Nareta Marsters; Conversions: Samantha Treherne 2 d
Japan 15 – Tries: Saki Minami, Riho Kurogi, Maki Takano.
Japan Sakura Fifteens: 1- Makoto Ebuchi, 2- Seina Saito (c), 3- Saki Minami, 4- Aya Nakajima, 5- Ayano Sakurai, 6- Yuki Sue, 7- Sayaka Suzuki, 8- Maki Takano, 9- Moe Tsukui, 10- Minori Yamamoto, 11- Eriko Hirano, 12- Riho Kurogi, 13- Iroha Nagata, 14- Akari Kato and 15- Mayu Shimizu. Reserves: 16- Misaki Suzuki, 17- Mizuho Kataoka, 18- Maiko Fujimoto, 19- Ai Hyugaji, 20- Yui Shiozaki, 21- Yumeno Noda, 22- Ayaka Suzuki and 23- Ai Tasaka. Coach: Goshi Arimizu.
Australia: 1- Liz Patu, 2- Cheyenne Campbell, 3- Hilisha Samoa, 4- Alisha Hewett, 5- Millie Boyle, 6- Mollie Gray, 7- Chloe Butler, 8- Grace Hamilton, 9- Katrina Barker, 10- Sarah Riordan, 11- Mahalia Murphy, 12- Kayla Sauvao, 13- Sharni Williams (c), 14- Nareta Marsters and 15- Samantha Treherne. Reserves: 16- Emily Robinson, 17- Violeta Tupuola, 18- Hana Ngaha, 19- Rebecca Clough, 20- Kate Brown, 21- Fenella Hake, 22- Ashleigh Timoko and 23- Trilleen Pomare. Coach: Paul Verrell.