Japan U20 lose to Australia in Second Match
After going down 67-0 to New Zealand in their opening match on Wednesday, Japan put in a better performance in their 54-19 loss to Australia in their second game at the World Rugby U20 Championship in France.
The Australians outscored the Japanese eight tries to three with replacement Ryan Lonergan scoring two five pointers while outside centre Semisi Tupou, hooker Efitusi Ma’afu, and captain and halfback Tate McDermott were among the other try scorers for Australia.
The young Australians used their size and power to overcome their Japanese counterparts on their way to securing the bonus point win. Australia lost to Wales in their first match and now face New Zealand in their final pool game.
Fullback Kyohei Yamasawa, flanker Kai Yamamoto and replacement back Sioeli Vakalahi scored the tries for Japan with Hiroto Mamada and Yuto Mori adding a conversion apiece.
After the match, Japan captain Hisanobu Okayama commented, “Of course, the points difference is bigger than we wanted but we trained well and improved a lot from the first game and we managed to attack and defend in the Japanese style.”
U20 Australia 54 d U20 Japan 19
Date: Sunday, 3 June 2018
Venue: Stade d’Honneur, Narbonne
Kick-off: 14.00 (21.00 JST)
Halftime: U20 Australia 28 – U20 Japan 12
U20 Australia 54 – Tries: Ryan Lonergan 2, Semisi Tupou, Efitusi Ma’afu, Tate McDermott, Mack Hansen, Matthew McTaggart and Michael Wood; Conversions: Isaac Lucas 4 and William Harrison 3 d
U20 Japan 19 – Tries: Kyohei Yamasawa, Kai Yamamoto and Sioeli Vakalahi; Conversions: Hiroto Mamada and Yuto Mori.
U20 Australia: 1- Harry Hoopert, 2- Efitusi Ma’afu, 3- Tom Ross, 4- Michael Wood, 5- Angus Blyth, 6- Esei Haangana, 7- Fraser McCreight, 8- Patrick Tafa, 9- Tate McDermott (c), 10- Bayley Kuenzle, 11- Matthew McTaggart, 12- Isaac Lucas, 13- Semisi Tupou, 14- Isaiah Latu and 15- Mack Hansen. Reserves: 16- Sama Malolo, 17- George Francis, 18- Laurence Tominiko, 19- Josh Kemeny, 20- Rory Suttor, 21- Ryan Lonergan, 22- William Harrison and 23- Lawson Creighton. Coach: Jason Gilmore.
U20 Japan: 1- Gakuto Ishida, 2- Miyu Arai, 3- Rento Tsukayama, 4- Kanji Shimokawa, 5- Ryuga Hashimoto, 6- Kai Yamamoto, 7- Hisanobu Okayama (c), 8- Asipeli Moala, 9- Shinobu Fujiwara, 10- Hiroto Mamada, 11- Yu Saruta, 12- Yuto Mori, 13- Siosaia Fifita, 14- Halatoa Vailea and 15- Kyohei Yamasawa. Reserves: 16- Yuichiro Taniguchi, 17- Yusuke Yamada, 18- Shohei Oyama, 19- Katsuto Kubo, 20- Shota Fukui, 21- Atora Hondo, 22- Itsuki Kodama and 23- Sioeli Vakalahi. Coach: Satoru Endo.