Much improved Japan just lose out to Scotland

EDINBURGH (Nov. 20) – Japan put in a much improved performance Saturday but were unable to close out their autumn tour with a win, going down 29-20 to Scotland at Murrayfield.

     “I thought our players played very well,” said Japan head coach Jamie Joseph. “They played our brand of rugby. We attacked, we kept possession of the ball and we put a lot of pressure on the Scottish team.”

     “In two years we have played five, six games of rugby so to be able to come to Murrayfield and play to the level of the Scottish is quite remarkable.”

     But he went on to say that “at times we would make a little mistake or concede a penalty and let the pressure off them and Scotland are a good enough team to capitalize on those opportunities.”

     Japan captain Pieter “Lappies” Labuschagne, who was at the heart of the gutsy Brave Blossoms performance, said he was “proud of the way we played. From the first minute it was a battle both ways. They put us under pressure, we played good then they played well.”

     Japan started the game well by putting 17 phases together. But it was wasted by a poor kick and a player caught offside and Scotland made the most of it with Duhan van der Merwe going over in the sixth minute.

     Rikiya Matsuda responded with a penalty five minutes later but failed in the 15th minute to give his side the lead when his kick went to the right of the posts.

     With neither side able to take control it was another 10 minutes before the next scoring opportunity.

     A good break by Kotaro Matsushima saw the Brave Blossoms get into the Scotland 22 and after the hosts were penalized, Matsuda made no mistake with the kick to make it 6-5 to Japan.

     But the lead lasted just two minutes as Stuart Hogg started and finished a flowing move following another poor kick by Japan.

     Finn Russell added the extras and then, along his fellow backs, created space for Darcy Graham to score in the corner just before the break as the teams turned around with the hosts ahead 19-6.

     Two penalties from Matsuda inside the first seven minutes of the second half closed the gap as Japan increased the tempo of the game and made the most of a yellow card to Jamie Bhatti.

     With the Scots back to 15, their pack took over with Stuart McInally powering over 20 seconds after coming off the bench.

     Japan hit back though when a superb 50-22 kick from Ryoto Nakamura was rewarded by Tevita Tatafu who powered over from the resulting line-out.

     Matsuda missed the conversion but kicked a fifth penalty in the 72nd minute to make it a six-point game with eight minutes remaining.

     It was the Scots though who finished stronger and a late penalty by Russell sealed the win.

     The Scotland camp were full of praise for Japan.

     “We’re yet to find that complete 80-minute performance but I think part of that was because we were put under a lot of pressure by Japan who managed to hold on to the ball for large periods,” said Hogg.

     Head coach Gregor Townsend agreed saying, “It was a real test match. Japan showed the level of play we saw from them in 2019. They’re the only team I can think of in world rugby who keep the ball in their own half and go through the phases.”

     Joseph said the tour had been a good experience for the younger players as they try to get used to the intensity and speed of test-match rugby and he was hopeful that Japan were on track ahead of Rugby World Cup 2023.

     “The character and resilience we showed after halftime was huge and holds us in good stead for the future,” he said. “The learning ultimately I guess is that when we get opportunities we’ve got to take them.”

     Try scorer Tatafu agreed saying “I had a good experience on this tour. I found out what I am lacking to compete at Tier 1 level, and will improve and do my best again.”

     Japan’s captain at RWC 2015 and 2019 Michael Leitch pointed out the team had not been together for that long and said there were plenty of positive things to take from the four matches played this autumn.

     “This tour is another step and I think we’ve moved forward,” he said. “The team has only been together for a little less than two months and has grown.”