Japan beat Hong Kong 38-0
HONG KONG (April 27) – Japan made it two wins from two games in this year’s HSBC Asian 5 Nations, and 22 from 22 in the five-year history of the tournament, when they beat Hong Kong 38-0 at the Hong Kong Football Club on Saturday.
Forced to work hard by the hosts, who made three times as many tackles, Japan scored two tries in the first half, before adding another four in the second half.
Takeshi Kizu opened the scoring in the seventh minute following a good break by Ayumu Goromaru down the left flank. Goromaru added the extras from the touchline as Japan went 7-0 up.
With the hosts spoiling the ball as often as they could get away with it, Japan were not able to play the high-tempo game they wanted and it took another 31 minutes before the scoreboard started ticking over again.
Kosei Ono crossed two minutes before the break following some good interchange between forwards and backs with Michael Broadhurst and Yuta Imamura prominent.
Goromaru added the extras as Japan went into the break leading 14-0.
Imamura scored Japan’s third with the second half just four minutes old. But Japan were unable to build on the good start.
Toshiaki Hirose crossed twice in the space of four minute (in the 63rd and 67th minutes) as Japan’s fitness eventually proved too much for Hong Kong, with Yoshikazu Fujita adding the sixth as time ran out.
Goromaru finished the day with four conversions as Japan went top of the standings ahead of next week’s clash with South Korea, who beat the United Arab Emirates 75-10 on Friday night.