Brave Blossoms Defeat Canada in PNC Opener
The Brave Blossoms put in a solid performance to defeat Canada 57-15 in their opening round clash of the Pacific Nations Cup. Played in sweltering conditions in the northern Japanese city of Sendai, the late afternoon, 5pm kick-off did little to bring respite from the heat to both the players and fans.
The match was a tale of two halves with Japan struggling to find cohesion in a disjointed first 40. While they held both a territorial and possession advantage, their faltering lineout, moments of ill-discipline and inability to make passes stick at key moments in attack kept the visitors well and truly in the fight.
While Japan struggled to get into the match, the Canadians played with composure and intelligence. Their solid defence and a deft kicking game was enough to ensure that scores were tied at 10-a-piece late into the first half. However, with two minutes left on the clock, debutant Captain Warner Dearns crashed over to score Japan’s second try, giving the hosts a 17-10 advantage going into the sheds.
While Dearns, blindside flanker Ben Gunter and flyhalf Seungsin Lee were three of Japan’s best in the first half, whatever Head Coach Eddie Jones said in the changerooms at halftime, his entire team came out ready to play in the second half. The first 10 minutes resembled somewhat of an arm wrestle as Japan’s improved play across the park began to wear down the Canadians.
When number eight Amato Fakatava scored his second at the 55-minute mark, Japan looked to have finally found their mojo and the floodgates opened. Their slick set plays started to click, with passes hitting their mark and the Brave Blossoms fleet footed backs starting to cut through the tiring Canadian defence.
Japan scored 33 unanswered points in the second half before Canada’s reserve hooker Jesse Mackail crossed over for a well-deserved try with a minute left on the clock the bring the score to 50-15. From the restart it was clear that Japan weren’t done for the day. Controlling possession after the final hooter, Japan’s pocket rocket right wing, Kippei Ishida crossed for his second try and Japan’s eighth. Seungsin Lee, who had a near perfect day off the tee put through the conversion to secure the 57-15 win.
Following the match, Brave Blossoms Head Coach Eddie Jones said:
“Firstly thanks to the fantastic fans in Sendai. We really appreciate their support to come out on a hot day. They were nice and loud, and the players enjoyed that.
“We were really poor in the first half. But sometimes when it’s the first game of a tournament, you haven’t played a game for a number of weeks and come out of a hard training block, that can happen. But I was really pleased for the players in the second half and thought they played well.”
Brave Blossoms Captain Warner Dearns added:
“It was a tough game. Canada really showed up in the first half and we were under a lot of pressure. But I’ve got to thank the boys for coming out in the second half and putting in a good fight. I’m really happy to be able to win my first game as Captain, but it was a real team effort. The crowd really helped us, they got behind us and when we came out in that second half, it was really good.”
Following the Canada match, the Brave Blossoms will now travel to California for their second Pool B match against the USA at Heart Health Park in Sacramento on Saturday, September 6. The squad will remain in the USA for the finals series which begin on Sunday, September 14. The first weekend comprising the Fifth Place Playoff and Semi-Finals will take place in Denver, Colorado. The remaining four teams will then battle it out on Saturday, September 20 in the Third Place Playoff and Final in Salt Lake City, Utah
Pacific Nations Cup 2025
Saturday 30 August
Japan vs Canada
57-15 (W)
Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (Pool B)
Yurtec Stadium, Sendai
Saturday 6 September
USA vs Japan
Pacific Nations Cup 2025 (Pool B)
Heart Health Park, Sacramento
Brave Blossoms Upcoming Fixtures
Saturday 25 October
Japan vs Australia
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025
National Stadium, Tokyo
Saturday 1 November
Japan vs South Africa
Lipovitan D Tour 2025
London
Saturday 8 November
Ireland vs Japan
Autumn Nations Series
Dublin
Saturday 15 November
Wales vs Japan
Autumn Nations Series
Cardiff