Brave Blossoms Come Up Short Against Wallabies in Osaka
The Brave Blossoms came as close as they ever have to defeating the Wallabies on Saturday night in Osaka, eventually falling 32-35 in a thrilling, hard-fought match in front of a sold-out Hanazono Rugby Stadium.
Played in hot and humid conditions, it was a match of attrition in which both teams were relentless in attack and defence. An absolute desire to win was evident on both sides, with the players giving everything across the full 80 minutes. Their physical effort and never-say-die attitude made it easy to forget they were playing in temperatures above 30 degrees and oppressively high humidity. It was only when the final whistle blew, and the clearly exhausted players finally came to rest, that the full extent of their efforts became apparent. It had been a courageous, dogged and hugely athletic performance from both teams in exceptionally demanding conditions.
The match started well for Japan, with the Brave Blossoms controlling possession and pinning the Aussies deep inside their own half. While the hosts were a constant threat early on, it wasn’t until the 12th minute that they finally managed to break through the Wallabies defence. Flyhalf Ryunosuke Ito, playing in just his fourth test but already looking every inch like an international test star, stepped the first line of defence before darting through a hole the size of the Australian outback to cross the line with two Aussie defenders on his back.
Australia replied two minutes later with a similar piece of individual brilliance and wizardry. Winger Harry Potter scooped up the ball from a stray pass on the 22-meter line before breezing through four Japanese defenders to dot down under the posts. The subsequent conversion tied the scores at seven points apiece.
The Wallabies took the advantage on the 25th minute following a stunning set piece play off the back of a lineout which saw the ball go through seven pairs of hands before fullback Tom Wright crossed for his side’s second.
With eight minutes to go before halftime, Wallabies lock Miles Amatosero was shown yellow for direct head contact with the shoulder to Brave Blossom’s Captain Warner Dearns. Following further analysis in the bunker, the card was upgraded to red, leaving Australia a man down for the mandatory 20 minutes before replacement lock Jeremy Williams could take to the field.
Japan took
the opportunity of playing against 14 men with number eight Faulua Makisi and winger Kazuma Ueda both crossing for well worked tries as
Australia worked hard to fill the gap left by going a man down. While Japan
kept chipping away at the scoreboard, Australia always managed to stay one step
ahead, never surrendering the lead from the 15th minute of the
match.
Following a close range try to Taniela Tupou, Australia’s 135kg replacement tight
head on the 70th minute, the Wallabies pushed their lead out to
25-35 and looked to have the ascendency and the win in their sights. However, with
just two minutes left on the clock, Warner Dearns crossed for a close-range
effort of his own. The subsequent conversion brought Japan to within just three
points of claiming a famous victory, but it was too little, too late for the
hosts. Regaining possession in the dying stages, the Aussies ran down the clock
before kicking to touch as the final siren sounded.
While both teams were well and truly out on their feet with exhaustion, the appreciative crowd of just over 21,000 clapped and cheered warmly for both sides. This was a gladiatorial contest played in extremely challenging conditions and the fans showed their recognition and appreciation for the spirit and effort shown by both sets of players.
Commenting after the match, Brave Blossoms Head Coach Eddie Jones said:
“We let ourselves down with a few fundamental errors in the last 20 minutes when we had an opportunity to put Australia away. While I’m disappointed, I’m also really proud of how hard we played and the development of this team. We’re trying to play flatter to the line, not be encumbered by shape and play a lot more freer off ruck ball, which really suits our style.”