Japan score unbeaten century against Sri Lanka
Favourites Japan thrashed Sri Lanka at 132-10 in an Asian5Nations rugby test match which also served as an IRB 2015 Rugby World Cup Qualifier, at the Nagoya Municipal Mizuho Park Rugby Ground in Nagoya, Japan yesterday.
Sri Lanka, who suffered their heaviest defeat at international level, trailed 0-68 at halftime while scoring during the dying moments of the game through a converted try and a penalty.
The win saw Japan record their third highest score and third biggest winning margin in test match rugby as they blew the visitors aside with 20 tries, 16 of which were converted by Ayumu Goromaru, a new Japan record for the number of extras kicked in an international.
Japan captain Michael Leitch drags a few defenders towards the Sri Lanka try line - Pic ARFU
Hooker Takeshi Kizu touched down three times in the opening 25 minutes, while captain and flanker Michael Leitch also finished the game with three tries.
Japan did not allow Sri Lanka an opportunity to score until they passed the three digits. To their credit Sri Lanka never gave up and a huge roar erupted around the ground when Riza Mubarak banged over a penalty from 41 metres out.
Kotaro Matsushima stretched Japan’s lead with his third try in his second test, before the Sri Lankan fans in the crowd reached fever pitch when Fazil Marija made the most of a rare Japan defensive lapse to go over.
For Sri Lanka, the game was a good learning curve and captain Namal Rajapaksa said he was proud of the effort his side had put in.
“Anyone would be disappointed with the scoreboard,” he said. “But we didn’t give up and we scored a try that showed we didn’t give up. It was a good experience for our youngsters.”
Japan and Sri Lanka have met at ten occasions only to win all encounters comfortably. They have scored beyond 100 points at four games with the best winning margin, 129-6, coming in October 2002 in Colombo.
Japan recorded a comfortable 99-10 win against Philippines in their opening game last week while Sri Lanka lost both their games against Korea and Hong Kong before suffering their third defeat in three weekends.
Sri Lankas only hope for a win will be against the Philippines in their final game in Colombo next Saturday at the Racecourse ground in Colombo. Japan has two games left. They will scrum against Korea next week and against Hong Kong in two weeks as they aim to finish as the top Rugby team in Asia.
Meanwhile Hong Kong raised its hopes of becoming the second team to qualify for the IRB 2015 Rugby World Cup by overcoming their first major hurdle yesterday at Incheon. They beat potential contenders Korea by 39-6 after leading the halftime by 20-6. Hong Kong will enjoy a week’s off next weekend before facing the acid test against Japan in two weeks.
Hong Kong top the A5N Top 5 table with 18 points after their third straight bonus point win. Japan are in second on 12 points but with a game in hand on Hong Kong, while South Korea are in third with six points. Sri Lanka is in fourth followed by the Philippines in fifth.