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Brave Blossoms fall to Australia in entertaining battle

An aggressive, hard-running Japan facet pushed Australia to the brink Saturday earlier than falling 32-23 within the Courageous Blossoms’ first worldwide check match on residence soil because the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Lomano Lemeki and Ryoto Nakamura every scored a attempt, whereas Rikiya Matsuda kicked two penalties and a conversion for the hosts in a fast-paced, entertaining battle in opposition to the Southern Hemisphere powerhouse at Oita’s Showa Denko Dome.

With new captain Lappies Labuschagne on the helm, Japan trailed 17-13 at halftime after dictating a lot of the primary half with stout protection and willingness to take dangers in assault.

Two unanswered Australian tries and a yellow card for Lemeki threatened to settle the competition for the vacationers early within the second half earlier than Nakamura’s intercept attempt introduced Japan again inside hanging distance at 27-20.

A 74th-minute penalty from alternative Yu Tamura narrowed the margin to 27-23 earlier than a rolling-maul attempt to debutant Connal McInerney ensured head coach Dave Rennie’s facet maintained their unbeaten file in opposition to Japan.

No. 8 Kazuki Himeno, who gave Japan ahead momentum together with his ball carrying, stated a powerful efficiency in opposition to the world’s No. 3 nation had not dulled the ache of defeat.

“To be sincere, I’m disenchanted. It appears like we misplaced a winnable match,” Himeno stated.

However the 27-year-old World Cup standout stated he was thrilled to lastly play a check match in entrance of a house crowd after a two-year break prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“It felt fairly emotional,” he stated.

Japan-based flyhalf Quade Cooper set the desk for the Wallabies’ opening attempt within the seventh minute, offloading for winger Tom Wright to cross close to the posts.

Flyhalf Matsuda put Jamie Joseph’s males on the board a couple of minutes later, slotting from 25 meters out after the Wallabies had been penalized for not releasing the ball.

Substitute winger Jordan Petaia ran within the vacationers’ second after they shortly unfold large off a scrum close to the Japanese attempt line, with Cooper guiding a tough conversion between the posts.

Japan quickly hit again with their opening attempt after Matsuda despatched a intelligent cross-field kick to Lemeki, who bulldozed by means of a deal with to the touch down within the nook.

Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights playmaker Matsuda kicked the touchline conversion after which introduced the hosts inside some extent at 14-13, discovering the goal after the boys in gold had been once more penalized for not releasing.

Japan will head to Europe to play Eire on Nov. 6, Portugal on Nov. 13 and Scotland on Nov. 20.

If they’re to problem groups from rugby’s high echelon, the Courageous Blossoms should proceed making incremental enhancements, vice captain Nakamura stated.

“Massive video games like this may be determined by little issues. We have to hold enhancing, and are available out stronger every recreation,” he stated.

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