It rained on Japan’s parade, but final-leg hosts Hong Kong did not mind after they finished runners-up to the Asian champions in the inaugural Asia Rugby Championship.
Torrential rain forced the finale at Aberdeen Stadium to be abandoned, with the result being declared a draw. It gave Hong Kong three points, allowing them to finish on 11 points and beat South Korea (eight points).
Undefeated Japan were crowned champions even before the match started, holding an unbeatable lead with 18 points. They finished with 21 points, but head coach Eddie Jones was less than pleased as he had hoped to finalise his selections for the World Cup after this match.
“We had a number of guys out there playing for World Cup spots and it is quite disappointing in terms of individuals and what the team wanted to achieve,” said Jones, whose team continued training after the match was abandoned.
“It wasn’t dangerous to play and we said we wanted to play and that is why we went out there and trained, saying we could continue, but by then the decision had been made.”
United Arab Emirates referee Chris Linwood called both teams off the pitch 13 minutes into the match with Japan leading 3-0 through a penalty from skipper Ayumu Goromaru as driving rain turned the pitch into a lake. A 20-minute rain delay was extended by another 20 minutes, but the conditions didn’t get any better, forcing the eventual abandonment.
Hong Kong head coach Andy Hall agreed with Linwood. “It was unsafe and absolutely the right decision for the referee to say ‘no’. It would have been a struggle to have a boat out there let alone play rugby,” Hall said.
“The game was important for both teams, but it is not worth risking the safety of the players and it was a good decision. The way the conditions were, it wasn’t going to be a game of running rugby and they wouldn’t have got 29 points on us so we would have finished second anyway. It is frustrating. Everyone came to watch rugby, but common sense has to prevail.”
There was double delight for Japan, with the women’s team also crowned Asian champions after defeating Hong Kong 27-12 in the earlier match. In a tight-fought encounter played in testing and difficult conditions, the Sakura XV ran in five tries to seal the title in front of a good, vocal crowd who defied the weather.
Mateitoga Bogidraumainadave was the standout performer on a day when a number of players from both sides caught the eye. The Japan No. 8 scored three tries and ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides.
“It feels awesome and still hasn’t sunk in,” she said. “We came here wanting to win, but we had a really young side. But we played to our strengths in the forwards and kept the pressure on them, even when we had the yellow cards.”
Japan had three players sent to the sin bin in the second half, including Bogidraumainadave, but they kept their discipline and tackled bravely.
Fullback Adrienne Garvey was the pick of the Hong Kong players, creating tries for Ivy Kwong Sau-yan and Natasha Olson-Thorne, but Japan, led by fullback Ai Tasaka, maintained their composure for the win. The home team defended bravely and trailed 15-12 entering the last quarter before Japan ran in two tries in the dying minutes to clinch victory.
Maki Takano scored Japan’s first try before the victory was wrapped up by Emi Ito, who raced 55 metres for a try following yet another good catch and counter-attack from Tasaka.
Japan coach Goshi Arimizu was full of praise for a side containing four teenagers in the backs, including 17-year-old centre Riho Kurogi.
“In the first half we were a little bit nervous,” Arimizu said. “But we played much better in the second half. The whole purpose of the game was to give the young players experience and I thought Riho Kurogi played really well, especially in the second half.”
Japan’s win represents a shift in Asian women’s 15s with defending and perennial champions Kazakhstan unseated to finish as runners-up while Hong Kong claimed third spot.
