Japan ensured they started the inaugural Asia Rugby Championship with a win over South Korea, but the seven-time Asian 5 Nations champions were made to work very hard for the victory.
Japan ensured they started the inaugural Asia Rugby Championship with a win over South Korea, but the seven-time Asian 5 Nations champions were made to work very hard for the victory.
Eddie Jones’ side eventually found another gear in the second half to add six tries to the three they notched up in the first half to finish the day a 56-30 winner at Namdong Asiad Rugby Ground.
But it was the locals who were perhaps more deserving of the standing ovation given to both teams at the end of an entertaining game played in ideal conditions.
The Koreans led 17-3 after just 15 minutes and trailed by just two points at halftime as they shocked the Brave Blossoms with their tenacity at the breakdown and in the tackle.
Jang Seong Min led the way with two tries in the space of four minutes and the fullback was ably supported by Lee Myung Jun, who was outstanding at scrumhalf and his halfback partner Oh Youn Hyung, who kicked three conversions and three penalty goals and did more than his fair share of tackling.
“The players really gave 100 percent in the first half,” said Korea coach Chung Hyung Suk. “I was very confident Jang would be able to show his ability and I thought Lee gave even more than 100 percent, especially as he was playing with a shoulder injury.”
Ayumu Goromaru had opened the scoring with a penalty in the second minute, before the Jang, Lee, Oh show rattled the visitors.
But the Brave Blossoms aren’t Asia’s representatives at this year’s Rugby World Cup for nothing, and Hayden Hopgood and debutant Chihito Matsui both crossed before referee Tim Baker rewarded a period of pressure with a penalty try as Japan eventually took the lead, to make it 22-20 at the break.
“We were a bit rusty both individually and as a team, and sloppy for most parts of the game,” Jones said shortly after the final whistle. “Korea played well for the first 30 minutes and we gave them some points which got their spirits up. They were physical and tackled well.”
Following a few choice words from Jones at halftime about improving their attitude, Japan came out a different team and Karne Hesketh – one of their better players on what was a fairly disappointing day – dotted down six minutes after play resumed, with Yoshikazu Fujita and Yu Tamura following him onto the scoresheet as Japan went 37-23 up.
The Koreans, however, weren’t down and centre Kim Nam Uk beat five defenders to go over in the 68th minute to rejuvenate the crowd.
But their hopes of an upset or even a bonus point were dashed as Hopgood, Ryu Koliniasi Holani and Justin Ives all touched down in the final nine minutes, with Goromaru finishing the day with four conversions to add to his early penalty.
“To be honest the only thing I was really disappointed in was the attitude,” Jones said. “Before the game I thought we would either play really well for 20 minutes or not play well. And unfortunately it was the second,” though he added that in terms of his side’s World Cup preparations, “this was the best game we could have had.”
Japan leap to the top of the table with their 29th bonus point win since the start of the Asian 5 Nations in 2008. Japan are on six points in the table, while Korea missed out on the bonus point opportunity for scoring more than four tries (they finished with three) or for finishing within seven points.
That bonus point would have made life difficult for the third side in the new tri-nations style format, Hong Kong, who will host Korea next Saturday (April 25) at Hong Football Club before travelling to Japan on 2 May. Korea will have their second chance to beat Japan in the new home and away format when they travel to Fukuoka on 10 May.
