Japan vs Tonga

The game just about to start live here in NZ. Will be a good indicator on what Wales will have to play against.

Japan 0 vs 5 Tonga after 7 mins

Tonga miss pen after 9 mins

Japan 0 vs 12 Tonga after 13 mins

Japan 5 vs 12 Tonga 20 mins

Japan 5 vs 15 Tonga (pen) after 23 mins.
Japan trying to run through the Tongan defence even from their 22 brave and exciting stuff Japan.

Japan 5 vs 22 Tonga 37 mins.

Japan 5 vs 22 Tonga at oranges

Any further news?

It's 17-27

Cheers...!

Where did you find that?

Final score 17-27

Japan look the same as last year (a bit worse in the first half). That's well off the level they were at in 2011.

The Tongans destroyed Japan at the breakdown.

Japan's lineout worked well enough, and they managed to set up some good rolling mauls which looks to be a tactic they will favour. Tonga lost a man to the bin for bringing one down, and almost lost a second.

Japan has a fast back three, and had a good offloading game at time to put them in space. Unfortunately, their poor work at the breakdown meant that a good run of phases usually ended in a turnover. Often, it was the ball being ripped off the tackled man. Japan had some good position on occasion but just kept losing the ball.

Tonga outmuscled them today. The Japanese began to commit so many to defending rucks, they left gaps out wide.

On the positive side, Japan did score three tries, and they never gave up, but they suffered from that slow start.

maestegmafia wrote:Where did you find that?

I was watching the game.

Rugby Fan wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Where did you find that?

I was watching the game.

In Kanagawa?

Thanks for the report.

Hahaha apologies for the stop at h/t. A little stormy and I had a power cut.

rainbow-warrior wrote:Hahaha apologies for the stop at h/t. A little stormy and I had a power cut.

A Dark n Stormy...?

Had a few of those cause power cuts before.