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| Japan defend HSBC Asian Five Nations Title |
Japan successfully defended its HSBC Asian Five Nations title after routing Korea 80-9 today at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka, while Hong Kong turned up the heat in the battle for second place in after trouncing Singapore 64 - 6 at the Hong Kong Football Club. Japan's Hirotoki Onizawa marked his 50th cap for Japan by scoring four tries, a feat equaled by Hong Kong winger Adam Raby on his second cap.
Captain Takashi Kikutani may have been the one lifting the superb trophy after Japan regained the HSBC Asian Five Nations title in style on Saturday hammering South Korea 80-9, but it was Hirotoki Onozawa who was making all the headlines.The 31-year-old Suntory Sungoliath was playing his 50th test for his country, (just the fourth player in Japan Rugby history to do so), and marked the occasion by scoring four tries to pass coach John Kirwan's record for the number of tries scored in test matches. Onozawa has now touched down 37 times in 50 tests, while Kirwan scored 35 in 63 internationals for the All Blacks."I'll probably buy him a bottle of champagne and share it with him," said Kirwan after the game at Osaka's Hanazono Stadium.Onozawa was typically modest about the achievement: "There's a big difference in the games Kirwan-san played and I play," he said. "We also play a lot more games these days, so I didn't pay too much attention to the record. Now that I have won my 50th cap hopefully no one else will talk about figures."A lot more games was also the reason given by Korean coach Park Ki-Haeng as to the difference today between Japan and South Korea."There is a huge difference between the number of games played in the Korean league and the Top League [ed: Japan's professional league]," he said. "That's why the gap is getting bigger."Park also said his side were suffering from a number of injuries, but truth be told Japan out-thought, out-ran and out-muscled Korea.Shaun Webb's intuitive rugby brain and sleight of foot led directly to four of Japan's 12 tries, and the fact that Hong, Jun Ki opted for a drop goal and a penalty in the 43rd and 48th minutes, respectively, to bring the score to 40-9 showed that the Koreans knew the game was up.Webb opened the scoring in the 6th minute when he sliced through some non-existent tackling to cross beneath the posts and winger Ayumu Goromaru touched down just three minutes later.Hong slotted over a penalty in the 18th minute to make it 12-3, but from there on in, it was all Japan.Jack Tarrant scored the first of his two tries in the 25th minute and he was soon followed onto the scoresheet for the first time by Onozawa. Ryan Nicholas converted three of the first four tries and then closed out the half with a try and conversion as Japan led 33-3 at the break.The second half started as the first ended with Webb's superb grubber kick being picked up by Nicholas, who raced away for his second try.Hong's two penalties simply provided opportunities for Japan to resume the onslaught and Onozawa, Webb, Tarrant and Yuta Imamura all crossed for tries, before Onozawa rounded off an historic day by sprinting over for his fourth five-pointer."We are delighted to win the HSBC Asian Five Nations Cup," said Japan assistant coach Grant Doorey, who had been in charge of the team all week while Kirwan was in Dublin promoting Japan's bid for the 2015 or 2019 Rugby World Cup."We were a little loose in the first half and know we have to step up for the Pacific Nations Cup," Doorey added. "We left 20 to 30 points out on the field, but to concede just nine points is a positive."Statistics:
Japan 80
Tries: Onozawa (4), Webb (2), Nicholas (2), Tarrant (2), Goromaru, Imamura
Conversions: Nicholas (7), Webb (3)
South Korea 9
Penalties: Hong (2)
Drop goal: Hong
H/T: 33 - 3In Hong Kong, a nine-try blitz by the home team's rampant backline saw them breeze to a comfortable 64-4 victory over Singapore at the Hong Kong Football Club.Left winger Adam Raby, the hat-trick hero against South Korea last week, went one better today, scoring four second-half tries, while outside centre Rowan Varty grabbed a hat-trick and right wing Simon Smith collected a brace as Singapore were totally outclassed.The victory helped Hong Kong secure their place in the Top 5 next year - a crucial goal for the team, which is aiming to push Japan for the automatic qualifying berth for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
"We have accomplished what we wanted to do today and that was to make sure we remain in the top division. I'm extremely happy," said Hong Kong captain Jon Abel."Now our goal is to go to Almaty next week and defeat Kazakhstan so that we can finish second in this tournament," added Abel.
Hong Kong's nine-try romp also secured them a bonus point pushing their overall points tally to eight. If Hong Kong defeat Kazakhstan, they are assured of finishing runners-up to champions Japan. That result would see Hong Kong improve one spot on its 3rd place finish of last year.
Hong Kong led 24-6 at the break with Smith scoring his brace and Varty grabbing one, a superb 75 metre run where he broke through three tackles and ran around a couple more defenders before dotting down under the posts.Raby's opening try from a sweeping move secured Hong Kong their bonus point for scoring four tries in the game. His superb finishing then ensured that he added three more tries to take his international tally to seven in only two games."I'm just a finisher. I depend on the rest of the guys and all credit to them," said Raby. "Maybe I might score five tries against Kazakhstan next week, or none. It will all depend on how the team goes."Hong Kong fly-half Kenzo Pannell had his kicking boots on and knocked over seven conversions and a penalty to tally 17 points."Everyone in Hong Kong focuses on winning the one game and staying in the top division. But the boys are better than that," said happy Hong Kong coach Dai Rees. "I'm confident of going away to Kazakhstan and beating them for we are now playing with width and playing with shape."Singapore's solitary points were scored by fly-half John Forrester who knocked over two first-half penalties. But apart from patches, the Singapore Rugby Lions were totally overwhelmed in the set-pieces as well as the loose"Hong Kong was the better side. Today our guys saw the gap between playing club rugby in Singapore and playing for Singapore in games like these," said Singapore coach Danny Tauroa.Korea, who are on a bye in the fifth and final weekend of the Asian Five Nations Series exit on two wins and two losses with three bonus points for a total of 13 points. Japan is in first place with 18 points with a perfect record of three wins, no losses and three bonus points for scoring four tries or more in each of their matches. Kazakhstan who was on a bye this weekend is in third place with 10 points from two wins and 1 loss. Hong Kong moves within striking distance at 8 points from today's win and three bonus points, while Singapore remain on a single point.
Next week Japan travels to Singapore and Hong Kong heads to Almaty, Kazakhstan for the battle for second place.
Statistics:
Hong Kong 64
Tries: Adam Raby (4), Rowan Varty (3), Simon Smith (2);
Conversions: Kenzo Pannell (7), Mike McKee; Penalty: Pannell)
Singapore 6
Penalties: John Forrester (2)
H-T: 24-6 |
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