PM's XV outclass Japan
Updated
The Australian Prime Minister's XV taught Japan a rugby union lesson in a 61-19 thrashing in Tokyo on Saturday, in the home side's tune-up match for the final Asian qualifying round for next year's World Cup.
"We are very pleased obviously with the result. We are also very pleased that in the space of a week we came together and gave a very competent display," Prime Minister's XV coach Bob Dwyer said.
"We wanted to have a big focus on pairing and driving through the tackle and we achieved quite well."
The Australians opened the scoring early, when winger Peter Hynes caught a Japanese up-and-under and made a long solo run from his own half to cross the line.
Centre Junior Pelesasa, captain John Roe and flanker David Croft added three more tries, with full-back Peter Hewat making no mistakes with his conversions.
The Japanese had to wait 28 minutes to get on the scoresheet, when winger Hirotoki Onodera dived over for an unconverted try to cut the deficit to 28-5.
Four minutes later, half-back Shota Goto intercepted an Australian pass near the Japanese line and sprinted for a try between the posts, which Kyohei Morita converted.
But the visitors ended the first half trailing 35-12, thanks to the first of Caleb Brown's two tries, in injury time.
Hewat, Brown, Francis Fainifo and Lloyd Johansson added further tries in the second half and Hewat scored with eight of his nine conversion attempts.
Winger Daisuke Ohata, who broke the world record for Test tries in May, gave the home crowd something to cheer with a try midway through the second half.
"It was a very physical, spirited game. We played with an excellent spirit, and we are very happy with our performance. It's very difficult to come together with the short preparation and put together our efforts," Roe said.
For Japan, it was a warm-up for their World Cup Asian qualifying round this month, with All Blacks legend John Kirwan, who has been booked to coach the side from January 1, serving as a technical adviser.
Japan will play Hong Kong in the opening match on November 19. South Korea take on Hong Kong on November 21 and Japan play South Korea on November 25 in the three-team round-robin event.
The top team will qualify for the 2007 World Cup, with the runners-up taking on Tonga for the remaining ticket to France.
-AFP
Topics: rugby-union, japan
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