Rugby World Cup: Japan won and complicates things for Los Pumas

In the previous round it was a match between two teams with an even level and the one that played the hardest was going to end up winning the result. Benefited by an expulsion of a Samoan rival in the complement, Japan He managed to keep the score, but without showing a great game.

In fact, it was the Japanese who opened the scoring with a good try from their Pieter Labuschagne and from that moment on they dominated the score, but they never managed to get away too far and left Samoa alive to try a comeback at the end of the match.

Japan He also felt that he had everything under control and despite having an extra man he could not keep the others at bay. samoa, that with two minutes remaining he reached the try through his opening Christian Leali’ifano and was six points down, meaning that if he scored another agreed try he could win the game.

But time was not enough for the oceanic team and Japan, suffering, managed to win a victory that catapulted them to fight head to head with Los Pumas to qualify for the quarterfinals in the last game of the group stage for both teams.

Formations and statistics

Japan (28): 1- Keita Inagaki, 2- Shota Horie, 3- Jiwon Gu, 4- Jack Cornelsen, 5- Amato Fakatava, 6- Michael Leitch, 7- Pieter Labuschagne, 8- Kazuki Himeno (cap), 9, Yutaka Nagare, 10- Rikiya Matsuda, 11- Jone Naikabula- 12- Ryoto Nakamura, 13- Dylan Riley, 14- Kotaro Matsushima, 15- Lomano Lemeki.

Coach: Jamie Joseph

Samoa (22): 1- James Lay, 2- Seilala Lam, 3- Paul Alo-Emile, 4- Chris Vui (cap), 5- Theo McFarland, 6- Taleni Junior Agaese Seu, 7- Fritz Lee, 8- Sa Jordan Taufua, 9- Jonathan Taumateine, 10- Christian Leali’ifano, 11- Ben Lam, 12- Alai D Angelo Leuila, 13- Tumua Manu, 14- Ed Fidow, 15- Duncan Paia aua.

Coach: Seilala Mapusua

First half points: 13′ and 32′ tries by Pieter Labuschagne and Michael Leitch converted by Rikiya Matsuda (JPN), 25′ penalty by Alai D’Angelo Leuila (SAM), 28′ penalty by Rikiya Matsuda (JPN), 38 Seilala Lam’s try (SAM)

Partial result: Japan 17-8 Samoa

Second half points: 9′ try by Kazuki Himeno (JPN), 16′ and 35′ penalty by Rikiya Matsuda (JPN), 25′ try by Duncan Paia converted by Christian Leali’ifano (SAM), 38′ try by Christian Leali’ifano converted by himself (SAM)

Cautioned: PT, 32′ Jonathan Taumateine ​​(SAM), 36′ Shota Horie (JPN)

Expelled: ST, 7′ Ben Lam (SAM)

Court: Toulouse Stadium

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Assistants Ben O Keeffe (New Zealand) and Craig Evans (Wales)

TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)