1
Japan secure Pacific Nations title with win over the USA
By RugbyPass
Although it may not have been as comfortable a victory as some expected, Japan have underlined their credentials heading into the World Cup with a 34-20 win over the USA.
With the victory comes Japan first Pacific Nations title since 2014, and their first outright PNC title since 2011.
Japan and the US were both undefeated heading into the match, but Japan were expected to dominate proceedings at the neutral Fiji venue.
The Brave Blossoms raced out to a 14-0 lead, courtesy of tries to Michael Leitch and Kenki Fukuoka, with Yu Tamura proving accurate off the tee. Fukuoka's try, in particular, gave Japanese fans plenty to cheer about. Some deft hands gave the diminutive winger plenty of space to work with down the right wing and he scorched away to give Japan a comfortable lead.
Spectators would have expected the Japanese side to push on from there but USA were the next to strike. First five AJ MacGinty broke the line in Japan's 22 and Madison Hughes was on his left shoulder to take the easy pass and score near the posts.
The two sides traded penalties after some messy play, shortly after Fukuoka almost went in for his double. Timothy Lafaele put in an excellent grubber kick which Fukuoka scorched onto but his hands failed him at the last second. Referee Glen Jackson called play back for a penalty, which Tamura duly converted.
So it was that the Brave Blossoms went into the break with a 20-13 advantage - and it didn't take long in the second half for them to extend their lead.
Some consistent possession for Japan eventually paid dividends. Tamura took the ball to the line then threw a trademark inside pass to fullback Ryohei Yamanaka who went in untouched.
That was evidently all the impetus that Japan needed because their next try was arguably the international try of the year to date. Yamanaka, Yutaka Nagare and Kotaro Matsushima all touched the ball in the lead up to Leitch's second try of the game - a 60-metre effort that involved some of the best support play you'd ever see. That took Japan out to an unassailable 34-13 lead.
The match devolved into a bit of a slugfest from that point on. The Eagles scored a consolation try in the 72nd minute to flanker Hanco Germishuy, but that was to be the final scoring of the game.
It was far from a polished performance from the Brave Blossoms, in their second to last hit out before the World Cup - coach Jamie Joseph will have plenty to mull over before Japan's final warm-up fixture against South Africa next month.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Ex-Scotland captain and British & Irish Lions star Laidlaw dies
3
Exeter Chiefs confirm latest Heaven sent arrival
4
Ex-Leicester Tigers CEO points out obvious choice for next head coach
5
Latest Comments
And as expected, not a single underperforming established All Black is dropped for their continued poor form.
Little wonder, because they know they’re going to be selected for the Super teams and the All Blacks no matter how they play. They have no incentive to play better really.
Go to commentsREACH OUT TO TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR A GREAT JOB
WhatsApp +15617263697
Fine wine and crypto do not always blend well, especially after a few drinks. I learned this the hard way after a record harvest at my vineyard. Swirling an old Cabernet under the stars, I was a financial connoisseur, my $720,000 Bitcoin wallet aging well for future returns. But the next morning, with a hangover as intense as my Merlion, I realized I'd forgotten my wallet password. Even worse, my recovery phrase, which I'd written down in my wine cellar notebook, had vanished. My eager new assistant had tidied up, mistaking my scribbled security notes for wine tasting spillage, and donated the entire book to the recycling gods. I dove into the garbage cans like a desperate sommelier searching for a quality grape but came up with broken dreams and soggy cardboard. Panic set in faster than cork taint. I faced the bitter truth: my digital fortune was bottled up tighter than a corked bottle with no opener. I sank into denial, questioning whether my future vineyard expansion would now be reduced to selling boxed wine. I panicked, pored over industry publications, and came across a wine industry newsletter that mentioned Tech Cyber Force Recovery. Their slogan, something playful about "decanting lost crypto," seemed like a sign from God. I contacted them, half-expecting snobbery or skepticism. What I received instead were tech wizards who tackled my case with humor and precision. Their team labored over my case like veteran sommeliers dissecting terroir. They painstakingly reconstructed transaction flows, timestamp records, and subtle wallet behavior. It was as if I was watching wine connoisseurs sniff out hints of blackcurrant and oak, but with algorithms and blockchain forensics. Each day, they provided updates with the finesse of tasting notes. “We’re detecting progress, notes of potential access, hints of password recovery on the finish.” Their creativity lightened my anxiety, and ten days later, they uncorked my digital vault. When I saw my Bitcoin balance restored, I nearly opened a bottle of my best vintage at 9 AM. My assistant and I shared a hearty laugh; he's still working for me, but now he labels my ledgers with "DO NOT TOUCH" in bold. My wine business is thriving thanks to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, and I have a new rule: passwords before Pinot. Cheers to their genius!
Go to comments