The Australian Under 20s struggled against an impressive Japan side in the Oceania Rugby Junior Championship at at Bond University yesterday.
The lead changed eight times before some timely replacements turned the tide.
First Half
Captain of the day and flyhalf, James Dalgleish opened the scoring with a penalty but Japan started a series of pick and goes and they crept up the field like robust ants and threatened the Aussie goal line. When they were held up the bigger locals would have fancied themselves in the scrum but as they showed several times later. the visitors had their measure and won the ball easily.
It was impressive stuff: they were tight and were able to hold onto the ball on contact, At 13 minutes they were over the chalk and led 7-3. The Aussies were shocked: this was supposed to be an easy team to beat.
And the home team was supposed to threaten when they had the ball but they kept losing it; 12. Jack Redden and 13. Alex Newsome had some unhappy moments in passing and catching but they weren’t the only ones.
They had several visits to the Japan 22 but they found different ways to lose possession, and lacking the enthusiasm of Japan at the rucks was part of that. Were it not for the efforts of 7. Olly Kamp putting out fires it would have been worse.
The only bright spots were the rampaging runs of lock Lukhan Lealaiauloto-Tui who nearly always broke the first tackle, and at about 27 minutes he scored. Dalgleish converted for the Aussies to lead 10-7.
He slotted a penalty goal also but after the restart Japan ran through the Aussies like a dose of salts as though they were Browns cows dotted around the field and with the same amount of interest in what was going on.
Japan took the lead with a converted try 14-13.
It was noticeable that the Japan scrum was on top and also that Aus was kicking away too much, ball but just as things looked bad they tore up the touchline, After 1. Aaron Pleash made good ground, Redden scored and the extras were added.
There was no more scoring in the half and with the break being 20 minutes long it gave time for coach Adrian Thompson to rip into them.
Half time score: Australia 20 – Japan 14.
Second Half
Goal kicking was one thing that was working well and Dalgleish slotted a penalty from 41 metres. But the Aussies stuffed up the restart kick and Japan got a lineout, close. The home team thought they had dodged a bullet when the visitors threw not straight, but Japan pushed them off their own scrum, got the ball and outstanding no. 8, Tevita Tatafu, scored.
It was an embarrassing moment and after the wide conversion, Japan was still behind but now by only 21-23 eight minutes into the half.
There was more bad play from Australia and somehow the music from “Black Adder” kept going through my brain, but there didn’t seem to be a cunning plan to go with it.
Things looked worse when Australia couldn’t stop a Japanese maul and they looked over the line with it, but 6 Sam Croke stripped the ball to save the situation.
Replacements were coming and going by now; Andrew Deegan came on to replace Dalgleish, who had played well though he chanced his arm too much. Apart from an early shocker of a pass Deegan sparked the whole team;
But Japan kicked a penalty after some pick and goes to retake the lead, 24-23 with about a quarter of the match remaining.
Australia returned serve after another Lukhan assault on tacklers and 9 Harry Nucifora sniped for the try. Deegan converted: 30-24 to Aus at 63 minutes.
Deegan cleared the restart kick and Kosuke Makisi of Japan ran the length of the field as though he was covered in snakes and spiders, and scored. That was the second big embarrassment for the Aussie lads because the lack of urgency was horrid. (“Black Adder, Black Adder…”.) The impressive fullback Ryuji Noguchi converted from touch and Japan was in front again, 31-30 with 14 minutes left in the game.
Then Australia started playing well. Andrew Kellaway was making a difference in the centres, and even the starting players lifted.
They were more composed as Lukhan scored his second destructive try, for the lead to change for the eighth time in the match. And after Deegan was held up Newsome went over with a few minutes remaining to clinch the game. After the restart Deegan soaked up the remaining time taking a penalty goal, avoiding the off-chance of injuries.
Final score: Australia 47 – Japan 31.
The Players
Much of the success of Japan in this game was due to their Borg-like teamwork and sticking to a plan but they were well-served by their explosive no 8, Tevita Tatafu, who scored a try with a bit still to do—after Japan monstered the Australian scrum in the first half.
Small fullback Ryuji Noguchi was Gio Aplon-like on attack and kicked goals from everywhere.
Andrew Deegan and Andrew Kellaway played only a quarter of the game but the impact of the pair was remarkable. Winger Christian Yassmin looked promising on the few occasions he got the ball.
Jack Redden had some unhappy moments in ball handling but he redeemed himself with some hard straight running. Although they had been practising this in camp he was one of the few to follow the game plan.
Olly Kamp, whose trade is as a no.8, excelled in his second game on the openside flank, before he moved back when the reserves came on. He has raised his hand to start there if injuries to others don’t mend, or at least to be the reserve back rower in big games.
But the Green & Gold man-of-the match award goes to Lukhan Lealaiauloto-Tui, who was one of the few players who had a point of difference in the “Black Adder” times.
The Wrap Up
The Aussie team rested some of their front-line players and Japan played well but this did not explain the ineptitude of the boys in gold for long periods in the game.
There is a way to go, but few of the starting team put their hands up to run-on in important games in the World Under 20s.
Their scrummaging was poor and twice they got caught looking at each other and Japan scored. This happened in the first game also with different players.
By contrast Japan played closer to their abilities and had a wonderful game—their low compact scrummaging, pick and drives, and cohesion shocked the young Australians time and time again They pushed matters with the referee and showed a purpose that the home team lacked for too long.
The Scoring
Australia – 47 (L. Lealaiauloto-Tui 2, J.Redden, H.Nucifora, A. Newsome tries; J. Dalgleish 2 cons 3 pens; A. Deegan 3 cons, pen) def. Japan 31 (K. Urabe 2, T. Tatafu, K. Makisi tries; R. Noguchi 4 cons; pen)
All photos by HJ Nelson
