Kiwis kick into gear; rout hapless Japan
New Zealand maintained their unbeaten start to the World Cup tournament, as the hosts routed a hapless and hopelessly outclassed Japan 83-7 in Hamilton on Friday.
It was the first mismatch of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Things had been going so well up to this match on Friday night in Hamilton with great contests even from the lesser sides. It was not the 145-17 of the last meeting between the two sides – in Bloemfontein in 1995 when the half-time score was close to the full-time score this time – 84-3 but it was one-sided, not really a contest at all.
There is something unsatisfying about such matches. Oh, there are skills to see and admire but it is not much of a step-up from the warm-up exercises teams do before matches.
Japan had played so well against France and then made wholesale changes to their side, giving the impression that they had surrendered this match during the week to concentrate on their match with Tonga on 21 September.
It’s not that Japan did not try but they were boxing without arms. Nothing that they did made an impression on the All Blacks.
There was a crowd of 31 484 in Waikato Stadium, many of them dressed to support, many of them Japanese and there was a touching start to the match with the silence in sympathy for the victims of the devastating earthquakes in New Zealand and Japan six months ago. The anthems were beautifully sung, the haka was dramatic and then for the first 20 minutes things were not too bad. Japan were going through phases which did not go anywhere but which kept the ball from New Zealand. After half an hour of the match, New Zealand led only 22-0. Only!
One of the Japanese phases ended with a turnover to New Zealand. Victor Vito broke off a sharp pass from Owen Franks and then the ball went left to Conrad Smith who scored. 7-0 after 4 minutes.
Colin Slade missed an easy penalty and Japan again went through phases till they knocked on. A penalty gave New Zealand a line-out on the right. They mauled and then released the ball to the left and, with a strong hand-off, big Richard Kahui scored in the corner. 12-0 in 16 minutes.
Japan, to their credit, throughout the match had penalties which they could have kicked at goal but preferred to tap and run.
Ma’a Nonu burst through and Cory Jane was close. New Zealand bashed and eventually Jerome Kaino scored. 17-0 after 22 minutes.
In March the earthquake produced a destructive tsunami in Japan. They suffered a five minute tsunami in this match as New Zealand scored 21 points in five minutes.
Nonu burst, Jane was close and the ball went far left where Keven Mealamu paddled over. 24-0 after 31 minutes. From a line-out Smith broke past two defenders and gave inside to Andy Ellis who scored under the crossbar. 31-0 after 34 minutes. From the kick-off Isaia Toeava took an inside pass from Nonu and broke. The fullback gave inside to Ellis who sent Slade over under the crossbar. 38-0 after 36 minutes. That was the half-time score.
The second 40 minutes produced 52 points.
Andrew Hore substituted for Mealamu and took over the captaincy. Sonny Bill Williams came on and went to the right wing in place of Jane and later Piri Weepu came to flyhalf with Slade at fullback.
Kahui scored the first try of the half as New Zealand went right and left and Kahui scored a comfortable try. A Nonu grubber set up an attacking line-out on the right. New Zealand bashed and then went wide left where Sonny Bill Williams scored. 52-0 after 50 minutes.
Japan did phases and then turned the ball over. Ellis lobbed a kick which Kahui collected on a kind bounce and eventually Toeava scored. 59-0.
New Zealand were running again and had a great lineup on the right. Slade passed and – lo and behold – veteran wing Hirotoki Onozawa intercepted and went scurrying off half the length of the field to score a try that delighted the whole crowd. 59-7 after 57 minutes.
Kaino carried strongly and Hore scored from close quarters. Two minutes later Sonny Bill went on a long break and Nonu scored. 69-7 after 61 minutes.
When Murray Williams kicked a diagonal directly into touch, New Zealand had a line-out 35 metres from their line. Jimmy Cowan broke straight through the line-out on a long run. Ali Williams’s carried it on and sent Adam Thompson surging over for a try. 76-7 with four minutes to play – time for another try as Nonu broke and gave to Kahui who kicked infield. Sonny Bill Williams swooped on the ball and scored.
Man of the Match: Ma’a Nonu – back at inside centre and dominating the midfield in a skilful variety of ways.
Moment of the Match: Hirotoki Onozawa’s try.
Villain of the Match: Nobody was close. It was an honourable match.
The scorers:
For New Zealand:
Tries: Smith, Kahui 2, Kaino, Mealamu, Ellis, Slade, SB Williams 2, Toeava, Hore, Nonu, Thomson
Cons: Slade 9
For Japan:
Try: Onozawa
Con: M Williams
The teams:
New Zealand: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Richard Kahui, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Adam Thomson, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 John Afoa, 18 Ali Williams, 19 Anthony Boric, 20 Jimmy Cowan, 21 Piri Weepu, 22 Sonny Bill Williams.
Japan: 15 Taihei Ueda, 14 Takehisa Usuzuki, 13 Koji Taira, 12 Yuta Imamura, 11 Hirotoki Onozawa, 10 Murray Williams, 9 Atsushi Hiwasa, 8 Takashi Kikutani (captain), 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Itaru Taniguchi, 5 Toshizumi Kitagawa, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Nozomu Fujita, 2 Yusuke Aoki, 1 Naoki Kawamata.
Replacements: 16 Hiroki Yuhara, 17 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 18 Yuji Kitagawa, 19 Sione Vatuvei, 20 Tomoki Yoshida, 21 Shaun Webb, 22 Alisi Tupuailai.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Jérôme Garces (France)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
