White off to winning start with Fiji over Eddie Jones' Japan
MATCH REPORT: Fiji edged Japan 34-28 in Tokyo on Saturday to give new coach Jake White a winning start in his reunion with Eddie Jones, less than a year until the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
The 62-year-old White led his native South Africa to World Cup glory in 2007 and went on to coach teams in Australia, France and Japan before being handed the Fiji job this month.
His new side came out on top against Jones’s Japan in a roller-coaster game in the rain.
The Australian Jones was White’s technical adviser for South Africa’s World Cup win.
Japan and Fiji each scored three first-half tries, before visiting substitute Ben Volavola made the difference with two penalties after the break.
The two sides had met in the Pacific Nations Cup Final in Tokyo a month earlier, with Japan winning 20-15.
Saturday’s game served as a warm-up for Japan and Fiji’s trips to Europe next month for the Nations Championship.
Japan will play Wales, England and Scotland, while Fiji will take on France, Ireland and Italy.
The game was played to mark the 100th anniversary of the Japan Rugby Football Union.
Japan, wearing special white commemorative shirts, made the perfect start when Naoto Saito scurried over the line for a fourth-minute try.
Fiji hit back just over five minutes later through Kitione Salawa, then took the lead when captain Tevita Ikanivere touched down after a counterattack.
Japan captain Warner Dearns rampaged over the line to even the scores, but Fiji regained the lead when Tuidraki Samusamuvodre pounced on a mistake in the Japan defence.
Fiji were temporarily reduced to 14 men when Motikai Murray was yellow-carded in the 35th minute, and Japan took advantage immediately with a try from Faulua Makisi.
Murray’s yellow card was later upgraded to a red, but Fiji regained their lead when Terio Tamani scored four minutes into the second half.
Japan hit back with another Dearns try, but Volavola stayed cool to edge Fiji back ahead for good.
*See the scores and scorers below!
Scorers:
For Japan:
Tries: Saito, Dearns 2, Makisi
Cons: Matsunaga 4
For Fiji:
Tries: Salawa, Ikanivere, Samusamuvodre, Tamani
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 4
Pens: Volavola 2
Teams:
Japan: 15 Takuro Matsunaga, 14 Kazuma Ueda, 13 Samisoni Tua, 12 Charlie Lawrence, 11 Inoke Burua, 10 Ryunosuke Ito, 9 Naoto Saito, 8 Lua Makisi, 7 Kanji Shimokawa, 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Jack Cornelsen, 3 Keijiro Tamefusa, 2 Mamoura Harada, 1 Yota Kamimori
Replacements: 16 Kenji Sato, 17 Soujirou Ootsuka, 18 Sanshiro Kihara, 19 Ruan Botha, 20 Mike Stolberg, 21 Esei Ha’angana, 22 Shinobu Fujiwara, 23 Jisu Lee
Fiji: 15 Isaac Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Nacani Boginisoko, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Sikeli Rabitu, 11 Joji Nasova, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Terio Tamani, 8 Motikai Murray, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Aporosa Vuniyayawa, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Inoke Ravuiwasa, 2 Tevita Ikanivere, 1 Peni Ravai
Replacements: 16 Kavaia Tagivetaua, 17 Meli Tunu, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Vilive Miramira, 20 Peni Naruma, 21 Frank Lomani, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Kavekini Boselawa
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant referees: Reuben Keane (Australia), Morgan White (Hong Kong, China)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
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