Brave Blossoms impress as Fiji slump

By William Tabuya

Fiji struggled to defeat Japan 29-15 in their final Pacific 5 Nations match at Nagai Stadium in Osaka as the Cherry Blossoms dug deep to make a superb comeback but couldn't quite find the extra strength to cross the Fiji line a third time.

From a late turnover under the Fiji posts, promising flanker Akapusi Qera ran the length of the field to score the winner and put the result beyond doubt, but Fiji will be far from satisfied from a performance that could be described as mediocre at best. 

Japan appeared more organized as they dominated particularly the scrums and set pieces and at times threatened to break the Fijian line through timed passes and powerful runs. 

The much-fancied flying Fijian side, who were without star winger Rupeni Caucau, were made to work extra hard as the winless Japan team fought tooth and nail to give their supporters something to talk about.

After an exchange of penalties by Eiji Ando for Japan and Seremaia Bai for Fiji, Kameli Ratuvou gave the Fijians the lead 10-3 after a bustling run from wing Maleli Kunavore saw an offload land perfectly in Ratuvou’s arms.

On the stroke of half-time, the Fijians caught the Japanese napping when they took a quick line-out and Sekove Leawere ran in untouched.

Bai missed the conversion as the teams went for the break with Fiji leading 15-3. 

The second half see-sawed until Keiji Takei got over in the corner and then New Zealander Phil O’Reilly; the best of the Japanese pack, got a strange try as the ball bobbed about. 

That brought the score to 15-15 with nine minutes to play. 

Replacement loose forward, Alifereti Doviverata got over for a try with four minutes to go by powering his way through two desperate tackles to dive near the corner. 

Then at the death, Qera's long run shattered all hopes for the local side to come back into the game. 

Saturday, 1 July, 2006
Fiji 29 Japan 15
Pacific 5 Nations
Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan
Half time: 15-3
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges: Jonathan White (NZ), Shinji Aida (Japan)
Att:

JAPAN: 15 Takashi Miyake, 14 Kosuke Endo, 13 Atsushi Moriya (Yuta Imamura 33), 12 Hideyuki Yoshida, 11 Nataniela Oto (Keiji Takei 41), 10 Eiji Ando, 9 Mamoru Ito (Wataru Ikeda 73), 8 Hajime Kiso 7 Phillip O’Reilly (Tamaoka Nakai 50-57), 6 Takashi Kikutani (Tomouki Nakai 69), 5 Tsuyoshi Sato (Takanori Kumagae 41), 4 Hitoshi Ono (capt), 3 Ryo Yamamura, 2 Yuji Matsubara (Takashi Yamaoka 21), 1 Yuichi Hisodami (Masahito Yamamoto 48) 
Coach:
Tries: Takai, O’Reilly; Conversion: Ando; Penalty goal: Ando 

FIJI: 15 Norman Ligairi, 14 Maleli Kunavore (Epeli Ruivadra 70), 13 Kameli Ratuvou, 12 Seru Rabeni, 11 Sekove Leawere (Jo Tora 75), 10 Seremaia Baikeinuku, 9 Jacob Rauluni, 8 Netani Talei (Alifereti Doviverata 57, yellow card 62-71), 7 Aca Ratuva (Akapusi Qera 57), 6 Semisi Naevo, 5 Simon Raiwalui (capt), 4 Isoa Domolailai, 3 Ravuamo Samo, 2 Sunia Koto (Joeli Lotawa 81), 1 Josese Bale (Apisai Nagi 65)
Not used: Emosi Vucago
Coach: Wayne Pivac 
Tries: Ratuvou, Leawere, Doviverata, Qera; Conversions: Baikeinuku 2, Tora; Penalty goal: Bai 

Scoring sequence (Japan's score shown first):
5min – PEN GOAL JAPAN, Ando – 3-0
10min – PEN GOAL FIJI, Bai – 3-3
17min – TRY FIJI, Ratuvou; conversion Bai – 3-10
29min – PEN GOAL Japan, Ando (missed) – 3-10
42min – TRY Fiji Leawere; conversion Bai (missed) – 3-15
Half-time
62min – Yellow card FIJI, Doviverata
63min – TRY JAPAN Takei; conversion Ando – 10-15
70min – TRY JAPAN O’Reilly; conversion Ando (missed) – 15-15
77min – TRY FIJI Doviverata; conversion Bai – 15-22
80min – TRY Fiji Qera; conversion Tora – 15-29 
Fulltime

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