So to the second week of the tournament. The second Friday saw a single game once more, with the hosts on centre stage alone again. This time, the Japanese were the lambs to the slaughter. The last time these 2 sides met in a World Cup, 162 points were scored, and countless records were broken. Most points in a game, highest score by 1 side (145), most tries by 1 player (6 - Marc Ellis - someone erase that record from the record book please... Mark with a 'c' I ask you), Most points by one player (45 - Simon Culhane).
Japan have progressed in those 16 years and with Kiwi coach John Kirwan seeing them become Asian Champions once more and also taking the Pacific Island cup against Tonga, Samoa and Fiji no less, they are the most improved side in World rugby. So a score of 1995 magnitude was never on the cards. My personal feeling though as the game kicked off was a 60 point margin, as with the injuries to star men, understudies had an unexpected chance to impress.
One-way traffic from the beginning, when turnover + Vito break + good hands = Smith over for a converted try (Slade slotting the extras). Slade did miss a straightforward chance to make it 10 in the 9th minute, but Japan were struggling to get a footing. Every time the New Zealand backs touched the ball, they looked dangerous. Tries scored from 1st phase ball are rare at this level, but angles and passes were good and Kahui's strength and pace saw him go over for his third try of the tournament.
Japan seemed eager to tap and go at every opportunity, even deep in their own 22, but were static and flat in the backs, meaning no impetus, and against a bigger side that is a recipe for disaster. Ellis was lively and prompting, Nonu danced through, Jane almost made it but the Japanese conceded a penalty and Kaino forced his way over from the resulting tap and recycle. Slade failed yet again, but 17-0 after 22 minutes was game over and predicted 60 point margin on track.
A free kick for feeding gave the All Blacks their next chance. Nonu was really impressing and broke through again, before another perfect pass to Jane. Recycled ball out to Nonu via Vito once more and another excellent pass fed Mealamu who ambled over for 5. Slade finally succeeded with his second kick. Japan had been awful; tactically naive in quickly tapping ball from everywhere, not strong enough in the tackle and imprecise with their kicking game which resulted in 2 consecutive kick-offs not travelling 10 metres - a criminal way to hand the game back to your opponents in the perfect attacking position (centrefield scrum). A penalty, a touch kick, a win at the line-out, a break from Smith and a pass to Ellis: so simple was the 5th try under the sticks this time. The scoreboard ticked round to 31 as a result.
Barely had the 3 and 1 settled in place on the scoreboard than it was time to change the 1 for an 8. Kick-off gathered, Ellis and Thompson advanced, ball wide through the excellent Nonu again, Toeava in support and the half backs combined for Slade to slide between the posts.
Half-time New Zealand 38 Japan 0
At half-time, you would have been a brave man to put any money on Japan scoring even a single point (well a single point isn't possible, but you know what I mean). How Japan must have wished that this game had been played either yesterday or the day before, as the weather experienced by Scotland, Georgia, USA and Russia would surely have been a leveller. The good conditions made handling a more confident exercise and New Zealand rarely made errors.
Giving away penalties in your own 22 is never a good idea. For Japan it was suicide. In spite of substitutions, the All Blacks back line was smooth as silk, and the ball ended in the hands of Kahui, who ambled over for his second double of the tournament. Slade having found his range and radar, it was 45-0 and counting.
One would have thought that Kirwan would have urged Japan to pick their moments and tap and go in appropriate places, but they continued their brand of hari-kiri rugby at the start of the second. From another ill-advised dart, the ABs sent the ball wide and replacement Sonny Bill Williams strolled in as New Zealand became the first side to break 50. 100 was a possibility at this point.
Belatedly, Japan started playing 15 man rugby after an hour of sevens, and for a moment, they enjoyed some pressure, but turnovers continued to kill them and an Ellis kick from such a turnover saw Kahui in space, half a dozen passes later Toeava came to the party, and under the posts again, to take the score with the help of Slade to 59-0.
Odds on the whitewash were shortening by the second, but a badly judged offload from Slade let winger Onozawa in for the intercept try, converted by Williams, and the comeback was on (!). Kitagawa replaced Kitagawa for the last 20 minutes as Japan defended a scrum under their posts. What happened next? You got it. Ball won, Ellis breaks, recycled, good hands from Nonu and Hore had his moment of glory with NZ's 10th try. 64-7 on the hour.
The stunning mis-match continued, as Williams chased a kick and collected, carrying the ball in one hand as if it were an oddly-shaped apple, weaved and passed to Nonu who went over for the try his performance had deserved. Slade missed again, and Japan must have been happy that he had wasted 11 points, as an embarrassing scoreline could have become mortifying.
The one thing that may be slightly concerning Graham Henry is the relative weakness of Carter's understudy. Slade, missed kicks aside, looked slightly lightweight. Easily knocked off the tackle in defence, flat-footed and when carrying the ball a sitting duck for defenders. Can a Carter-less New Zealand win this tournament? I'm starting to think not.
As usually happens in the latter stages, substitutions really broke up the rhythm of the game, which helped Japan put the brakes on the All Blacks' scoring. I'm sure this will help add confidence to the Japanese as they prepare for the last 2 games in the Pool, against Tonga and Canada, which they have aspirations of winning. That said, Cowan broke, fed Ali Williams somewhat over-extravagantly and Thompson strolled over to become the 11th different try scorer, and (Statto alert!) the first number 7 to score this World Cup.
Slade converted and almost immediately, a Kahui break and kick was dropped on by Sonny Bill Williams. Unlucky 13 for Japan as the score extended to 83-7. A breathless last 2 minutes followed when Japan broke, then New Zealand countered, before Kahui passed the ball away when a 14th try beckoned. Japan broke again, and the Hamilton crowd booed Sonny Bill Williams as he belted the ball dead to bring an end to the game. It was with a certain amount of breathless relief that Nigel Owens blew for time.
Full Time: New Zealand 83 Japan 7
A straightforward New Zealand victory. Japan had no answers, as New Zealand were speaking a completely different rugby language. When they did look good, it was as individuals, and in isolation you cannot secure ball or compete. Two defeats in the bag, they have 2 targets now, and anything less than 1 win will be seen as a massive step backwards after a few years of constant progress.
Japan have made progress, but are a long way from competing with the big boys. They tried, from start to finish, but misguided tapping and going, along with no real combined effort(more a team of individuals than a united XV) meant that there was never the solid base to build any play on.
Tonga and Canada await them, as they look for a 3rd Place finish in the Pool. Canada though will be confident that they have the organisation to take down the Japanese, and Tonga will be a wounded animal after their Canadian defeat.
For New Zealand, Nonu excelled in everything, and his partnership with Smith really does look watertight. Henry needs a fit Carter more than any other player. McCaw was ably covered by Thompson, and the pack, while never really threatened, did an efficient job. Ellis has taken pole position in the race for the number 9 shirt, and you could perm any 3 from about 7 names at the back as Muliaina, Dagg, Toeava, Kahui, Jane, SB Williams and Guildford could all do the desired job. 10 points from 10, a comfortable start to their home world cup.
And Finally...
Another long weekend ahead as we enter the second week of RWC11. Wales have a must-win game against Samoa (I've heard that before) while Ireland face Australia in desperate need of some good vibes. O'Brien returns to the back row for them, but must feel like he carries the weight of the whole country on his shoulders. England and France face Georgia and Canada respectively. 2 sides looking to embarrass bigger name opposition. Both should go the way of the 6 Nations sides, but never say never.... There is also a re-match of the 07 Quarter Final between a Fiji out for revenge and a South Africa breathing a sigh of relief after last weekend. First up though, in England's group, Argentina face Romania. Weakened after their bruising game with England, Argentina have to win to stand a chance of progressing.
The English press still can't let the 'antics' of the squad go. Having announced his team, the press seemed indifferent, wanting to know more about what Mike Tindall had been up to. I suppose they have to fill the column inches somehow. Fair play to Martin Johnson though, he seems to be taking it very much in his stride.
I'm away this weekend and while the updates will follow here, I will be in a non-wireless environent, so Twitter may take a break. Next week I will be on business in Spain, and I won't be able to see the games live. You won't be spared my thoughts though as there will no doubt be a couple of brief messages picking the bones from the highlights.
TTFN
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