[2014 EOYT] Japan v Maori All Blacks (01/11/14)

[TRF Mr Fish]

Japan v Maori All Blacks

Noevir Stadium, Kobe
Saturday, 1 November

Japan: Masataka Mikami, Takeshi Kizu, Kensuke Hatakeyama, Luke Thompson, Shoji Ito, Hendrik Tui, Michael Leitch (c), Hayden Hopgood, Atsushi Hiwasa, Yu Tamura, Akihito Yamada, Male Sau, Harumichi Tatekawa, Kotaro Matsushima, Ayumu Goromaru. Reserves: Keita Inagaki, Hiroki Yuhara, Shinnosuke Kakinaga, Shinya Makabe, Amanaki Lelei Mafi, Keisuke Uchida, Kosei Ono, Karne Hesketh

Maori All Blacks: Chris Eves, Ash Dixon, Mike Kainga, Tom Franklin, Hayden Triggs, Blade Thomson, Sean Polwart, Elliot Dixon, Chris Smylie, Ihaia West, James Lowe, Charlie Ngatai (c), Jason Emery, Matt Proctor, Robbie Robinson. Reserves: Codie Taylor, Brendon Edmonds, Nick Barrett, Nick Crosswell, Dan Pryor, Jamison Gibson-Park, Marty McKenzie, Nehe Milner-Skudder​

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how gorgeous the new MAB jersey is?

 

[ruggabee]

Is that Japan's strongest line up? It looks they're missing some players. I could be wrong.

 

[Darwin]

I wasn't aware Hayden Hopgood and Karne Heskath are now playing for Japan. I wonder how Karne is going with his bobsledding.....

 

[RWC2011Fan]

Anyone watching? My feed appears to have no commentary or scoreboard. Looks like a decent crowd though.

And just as I type that, Sky Sport seems to have sorted that out.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Round two begins in ten minutes!

 

[RWC2011Fan]

Much, much tighter contest this time around.

Japan just scored, it's 15-12 right now to the Maori ABs.

 

[Mikel92]

Respect to the Japanese for clearly having a better mentality this week and being up for it. Although I do have to say, the Maori All Blacks seemed to think all they had to do was turn up. Some of our guys were a bit young, but those set pieces were **** weak.

Think the Japs learned a valuable lesson when they were smiling packing down that scrum in the last few minutes. 80 minute game fellas.

 

[kovana]

Wow.. so gracious in victory this Mikel92 guy he is..

After a 60 pt drubbing last week, to even come within 20 points is a great feat. Take your trolling elsewhere 'bro'.

Also, good crowd turnout.

 

[Darwin]

Respect to the Japanese for clearly having a better mentality this week and being up for it. Although I do have to say, the Maori All Blacks seemed to think all they had to do was turn up. Some of our guys were a bit young, but those set pieces were **** weak.

Think the Japs learned a valuable lesson when they were smiling packing down that scrum in the last few minutes. 80 minute game fellas.

I don't think there should be any surprise we struggled at scrum time with Blade Thomson playing lock....

I've only seen highlights, but boy does Codie Taylor have some pace for a hooker. It's a pity he thinks he is a winger....