Another two: Richard Kahui
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New Zealand recorded two wins from two in World Cup 2011 on Friday with a slick 83-7 victory over Japan, a result that saw them score thirteen tries.
It quickly turned into a procession in Waikato as Ma'a Nonu caused all kinds of problems for the Brave Blossoms, who had rested several of their first-choice players. New Zealand had done something similar during midweek while niggles for Richie McCaw and Dan Carter saw them pull out soon after being named in the starting XV.
What was worrying early on for the All Blacks was the kicking from hand and tee of Colin Slade - one could picture the scribes already sharpening their pens for the second-choice fly-half. However, a settling conversion on 31 minutes calmed the number ten and he went on to enjoy a try-scoring effort for a side that was always on the front-foot.
Nonu was the key to this victory though, with his ability to fix and beat a man always keeping Japan on the back foot. It seemed like visiting head coach John Kirwan had targetted the soon-to-be Blues man by loading two players onto him, but that proved futile as Nonu tore the opposition to shreds in setting up his team-mates.
Centre colleague Conrad Smith, who was in for the benched Sonny Bill Williams, opened the scoring on just four minutes when number eight Victor Vito, Nonu and full-back Isaia Toeava combined to send over the number thirteen. Slade was on-target with the conversion from close to the left touchline but then mis-judged a penalty attempt soon after.
New Zealand had definitely found their rhythm and it didn't take too long for them to cross again, with Richard Kahui ghosting over after good work from Toeava for his third try of the tournament so far. He would get his fourth later on. The score was 12-0 with the television camera showing John Kirwan trying to keep a brave face. Things would not improve though.
On the other end of the scale, there was some pleasant viewing for Graham Henry, who will have a fair few selection headaches to deal with ahead of facing France in Auckland.
Nonu has nailed his spot down and Henry would have been encouraged by how Williams played on the right wing, scoring two tries in his cameo. Israel Dagg meanwhile has to start.
Joining Williams, Smith and Kahui on the try-scoring chart was Jerome Kaino, Keven Mealamu, Andy Ellis, Slade, Toeava, Andrew Hore, Nonu and Adam Thomson. The All Blacks now have until next Saturday to recover before facing les Bleus in a Pool decider.
Man of the match: While it took him over an hour to cross the whitewash, Ma'a Nonu was at the hear of all things good for New Zealand. Both he and Isaia Toeava were regularly on hand with assists for team-mates but Nonu was the man who caused the most problems.
Moment of the match: We always knew the All Blacks would be the ones scoring the tries but when veteran wing Hirotoki Onozawa went over for Japan on 58 minutes, it led to one of the biggest cheers of the night.
Villain of the match: Played in a good spirit. Nothing dirty.
The scorers:
For New Zealand:
Tries: Smith, Kahui 2, Kaino, Mealamu, Ellis, Slade, SB Williams 2, Toeava, Hore, Nonu, Thomson
Con: Slade 9
For Japan:
Try: Onozawa
Con: Williams
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 (c), 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 Takahisa Usuzuki, 13 Koji Taira, 12 Yuta Imamura, 11 Hirotoki Onozawa, 10 Murray Williams, 9 Atsushi Hiwasa, 8 Takashi Kikutani (c), 7 Michael Leitch, 6 Itaru Taniguchi, 5 Toshizumi Kitagawa, 4 Hithoshi Ono, 3 Nozomu Fujita, 2 Yusuke Aoki, 1 Naoki Kawamata.
Replacements: 16 Hiroki Yuhara, 17 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 18 Yuji Kitagawa, 19 Sione Talikavili Vatuvei, 20 Tomoki Yoshida, 21 Shaun Webb, 22 Alisi Tupuailai.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Jérôme Garces (France)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
By Adam Kyriacou
Comments
SACanuck says...
Part of the problem is that a lot of the time the tier 2 teams do not get a lot of time off between games like the 1st tier teams. This should actually be the other way around, so that the 2nd tier teams have a better chance of fielding their strongest team. For the most part the 2nd tier teams have done well this WC, but lets remember they are generally trying to get a 3rd place finish in their pools and therefore in some cases field a weaker team to rest the 1st choice players to due to the short turn around that they have to deal with and wanting to beat the other 2 minnow teams. Cutting the number of teams down makes no sense if you want to grow the game. In Canada the game against Tonga was at 1am in the morning and something like 175,000 people were watching. This is unheard of for Rugby, but people are really starting to get into it. Keep it at 20 teams, it is good for the game, just make it a little fair for the small guys.
Posted 16:36 16th September 2011
hybrid187 says...
Trinats.. "even the kiwi crowd were booing SBW for kicking it out at the end"
You bore me. All your comments do. Your just here to bash everything thats not Aussie Larry.
Maybe he kicked it out because they were all huffing and puffing and absolutely exhausted after chasing eachother up and down the field for 3 minutes past the 80 mark ?? Maybe he kicked it out because he thought... "oh well.. were 76 points up anyway, what does it matter?", maybe he kicked it out to prevent a Japanese ruck 5m out from the AB line ??
Posted 15:35 16th September 2011
JMehrtens says...
@leinster_goy
To say the score would be more if NZ didn't rest 5 of their top players (although 2 full backs) shows you are a little bit biased in using your arguments or didn't realise Japan basically played their B team. And considering Japans depth I think that effect was more significant.
But I do agree during a RWC we see to few top countries playing eachother
4 years ago SA won the cup after having played only two serious matches they could have lost. (odds below 5-1, or even 10-1)
USA, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga or even Argentina have never won a single game against SA and you can't expect that to suddenly change.
NZ only played France (unless you count games against Italy and Scotland B) and lost. (0/1)
Australia only played England and Wales. (Win rate 1/2)
Posted 15:30 16th September 2011
lawynd says...
@leinsterblue and leinster_goy - you do realise that Japan won this year's Pacific Nations Cup, beating Tonga and Fiji? It's not the greatest tournament on earth, with only three games, but it's what they have, and they were full value for finishing top of the pile. Rugby in Japan is increasing in popularity all the time and the improvement, both in terms of annual results, the IRB rankings and their improvements at subsequent World Cups is there for all to see. If you're going to judge them on one performance then perhaps it should be the France result, where were it not for a late flurry by the French, Japan could have at least come away with a point, if not a bigger share of the spoils.
This game was against the best team in the world, the tournament favourites, in front of their home crowd - you're mentally deficient if you think that doesn't make a massive difference. Yet, I bet the Japanese players would be pretty annoyed with your comments because it was obvious they didn't consider themselves there just to make up the numbers.
As for complaints about the non-Japanese born players, give it a rest? Ireland are fielding Tom Court and Isaac Boss just for starters, and how many thoroughbred Italian internationals were there when they started playing the game? Commonwealth (and former) nations have the advantage and luxury of having played rugby for over a century, if this is what it takes for other nations to catch up (and as long as they aren't breaking the rules), let them have at it.
Posted 15:12 16th September 2011
porridge_time says...
ive suggested on another thread that the WC should be scaled back to 16 teams, with only 10 automatic places based on rankings (logical rankings, not the stupid current system).
You mean the old rankings when Ireland were rated higher?
Posted 15:07 16th September 2011
Golden_StateNBA says...
I think Japan would get allot more out of this game then NZ.
You only get better at things by competing with the best. To put a modern spin on it when you play a game on you console if you play the rookie level all the time you will never get better you have to move up to the pro then superstar levels and play better competition.You Might get your butt kicked for a while but them's the breaks at least you will learn and get better.
In this case the score line was not as bad as 95 and Japan did play well against France. Should they not have played France as well. New Zealand on the the other hand would not got much out of this match apart from a training run.
If you want rugby to become a global sport you need these game otherwise these smaller rugby nations will loose interest.
Posted 15:01 16th September 2011
Ramage says...
@Fred91 Sorry to inform you but Nigel Owens is down to referee the South Africa Samoa game. Oh well looks like we will here another barrage from you. I actually thought he refereed a good game. Oh dear another guy who is prepared to say the referees are cheats. C'mon Fred do you actually believe that Paddy called a meeting at IRB HQ in Dublin of all RWC referees and told them they had to let NZ away with any transgressions not penalise them so they would end up winning the cup. Well I read so many posts on here that say NZ will choke and so wont win the cup. I also read how last world cup a referee never penalised the French in the second half so who do I believe? The posts on here are so confusing. One thing for sure the Rugby referees are NOT cheats and usually do a good job but like players they are human and make mistakes. THEY ARE NOT CHEATS and neither do they go out to favour certain teams. To suggest they do is an insult to their integrity. We all have opinions on how well they referee and we can debate this but to say they cheat or are biased is ridiculous and it doesnt help rugby by making these statements. .
Posted 14:57 16th September 2011
coronach says...
for Trinuts - a training run you say, but not the same as Oz v Russia, USA?
Teams did not choose their pool opponents, and NZ had no say in Japan fielding a team weakened with 10 changes from the team v France. (joke) maybe both teams should be banned for not fielding their strongest sides there was plenty of bleating from you about that in the tri-nations.
Posted 14:44 16th September 2011
LeedsNick says...
@lostguy101...
You do know that NZ did not lose the Bledisloe Cup this year. They retained it. So not sure why you were upset...
Posted 14:41 16th September 2011
headhunter99 says...
@KiwiLad
Loads of camper vans full of Aussies,should have stuck em in tents like the old convict days. Is it true that the camper vans are basically 5 star hotels in NZ ? Thats what a lot of us Poms were told when we were looking for accommodation.
On to the Rugby, does anyone have a view on introducing a plate type of competition for the tier 2/3 or even the likes of Wales and Ireland when they get
knocked out ?
Posted 14:27 16th September 2011
jamesliveinhope says...
does seem weird that posters are questioning the value of the fixture.
New Zealand are world number 1 and just have too much for tier 2 sides but they always have (some say that has been their problem) they are so powerful and so skillful in the backs that almost all teams need to cut their posession and stop them scoring before they can even begin to worry about scoring themselves.
Japan, to their credit, don't do spoiling, cheating or any of the negative stuff which is why they can look totally naive and out of their depth one minute - and then score a pile of unanswered points againts sides like France who are renowned for taking their eye of the ball.
Posted 14:21 16th September 2011
atg77 says...
1. Sonny Bill Williams HAS to start.
2. Reducding the amount of teams in the world cup would defeat the purpose of having a world cup in the first place. Half of it is about exposing the game to new audiences around the globe in countries such as the USA, Russia, Japan who have massive populations but relatively little interest in rugby. Please lets not let it disintegrate into the old boys club of the trinations and old five nations countries.(This is coming from a Scotland fan.)
3. Does anyone know who Henry has earmarked for a (squad) replacement incase Carter is injured? I would have thought Stephen Donald.
Posted 14:08 16th September 2011
coronach says...
@LeslieUdwin - bizarre 150 cap theory - have you any idea how many caps this AB squad has, your limit would see them fielding six players, maybe only two!
The ABs did not ASK to play Japan in RWC, that was the draw. I don't enjoy games like this, but they can't 'win' can they - score points and they're 'mean, arrogant', what do you want - pity? It's not a schoolboys game.
And Japan did choose to rest 10 players from the France game - they 'threw' the match today to focus on Canada and Tonga..
Posted 14:07 16th September 2011
leinster_goy says...
@trader @bruce @kinsman
even if NZ did not score 145 like in 95 (seriously, are we really congratulating teams in the rugby world cup for not conceding over 100 points???) it is still a thrashing by any standard and if i remember rightly, japan scored two tries in the 95 game. today they only scored one. also, the score may well have been 145 again if carter, mccaw, read, muliaina and dagg had started.
my main argument is that certain (not all) of the tier 2/3 teams do not gain anything positive in the long-term from these world cup matches. look at portugal - qualified for the last WC, thrashed by NZ...where are they now? no development, no improvement. namibia are another team who are showing very little improvement. it would be better if the irb made the tournament more competitive by limiting the number of places available to the lesser teams. by making it easier to qualify, as the present system does, it doesn't force the tier 2 teams to invest and improve as much as possible. look at japan - they are assured qualification almost every year since they only have to beat teams like united arab emirates and kazahkstan. there is therefore less incentive to get better, as demonstrated by the fact that they're importing players with very japanese names like murray williams and shaun webb.
ive suggested on another thread that the WC should be scaled back to 16 teams, with only 10 automatic places based on rankings (logical rankings, not the stupid current system). this would keep weaker tier 1 teams like italy and fiji (and maybe ireland, there i said it) on their toes, while also allowing the likes of georgia, canada, romania - who unlike others have made genuine progress - to qualify. perhaps more two-legged play-offs could be held i.e. japan v tonga, italy v georgia, etc.
in short, less places = more competitiveness = better quality overall. logical, no?
Posted 13:47 16th September 2011
Ramage says...
Geez you read some of the posts on here and you really have to wonder about the mentality of the writers.Can I point out that this is the RWC 20 teams qualified to participate one of which was Japan and another NZ.and it so happened that they were drawn in the same pool. That being so thay had to play each other whether they liked it or not. So all this talk about what NZ got out of the game and Japan got out of the game is irrelevant. Simply NZ got 5 points Japan none and so they both move on to the next game. Just as South Africa gained 4 points and Wales 1 point. So many people are just sitting on this site wishing to bag either NZ for playing well or Japan for not playing well enough. Geez open your eyes and give credit where credit is due.
However I would be remiss if I did not bring in some local politics. SO PAY ATTENTION MARK HAMMETT. Rejected Hurricane players Nonu and Hore once again under different management have been outstanding. Nonu named man of the match and Hore thought good enough by another management team to be named Captain of his country when he came on to replace Mealamu. Amazing how another management team have kept faith in thse two players and been rewarded accordingly. HOPE YOU HAVE PAID ATTENTION TO THIS MARK. Alas I dont think you have and it says much about your poor man management skills and I for one look forward to your early demise for the insults you have heaped on these two fine players. My best wishes to Hurricanes supporters for with a coach like you have you are going to need it.
Posted 13:36 16th September 2011
leinsterblue says...
some interesting discussions about having the 'minnows' at the world cup...maybe we really do need a qualification tournament for every world cup...
I for one would be more than happy to see the summer and autumn tours dumped in the 2 years prior to a world cup and use that time for qualification tournaments and let each team play home and away...split the groups up regionally and then let each team qualify on the merit of their performances over the qualifying campaign...if they are good enough they make, if not they stay home....
it would also get the northern hemisphere teams away from only playing the tri-nations teams and instead send us trudging off to places like Georgia, Russia to qualify.. it would be a great way to promote the game and it would throw up some surprises...
Posted 13:19 16th September 2011
porridge_time says...
kinsman... leinster thinks that only teams from the top table should play in the world cup... seemingly that includes the rugby power house Ireland.
Posted 13:11 16th September 2011
KiwiLad says...
As an aside, spent four hours traveling across the NI today, have never seen so many campervans, lots of them full of Australians, If anyone from SA or the NH is looking to come out here for the latterpart of the cup, those Aussies will have gone home, and some cheaper transportation will be available.....
Posted 13:11 16th September 2011
Fred91 says...
I cannot believe the amount of blunders the ref made, they penalise Japan during the scrum for throwing the ball on their side but not with NZ, even the commentators mentioned that......the NZ were offside during the ruck and the touch judge have to step in to move them back without even a penalty....one question comes to mind is that the NZ team will be let go of all these infringements to win the Cup....it so unbelievable if such refs go unchecked...they referee's committee should warn these refs to be fair....these is world cup!! not any club games.....what a pathetic referee Nigel Owens, I hope he does not ref any of the Pacific countries' game.....
Posted 12:57 16th September 2011
porridge_time says...
ruckman... eh?
Posted 12:56 16th September 2011