Tonga 17 Japan 44

In a world record performance, Japan's stand-off Keiji Hirose kicked nine penalties from nine attempts, a conversion and scored a try for a total points tally of 34 as Japan crushed Tonga 44-17 at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.  Hirose becomes the first man in international test match rugby to kick nine penalties in a game.  Seven players previously held the old record of eight.

Tonga started the game badly conceding eight penalties in the first 20 minutes which enabled Hirose to kick Japan to a 15-0 lead.  Five minutes later Japan moved the ball wide from a scrum and wing Patilai Tuidraki chipped the ball into Tonga's in-goal area and beat the defence to the touch-down.  Hirose converted to give the home side a 22-0 lead.

The Tongan forwards responded well, however, and a long period of pressure in the Japanese 22 resulted in a penalty try for Tonga after referee Kevin Hanley from the United States judged Japan's repeated offside infringments to be professional fouls.

After the break, the Tongans maintained their furious powerful driving play in the forwards until after a series of rucks, stand-off and captain Elisi Vunipola scored the try to bring them back into the game at 22-12 as fullback Sengili Tu'ihalamaka converted.  Unfortunately the indiscipline Tonga had shown in the opening quarter resurfaced and it was this which was ultimately to cost them to game.  Firstly they had a try disallowed on 63 minutes after the referee had brought them back on the advice of the tough-judge after foul play had been spotted.  They then lost wing Fepiko Tatafu who was dismissed for a dangerously high tackle.

Japan put the game out of reach with a two try burst in the last 15 minutes.  Hirose scored after the Japanese forwards had stolen a Tongan lineout and then wing Daisuke Ohata crossed to take the score to 44-12.  Isi Tapueluelu's score in the final minutes was nothing more than a consolation for the Tongans.

Note:  Nine pens is a new Test record.  Eight in the same game has been recorded on 7 previous occasions

Mark Wyatt for Canada v Scotland at Saint John, Newfoundland on 25 May 91
Neil Jenkins for Wales v Canada at Cardiff on 10 Nov 93
Diego Dominguez for Italy v Romania at Catania on 1 Oct 94
Santiago Meson for Argentina v Canada at Buenos Aires on 10 Mar 95
Gavin Hastings for Scotland v Ivory Coast at Pretoria on 30 May 95
Thierry Lacroix for France v Ireland at Durban on 10 Jun 95
Paul Burke for Ireland v Italy at Dublin on 4 Jan 97

The Teams:

Tonga:  1 Puku Faletau, 2 Maikolo Kaihea, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 4 Isi Fatani, 5 Falamani Mafi, 6 Jonathan Koloi, 7 Matt Te Pou, 8 Kati Tu'ipulotu, 9 Sililo Martens, 10 'Elisi Vunipola, 11 Fepiko Tatafu, 12 Etuate Manu, 13 Semi Taupeaafe, 14 Isi Tapueluelu, 15 Sengili Tuihalamaka
Reserves:  Aleki Lutui, Latiume Maka, Feleti Mahoni, Brian Wooley

Japan:  1 Shin Hasegawa, 2 Masaaki Sakata, 3 Naoto Nakamura, 4 Naoya Okubo, 5 Yoshihiko Sakuraba, 6 Jamie Joseph, 7 Yasunori Watanabe, 8 Greg Smith, 9 Graeme Bachop, 10 Keiji Hirose, 11 Daisuke Ohata, 12 Andrew McCormick, 13 Yukio Motoki, 14 Patiliai Tuidraki, 15 Goshi Tachikawa
Reserves:  Tsuyoshi Hirao, Takeomi Ito

Attendance:  14000
Referee:  Kevin Hanley (United States).

Points Scorers:

Tonga
Tries:  Penalty Try 1, Tapueluelu I. 1, Vunipola E. 1
Conv:  Tu'ihalamaka S. 1

Japan
Tries:  Hirose K. 1, Ohata D. 1, Tuidraki P. 1
Conv:  Hirose K. 1
Pen K.:  Hirose K. 9