Junior ABs thrash brave Japan

Tane Tu'ipulotu and Stephen Brett scored tries early in the second half Sunday as New Zealand's Junior All Blacks defeated Japan 51-3 in the final match of the Pacific Nations Cup.

The Junior All Blacks, who defeated Australia A 50-0 a week ago to clinch the title, built up a 10-3 lead at halftime.

Tu'ipulotu widened the lead to 15-3 four minutes after the break and Brett gave the visitors a commanding 20-3 lead two minutes later.

Replacement Stephen Donald added his second of two tries just minutes before the whistle to complete the scoring for the visitors.

The Japanese, coached by All Black legend John Kirwan, can take heart from their effort in the opening thirty minutes, after which they were leading 3-0.

But their courageous stand was soon halted by the inevitable All Black surge in the final fifty minutes.

The Junior All Blacks finish the tournament with a perfect record.

The scorers:

For the Junior All Blacks:
Tries:  Crockett, Tu'ipulotu, Brett, Tuitavake, Nonu, Wulf, Donald 2
Cons:  Brett 2, Donald 2
Pen:  Brett

For Japan

Pen:  Ando

Teams:

Japan:  15 Bryce Robins, 14 Christian Loamanu, 13 Yuta Imamura, 12 Shotaro Onishi, 11 Hirotoki Onozawa, 10 Eiji Ando, 9 Yuki Yatomi, 8 Hare Makiri, 7 Glen Marsh, 6 Yasumori Watanabe, 5 Luke Thompson, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Tomokazu Soma, 2 Yuji Matsubara, 1 Masahito Yamamoto.
Replacements:  16 Yusuke Aoki, 17 Ryo Yamamura, 18 Takanori Kumagae, 19 Takamichi Sasaki, 20 Koichi Ohigashi, 21 Kousei Ono, 22 Go Aruga.

Junior All Blacks:  15 Scott Hamilton, 14 Rudi Wulf, 13 Ma'a Nonu, 12 Tane Tu'ipulotu, 11 Anthony Tuitavake, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Sione Lauaki, 7 Daniel Braid (c), 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Hoani MacDonald, 3 Campbell Johnstone, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements:  16 Derren Witcombe, 17 John Afoa, 18 Kieran Read, 19 Mose Tuiali'i, 20 Andrew Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Sam Tuitupou.

Referee:  Tim Hayes (Wales)
Touch judges:  David Changleng (Scotland), Taizo Hiraybayashi (Japan)

Junior ABs make hard work of easy win

The Junior All Blacks continued their 100 per cent win record with a 39-13 win over Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup on Saturday, but it was a hard-earned win, coming back from a half-time deficit.

Tongan full-back Vungakoto Lilo scored two first-half tries -- the second after Cory Jane had spilled a high ball -- to give Tonga a 10-3 lead early in the match, before Ross Filipo's try from a line-out near half-time restored parity -- with Brett converting and landing a penalty.

But Lilo gave Tonga the lead again with a penalty of his own with the final kick of the first half.

Derren Witcombe's try, the hooker latching onto a chip kick early in the second half, gave the Junior ABs the momentum again, and this time the team clicked into gear.

Tongan skipper Nili Latu was sin-binned for killing the ball in the 50th minute, and from the penalty, Marty Holah burrowed over.

As the Tongan team began to tire, the Junior AB replacements made a significant difference, and the backs ran their opposition ragged, with Tane Tu'ipulotu, Anthony Tuitavake, and Scott Hamilton all going over for tries out wide.

The scorers:

For Tonga:
Tries:  Lilo 2
Pen:  Lilo

For Junior ABs:
Tries:  Filipo, Witcombe, Holah, Tu'ipulotu, Tuitavake, Hamilton
Cons:  Brett 3
Pen:  Brett

Yellow card:  Latu (Tonga, 50, professional foul)

Tonga:  15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 Seti Kiole, 13 Hudson Tonga'uiha, 12 'Isileli Matakaiongo Tupou, 11 'Aisea H Kaufusi, 10 Fangatapu 'Apikotoa, 9 Soane Havea, 8 Hale T Pole, 7 'Otenili Latu (Captain), 6 Teu'imuili Kaufusi, 5 'Isileli Fine, 4 Sione Kalamafoni, 3 Soane Tonga'uiha, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Toma Toke.
Replacements:  16 Feki Moala, 17 Sateki Mata'u, 18 Lopeti Liku, 19 Chris Hala'ufia, 20 Tevita Palu, 21 Siua Taumalolo, 22 Sione Fonua.

Junior ABs:  15 Cory Jane, 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Anthony Tuitavake, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Marty Holah (Captain), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Ross Filipo, 3 John Afoa, 2 Derren Witcombe, 1 Clarke Dermody.
Replacements:  16 Tone Kopelani, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Jerome Kaino, 19 Daniel Braid, 20 Andrew Ellis, 21 Stephen Donald, 22 Tane Tu'ipulotu.

Referee:  Federico Cuesta (Argentina)
Touch judges:  James Leckie (Australia), Eva Mafi (Tonga)

Junior All Blacks run riot in Suva

The Junior All Blacks laid down a firm statement of intent for the Pacific Nations Cup by thrashing Fiji 57-8 in Suva on Saturday.

The New Zealand pack was far superior to the opposition, destroying the Fijians at scrum-time and nicking throw after throw at the line-out.  The Fijians were left with no ball at all.

It was a worying reminder of the gulf between the full-time professionals and the Fijians who are rarely together, and playing part-time domestically.  What scale will the mis-matches be at the rugby World Cup?

New Zealand's forward supremacy provided a steady supply of ball to a dangerous set of three-quarters to give the Junior All Black a 29-3 lead, with the bonus point already assured.

Casey Laulala was the first on the scoresheet after just seven minutes, capitalising on 12 phases of picking and driving by the pack.

When Rico Gear tore away down the left after 20 minutes, the support once again got the ball out quickly enough for scrum-half Andrew Ellis to score.

A scrum shoved against the head after half an hour gave quick turnover ball for Cory Jane to get his try, side-stepping the last three defenders superbly, and then another powerful scrum gave Mose Tuiali'i space to kick wide for Gear to dot down.

Tuiali'i opened the scoring again just after half-time, visibly sapping the Fijian spirit, and the home pack then conceded a penalty try, before Scott Hamilton and tane Tuipulotu rounded off the scoring.

Fiji's consolation score came from centre Gabiriele Lovobalavu, but it was little cause for cheer for the home team.

The scorers:

For Fiji:
Try:  Lovobalavu
Pen:  Buatava

For the Junior All Blacks:
Tries:  Laulala, Ellis, Jane, Gear, Tuiali'i, penalty try, Hamilton, Tuipulotu
Cons:  Donald 4, Brett 3
Pen:  Donald.

Samoa falls to Junior All Blacks

In a performance that made a mockery of their subordinate name, the Junior All Blacks opened their Pacific Nations Cup campaign with an emphatic 31-10 victory over Samoa in Apia on Sunday.

The visitors fielded ten full All Blacks and Rico Gear, a surprise omission from Graham Henry's mid-year squad, reminded the selector's of his skills by scoring a brace of tries.

Prop John Afoa, number eight Mose Tuiali'i and replacement Ross Filipo also scored for the New Zealanders, while David Lemi scored a consolation try for the Samoans, who beat Fiji 8-3 last weekend.

Afoa gave the New Zealanders off the mark by collecting a charged-down kick from Samoan midfielder Seilala Mapusua to score within two minutes of the start.

Gear then went in for the first of his two tries, even though his grounding looked suspect and his legs appeared in touch in Mapusua's tackle.

Ahead 12-0, the Junior All Blacks took their foot off the pedal in the searing heat, allowing the hard-hitting Samoans to gain some momentum in the pick-and-go.

However, the home side's finishing touches let them down.

Fullback Gavin Williams had only fullback Cory Jane to beat with winger Lome Fa'atau looming up on his right only to fluff that opportunity.

Bad passes let them down twice in the second half when they had the Juniors on the backfoot close to the goal line.

The visitors fought back and a try from replacement Filipo and Gear's second sealed the result.

But there was some consolation for the locals when Lemi got on the end of a poor pass from Jimmy Cowan to score.

Junior All Blacks captain Marty Holah declared himself happy with his opener, but warned his troops against complacency.

The New Zealanders romped through last year's edition of the tournament, but the introduction of Australia "A" and the forthcoming Rugby World Cup have added an extra dimension to proceedings.

"Teams like Samoa and Fiji are preparing for the World Cup now and they're getting their best players back from around the world, so naturally they're tougher," Holah told the NZPA.

"And playing these teams in the islands is as tough as they come.

"They're twice as physical at home, and it's not going to get any easier for us next week."

Australia "A" marked their entry into this six-team competition with a 60-15 win over Tonga last night and Fiji, who had lost narrowly to Samoa last week, beat Japan 30-15 in Lautoka after trailing 3-15 at halftime.

The Junior All Blacks play Fiji in Suva on 2 June, Samoa meet the Australians in Coff's Harbour on the same day.

The scorers:

For Samoa:
Try:  Lemi
Con:  Williams
Pen:  Williams

For Junior All Blacks:
Tries:  Gear 2, Afoa, Tuiali'i, Filipo
Cons:  Donald 3

The teams:

Junior All Blacks:  15 Cory Jane, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Stephen Brett, 11 Scott Hamilton, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Mose Tuiali'i, 7 Marty Holah (c), 6 Kieran Read, 5 Greg Rawlinson, 4 Hoani MacDonald, 3 John Afoa, 2 Derren Witcombe, 1 Clarke Dermody
Replacements:  16 Tone Kopelani, 17 Campbell Johnstone, 18 Ross Filipo, 19 Jerome Kaino, 20 Andrew Ellis, 21 Anthony Tuitavake, 22 Daniel Braid.

Samoa:  15 Gavin Williams, 14 Lome Faatau, 13 Anitelea Tuilagi, 12 Seilala Maposua, 11 Brian Lima (captain), 10 Loki Crichton, 9 Stephen Sooialo, 8 Alfie Tooala, 7 Ulia Ulia, 6 Joe Tekori, 5 Kane Thompson, 4 Filipo Levi, 3 Cencus Johnston, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Justin Va'a.
Replacements:  16 Muliufi Salanoa, 17 Donald Kerslake, 18 Leo Lafaiali'i, 19 Semo Sititi, 20 Junior Polu, 21 Joshua Keil, 22 David Lemi.

Referee:  James Leckie (Australia)