Japan do the double over Canucks

Japan completed a November Test match double over Canada on Saturday, beating the Canucks 27-6 in Tokyo.

Canada were much improved in comparison to last week's 46-8 loss and will hope to take that improvement into the match against Russia in Vancouver next weekend.

Alisi Tupuailei broke through the Canadian defensive line before passing onto Go Aruga, who sprinted over for the opening try early in the match.

Hitoshi Ono almost increased the lead in the 14th minute.  Phil O'Reilly ripped the ball away from a Canadian player in a maul and Ryan Nicholas bounced off a number of would-be tacklers to set up field position only for the Japan lock to be tackled just short of the line.

Six minutes later Japan did increase their lead, when Hirotoki Onozawa followed up a good chip from Shaun Webb and forced a scrum five.

Two phases later Kensuke Hatakeyama dived through a pile of bodies and was adjudged to have grounded the ball.  Nicholas added the extras as Japan went 12-0 up.

James Pritchard reduced the lead with a penalty in the 23rd minute after Japan were caught offside from a clearance kick by Webb and there was no further score in the half.

Having lost Kosuke Endo halfway through the first half, Japan were forced to make another change in the backs at half-time with James Arlidge coming on for an injured Aruga, but there was no perceptible change in the match momentum.

Michael Leitch crossed in the 48th minute after a good break from Takashi Kikutani, the Japan captain timing his run and pass to perfection.  Webb added the conversion to make it 19-3.

Ander Monro slotted over a penalty for Canada in the 56th minute to reduce the deficit to 19-6, only for Webb to reply with a penalty of his own five minutes later.

The Canadians then spent several minutes camped in the Japan 22 only to see their pressure turn into points at the other end when Webb intercepted a wayward Canada pass and raced 80 metres before being tackled.

Onozawa was in support and the ball was recycled before Arlidge and Nicholas put Ayumu Goromaru away for Japan's fourth try.

The scorers:

For Japan:
Tries:  Go Aruga, Kensuke Hatakeyama, Michael Leitch, Ayumu Goromaru
Cons:  Ryan Nicholas, Shaun Webb
Pen:  Ryan Nicholas

For Canada:
Pens:  James Pritchard, Ander Monro