10 Sept 202314.38 BSTHere is the match report.
Full-time: Japan 42-12 Chile
That scoreline doesn’t quite tell the full story. Japan weren’t brilliant and Chile on their World Cup debut deserved more than that. A wonderfully entertaining game that lost some oomph towards the end finishes with a rout. Fair play to the South Americans who scored two tries and asked plenty of questions with ball in hand.
TRY! Japan 42-12 Chile (Hearn, 79)
Try for Japan. Off the scrum they send their forwards into the maw. Fakatava makes a meaty carry before Hearn on the wraparound gets his mitts on the ball and dots it down for a score. Matsuda puts the finishing touches on things.
Updated at 14.05 BST10 Sept 202314.04 BST79th min: Well, we wait to see. Hearn, all two metres of him, dropped his head and charged for the line. Did he ground it?
10 Sept 202314.03 BST79th min: Chile look absolutely spent. Can they resist this Japanese scrum five metres out?
10 Sept 202314.03 BST78th min: Ah. We come back for a penalty as a Japanese player is lifted – dangerously – in the tackle. From the line-out they go down the line. Matsuda kicks to the corner after an off-load from Horie and Japan almost have another try. They certainly would have had another if the ball took a kinder bounce.
10 Sept 202314.01 BST77th min: You’ve got to hand it to Chile. Japan attack down the right and force the ball loose. Then rather than kick, Chile counter on the other side of the pitch. They don’t make much ground but they’ve shown great intent.
10 Sept 202313.59 BST75th min: Saito’s kick round the corner from the back of a scrum is a good one. it almost sits up for two Japanese players on the chase but trickles out of touch.
10 Sept 202313.57 BST74th min: Chile are beaten but you wouldn’t know it by their intent. They’re getting a little sloppy. A knock-on hands Japan a scrum inside their own half. A few Chileans are receiving treatment for cramps.
10 Sept 202313.55 BSTTRY! Japan 36-12 Chile (Nakamura, 72)
Simple as. Japan get a huge shove on the scrum, Saito shapes to go down the line but instead lays it up for Nakamura running a delicious angle against the grain. He steps the only defender in his path and then falls over for a slick score. Matsuda nails another conversion.
70th min: A solid scrum foundation allows Matshushima to join on the front foot. He makes ground. So does Cornelsen and Lietch. Dearns charges forward. Japan are gaining momentum here. Chile have to slow the ball down somehow and over commit on the ground. A penalty goes against them and it looks like Japan are asking Nic Berry to call for another scrum.
10 Sept 202313.51 BST68th min: Things have slowed down a touch. That’s understandable given the energy sapping heat. Japan won’t mind as they have the bonus point secured. They’re playing a more conservative game now, hoisting it high from box kicks and chasing loose balls. A Chilean knocks-on so Japan have the scrum feed on the right just outside of Chile’s 22.
10 Sept 202313.48 BST66th min: Chile aren’t giving up or slowing down. On they go with energetic runs from their own half. Now the Japanese defence is holding firm. But Chile won’t kick it away and are rewarded with a penalty after Millar commits a sin at the breakdown.
10 Sept 202313.44 BST65th min: Leitch with a massive contribution yet again. He picks his moments to make an impact and when he does it ends with a momentum swing. Chile had the line-out 10m out but the former Japanese skipper is lifted high and steals the ball.
10 Sept 202313.43 BST61st min: Lemeki cleans up at the back after Chile punt deep into Japanese territory. But his return kick isn’t a great one. Chile have the line-out 10m inside Japan’s half. They set up a maul and rumble a little forward. Now they have a penalty as a Japanese player took out the decoy runner off the ball.
10 Sept 202313.40 BST61st min: Nagare is subbed. An odd game for the Japanese scum-half. A lack of control has marred his team’s performance and it’s hard not to look at the scrummie when things look a little disjointed.
10 Sept 202313.39 BST60th min: A cute chip over the top gives Ayarza something to chase and he hauls it in as he leaps in the air. The Chilean full-back is having a great game. Japan knock-on at the breakdown.
10 Sept 202313.37 BST59th min: That’s disappointing. A skew line-out means Chile give up possession just as they won the ball.
10 Sept 202313.37 BST59th min: Oh that’s a quality steal from Chile on the floor. The new man, Ignacio Silva, got over the ball and turned it over. Now Chile have a penalty and set up a line-out down field.
10 Sept 202313.34 BST58th min: Riley returns from his sin bin and Inagaki is subbed on his 50th appearance for his country. He’s replaced by Millar. We’re not quite half way through the second half but they’ll use this natural break in play to have a drink.
10 Sept 202313.32 BST56th min: Yet again Japan give away a free kick before the scrum can bet set. Chile kick. Japan kick it back and now Chile have the ball on the half way line.
10 Sept 202313.31 BST56th min: A high kick, more in hope than with a clear plan, from Masirewa causes confusion in the Chilean back field. It takes an awkward bounce and Matsushima on the chase almost collects. Instead he knocks on but that shows the value in sometimes just giving it a good old fashioned hoof into space.
10 Sept 202313.28 BSTTRY! Japan 28-12 Chile (Leitch, 53)
That was coming. Japan kept knocking on the door and eventually, inevitably it opens. Naikabula’s strong carry from deep got things going and then it was just series of busting charges from a couple of heavies up front. By the time Lietch made his move, there were no defenders left to stop him. Matsuda converts from right in front.
52nd min: Nagare dinks a kick over the top. Chile return but without much distance so Japan can attack from inside Chile’s 22. They keep it with the forwards. Leitch carries. So does Cornelsen. Matsushima joins the line and darts. They’re getting close…
10 Sept 202313.25 BST51st min: Japan make a couple of substitutions with Shota Fukui and Shota Horie coming on for Kanji Shimokawa and Atsushi Sakate.
10 Sept 202313.23 BSTTRY! Japan 21-12 Chile (Alfonso Escobar, 50)
What a try! Chile secure the line-out on the right. They send it left after a few phases before Ayarza steps and darts for the line. He’s held up but Chile recycle the ball. Alfonso Escobar is on hand and he burrows down and just about gets the ball on the turf and over the line. Videla misses the conversion but that won’t dampen the energy they’ve generated. They’ve been outstanding and a second try is no less than what they deserve.
Yellow card! Japan (Riley, 47)
It’s another tough card to cop but it’s the right decision according the laws. A deliberate knock on as Ayarza off-loaded. Riley stuck out his left hand and knocked-on. But, because there was no chance of an intercept, he has to sit in the naughty corner for 10 minutes.
10 Sept 202313.20 BST46th min: A poor kick from Masirewa hands possession to Chile. Ayarza leads the charge and offloads to Clemente Saavedra who bursts through one tackle and then another. It’s a barnstorming run from the big lock. He’s eventually tackled into touch but they’re coming back for a penalty against Japan.
10 Sept 202313.18 BST45th min: Matshushima tears down the right. He’s got space in front him. But a brilliant tackle from Videla nudges his foot into touch. Chile have tackled so well today.
10 Sept 202313.17 BST43rd min: Chile get so close to scoring. After a line-out Torrealba cuts through a half gap and has support runners. But they can’t make it stick. And they really should have. The covering tackle forces a knock-on and Japan have the scrum with their heels on their own try line.
10 Sept 202313.15 BST41st min: Chile hoist it high and steal the ball. But Japan win it back and then attack down the right through Matsushima. Masirewa can’t make the pass stick and Japan lose their heads at the breakdown and give away a penalty.
10 Sept 202313.14 BSTWe’re back under way. And the big news is that Segrin’s yellow won’t be upgraded to a red. However, Gu Jiwon hasn’t been able to shake off that knock to his knee and has been subbed for Asaeli Ai Valu.
10 Sept 202313.04 BST“This game is absolutely brilliant l so far. Chile (whose national anthem is great) are out at such pace it’ll be heroic if they can keep this stomp on all game, especially in the conditions. Japan also look super skilled and quick, and I really hope they go far again.”
Couldn’t agree more, Bill Preston. Loving this.
10 Sept 202312.59 BSTHalf-time: Japan 21-7 Chile
An entertaining half comes to an end. Japan are well on top on the socreboard, and they’ve been aided by two yellow cards for Chile, but they’ve been made to work in the heat thanks to enterprising and brave play from the South Americans.
TRY! Japan 21-7 Chile (Fakatava, 40)
Fakatava has his second. The maul is set up and rumbles towards the corner. It turns and as it does so Fakatava at the back spins out of the maw and falls to the ground to add five points to his team’s tally. Matsuda adds two more with a quality kick from the right tram.
40th min: A forward pass to Matshushima halts the attack down the right. Japan were playing with a penalty advantage however and they’ll get the chance to set up a line-out as the clock goes red.
10 Sept 202312.55 BST39th min: Japan try to change the point of attack from the line-out. They shape to go towards the open side but switch and charge down the blindside. However, they can’t make the move stick and Escobar grabs hold. But not for long as he knocks on. Scrum for Japan as the half closes.
10 Sept 202312.54 BSTYellow Card! Chile (Sigren, 38)
It’s a harsh one, but it is a yellow card. Sigren didn’t mean to hit Matshushima high though intent isn’t relevant here. As the Japanese player caught the ball, the Chilean captain steamed in and couldn’t get his body low enough. Similar to the Curry incident last night.
10 Sept 202312.52 BST37th min: For once Chile can’t set a platform from their line-out. Japan soon have their hands on the ball and roll forward thanks to an aimless kick to the breadbasket of Matsushima. Diego Escobar is over zealous at the ruck and coughs up a penalty.
10 Sept 202312.50 BST35th min: Japan steal the line-oout and the ball spins out to Matsushima. He gets past a tackler but is soon swamped. Ayarza gets over the ball and comes up with the steal. Penalty to Chile. Brilliant from the full-back.
10 Sept 202312.49 BST35th min: Japan nick the ball and swiftly counter. That’s another outstanding steal from Leitch but Chile should have made that more safe. A kick up field takes a funny bounce and it’s out of touch. Chile with the line-out.
10 Sept 202312.48 BST33rd min: We get a chance to catch our breath with a Chilean line-out. That set piece of theirs was been humming all afternoon. A couple of pick and goes take the ball up. That’s followed by neat interplay from their loose forwards. Chile keep battering around the fringe. On they go past the half-way line.
10 Sept 202312.46 BST32nd min: The game is opening up now. Japan launch an attack and make good ground with a kick into the corner. Chile take control from the line-out and slow things down with some meaty carries from their forwards.
10 Sept 202312.43 BSTTRY! Japan 14-7 Chile (Naikabula, 30)
And they do score. Off the back of the scrum they go down the blindside. Naikabula bursts over with a strong carry and wriggles the ball down. Matsuda makes the extras with a clean strike of the ball.
30th min: Japan sweep from left to right off the top of the line-out. But it’s stodgy and doesn’t go anywhere. Chile’s defence is more than up to the task. Chile knock on as they repel Japan back so the Brave Blossoms will have the feed to the scrum five metres out. They simply have to score here.
10 Sept 202312.39 BST28th min: Japan take the line-out quickly. They’re trying to up the tempo and it pays off as a raking kick up field from Matsushima finds a 50-22. That means Japan will have the line-out deep in Chile’s territory.
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