Canada Tour to Japan 2009
First Test: Japan v Canada, Sunday, 15 November 2009, kick-off at 2:00 PM, Yurtec Stadium, Sendai.
Second Test: Japan v Canada, Saturday, 21 November 2009, kick-off at 2:00 PM, Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo.
Japan 46 d Canada 8
Japan 46 – Tries: Michael Leitch, Takashi Kikutani, Go Aruga, Alisi Tupuailei, Hirotoki Onozawa, Shota Horie ; Conversions: Shaun Webb 4, James Arlidge ; Penalties: Webb 2 d.
Canada 8 – Try: Nathan Hirayama; Penalty: James Pritchard.
Date: Sunday, 15 November 2009.
Venue: Yurtec Stadium, Sendai.
Japan Test Number: 250.
Kick-off: 2:00 PM (local Japan time).
Referee: Keith Brown (NZ).
Conditions: Fine with strong wind, 17∞C. Firm ground.
Attendance: 6,164.
Halftime: Japan 25 – Canada 3.
Japan (IRB rank 14, at 9 November 2009)
| Pos. | Name | Club | Age | Hgt/Wgt | Caps |
| 1 | Naoki KAWAMATA | Sanyo | 24 | 184/118 | 4 |
| 2 | Shota HORIE | Sanyo | 23 | 180/104 | 1 |
| 3 | Kensuke HATAKEYAMA | Suntory | 24 | 178/122 | 9 |
| 4 | Hitoshi ONO | Toshiba | 31 | 192/105 | 36 |
| 5 | Toshizumi KITAGAWA | Toyota | 28 | 195/105 | 24 |
| 6 | Michael LEITCH | Tokai Univ. | 21 | 189/99 | 8 |
| 7 | Phil OíREILLY | Yokogawa | 29 | 190/105 | 10 |
| 8 | Takashi KUKUTANI (c) | Toyota | 29 | 187/100 | 27 |
| 9 | Tomoki YOSHIDA | Toshiba | 27 | 171/78 | 19 |
| 10 | Shaun WEBB | Coca-Cola | 27 | 180/90 | 15 |
| 11 | Hirotoki ONOZAWA | Suntory | 31 | 180/87 | 53 |
| 12 | Ryan NICHOLAS | Suntory | 30 | 192/100 | 16 |
| 13 | Koji TAIRA | Suntory | 26 | 185/88 | 18 |
| 14 | Kosuke ENDO | Toyota | 28 | 186/90 | 24 |
| 15 | Go ARUGA | Suntory | 25 | 175/84 | 13 |
| | | | | | |
| 16 | Yoshimitsu YASUE | Kobe | 25 | 175/100 | 2 |
| 17 | Hisateru HIRASHIMA | Kobe | 26 | 180/115 | 9 |
| 18 | Daniel QUATE | Toyota | 29 | 195/111 | 1 |
| 19 | Toetuíu TAUFA | Kintetsu | 28 | 183/105 | 8 |
| 20 | Yuki YATOMI | Yamaha | 24 | 176/83 | 13 |
| 21 | Alisi TUPUAILEI | Honda | 29 | 187/116 | 1 |
| 22 | James ARLIDGE | Newport (Wales) | 30 | 187/93 | 15 |
Head Coach - John Kirwan. (32nd test as coach, for 16 wins, a draw and 15 losses.)
Subs
16 not used.
17 subbed 1, 27 min 2H.
18 subbed 4, 16 min 2H.
19 subbed 7, 16 min 2H.
20 subbed 9, 31 min 2H.
21 subbed 13, 0 min 2H.
22 subbed 10, 31 min 2H.
Canada (IRB rank 13, at 9 November 2009)
| | Name | Club | Age | Hgt/Wgt | Caps |
| 1 | Kevin Tkachuk | Glasgow Warriors (Sco) | 33 | 180/115 | 51 |
| 2 | Pat Riordan (c) | University of Victoria | 30 | 185/106 | 25 |
| 3 | Dan Pletch | Oakville Crusaders | 26 | 180/108 | 23 |
| 4 | Josh Jackson | Bordeaux (Fra) | 29 | 198/111 | 22 |
| 5 | Tyler Hotson | Plymouth Albion (Eng) | 24 | 196/112 | 11 |
| 6 | Chauncey OíToole | Castaway Wanderers | 23 | 184/80 | 3 |
| 7 | Adam Kleeberger | Rotherham Titans (Eng) | 25 | 195/95 | 22 |
| 8 | Aaron Carpenter | Coventry (Eng) | 26 | 183/104 | 29 |
| 9 | Phil Mack | University of Victoria | 24 | 170/77 | 5 |
| 10 | Ander Monro | Castaway Wanderers | 28 | 178/88 | 18 |
| 11 | Justin Mensah-Coker | Moseley (Eng) | 25 | 196/107 | 19 |
| 12 | Bryn Keys | Moseley (Eng) | 24 | 187/96 | 8 |
| 13 | Ciaran Hearn | Castaway Wanderers | 23 | 190/100 | 9 |
| 14 | Sean Duke | University of Victoria | 21 | 189/89 | 4 |
| 15 | James Pritchard | Bedford Blues (Eng) | 30 | 175/85 | 30 |
| | | | | | |
| 16 | Mike Pletch | Velox Valhallians | 26 | 180/111 | 23 |
| 17 | Doug Woolridge | Cowichan | 23 | 184/99 | 3 |
| 18 | Jebb Sinclair | Castaway Wanderers | 23 | 182/108 | 10 |
| 19 | Nanyak Dala | Castaway Wanderers | 25 | 178/94 | 8 |
| 20 | Sean White | JBAA | 21 | 180/83 | 1 |
| 21 | Nick Blevins | Velox Valhallians | 20 | 188/98 | 1 |
| 22 | Nathan Hirayama | University of Victoria | 21 | 183/88 | 3 |
Head Coach: Kieran Crowley (48).
Subs
16 subbed 2, 24 min 2H.
17 subbed 3, 9 min 2H; 3 subbed 1, 27 min 2H.
18 subbed 7, 33 min 2H.
19 subbed 6, 9 min 2H.
20 subbed 9, 9 min 2H.
21 subbed 12, 13 min 2H.
22 subbed 15, 24 min 2H.
Wrap-up
Canada playing in a black strip with red shoulders kicked off and soon had the first opportunity for points from a Japan indiscretion, though the penalty attempt from James Pritchard went wide. However, once Japan got their hands on the ball they showed their intent to run and play at pace.
After a few half chances, flanker Michael Leitch scored the opening try of the game in the ninth minute in the right hand corner peeling off the back of a maul following a five metre lineout. Five-eighth Shaun Webb was entrusted with the kicking duties though he was unable to convert the kick from the sideline.
Canadian fullback Pritchard had a second attempt at penalty in the sixteenth minute after New Zealand referee Keith Brown penalised Japan for not rolling away at the breakdown and this time he made no mistake to narrow the gap to 5-3. However, this two-point gap was short-lived as Webb stretched the lead for Japan in the twentieth and twenty-third minutes with successful penalties to open up an 11-3 score line.
Webb had a further opportunity for points in the thirtieth minute after a Canadian player was penalised for entering a ruck from the side, but this time the radar was off target. Nevertheless, Japan were next to score through captain and No8 Takashi Kikutani who dived across the Canadian goal line from a tight head scum win in the thirty-eighth minute. Webb converted the try but Japan had not finished yet with centre Koji Taira then running through the Canadian defence only to be pulled down short of the line but Suntory team mate in fullback Go Aruga was on hand to recycle the ball and scoot in for the third Japanese try. Webb kicked the conversion to close out the first half with Japan taking a commanding 25-3 lead into the break.
As the second half got under way, it was Japan replacement centre Alisi Tupuailei on test debut who scored the first try of the half in the eighth minute following through his own grubber kick and winning the race to the ball in the in-goal. Webb then kicked the conversion from the right hand sideline for a 32-3 lead. Japan continued with their open attacking rugby with veteran wing Hirotoki Onozawa touching down not long after for the fifth Japanese try which was then also converted by Webb only this time from the left hand touchline for a comprehensive 39-3 lead.
Late in the half, although hooker Shota Horie did not have the best of debuts at lineout time he made up for this with his mobility in backing up for another Japan try in the thirty-fifth minute which in turn was converted by replacement back James Arlidge who was on the field for Webb. The extra seven points pushed the score out to 46-3.
Canada scored their first try of the test in the thirty-ninth minute when wing Justin Mensah-Coker broke the Japanese defensive line before putting boot to ball for replacement back Nathan Hirayama to gather and touch down.
After the match at the on-field interview, captain Kikutani said he was happy to came away with the win and thanked the people of Sendai for hosting the test. In looking to the 2011 RWC where Japan and Canada will probably again be in the same pool he noted that at that time it will be a very different Canadian side.
Japan head coach John Kirwan was also happy with the win although he noted there were still a few things to work on. He went on to say, ìFrom an attacking point of view, we showed good patience and took out opportunities from turnovers and loose ball.î
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