Canada Tour to Japan 2009
First Test: Japan 46 d Canada 8, 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 v Canada
Date: Saturday, 21 November 2009.
Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo.
Japan Test Number: 251.
Kick-off: 2:00 PM (local Japan time).
Referee: Vinnie Munro (NZ).
Previous Encounters
Japan and Canada or British Columbia have met on 25 previous occasions with Japan winning 12, Canada/British Columbia 10 and there have been three draws.
Japan 46 d Canada 8, 15 November 2009, Sendai, (Test No.250)
Japan 12 drew with Canada 12, Tuesday, 25 September 2007, Bordeaux, 6th RWC. (Test No.230)
Canada 15 d Japan 10, 29 May 2005, Chichibu, Tokyo, Super Cup final. (Test No.205)
Japan 34 d Canada 21, 30 May 2004, Chichibu, Tokyo, Super Powers Cup final. (Test No.195)
Japan 39 d Canada 7, 8 July 2001, Chichibu, Tokyo, 6th PRC, play-off for 3rd. (Test No.174)
Canada 62 d Japan 18, 15 July 2000, Toronto, 5th PRC. (Test No.167)
Japan 23 d Canada 21, 1 May 1999, Chichibu, Tokyo, 4th PRC. (Test No.153)
Canada 34 d Japan 25, 20 June 1998, Vancouver, 3rd PRC. (Test No.147)
Canada 30 d Japan 22, 3 May 1998, Chichibu, Tokyo, 3rd PRC. (Test No.142)
Canada 42 d Japan 18, 14 June 1997, Vancouver, 2nd PRC. (Test No.140)
Japan 32 d Canada 31, 18 May 1997, Chichibu, Tokyo, 2nd PRC. (Test No.137)
Canada 51 d Japan 30, 13 July 1996, Vancouver, 1st PRC. (Test No.134)
Canada 45 d Japan 18, 9 June 1996, Chichibu, Tokyo, 1st Pacific Rim Championship (PRC). (Test No.131)
Canada 49 d Japan 26, 11 May 1991, Vancouver. (Test No.110)
Japan 26 d Canada 21, 7 June 1986, Vancouver. (Test No.89)
Japan 16 d Canada 6, 18 April 1982, Chichibu, Tokyo. (Test No.72)
Japan 24 d Canada 18, 11 April 1982, Hanazono, Osaka. (Test No.71)
British Columbia 38 d Japan 7, 12 May 1976, Vancouver. (Test No.51)
Japan 32 d British Columbia 3, 22 March 1970, Chichibu, Tokyo. (Test No.31)
Japan 33 d British Columbia 6, 13 April 1963, Vancouver. (Test No.22)
Japan 11 drew with Canada (British Columbia) 11, 22 March 1959, Chichibu, Tokyo. (Test No.19)
Canada (British Columbia) 21 d Japan 17, 15 March 1959, Hanazono, Osaka. (Test No.18)
Japan 38 d Canada 5, 11 February 1932, Meiji Jingu, Tokyo. (Test No.3)
Japan 9 d Canada 8, 31 January 1932, Hanazono, Osaka. (Test No.2)
Japan 3 drew with British Columbia 3, 24 September 1930, Vancouver. (Test No.1)
Japan (IRB rank 13, at 16 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 | Alisi TUPUAILEI | Honda | 29 | 187/116 | 1 |
| 14 | Kosuke ENDO | Toyota | 28 | 186/90 | 24 |
| 15 | Go ARUGA | Suntory | 25 | 175/84 | 13 |
| | | | | | |
| 16 | Takeshi KIZU | Tokai Univ. | 21 | 183/110 | - |
| 17 | Hisateru HIRASHIMA | Kobe | 26 | 180/115 | 9 |
| 18 | Shinya MAKABE | Suntory | 22 | 192/110 | - |
| 19 | Toetuíu TAUFA | Kintetsu | 28 | 183/105 | 8 |
| 20 | Yuki YATOMI | Yamaha | 24 | 176/83 | 13 |
| 21 | James ARLIDGE | Newport (Wales) | 30 | 187/93 | 15 |
| 22 | Ayumu GOROMARU | Yamaha | 23 | 185/98 | 9 |
Head Coach - John Kirwan.
Canada (IRB rank 14, at 16 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 | Doug Woolridge | Cowichan | 23 | 184/99 | 3 |
| 4 | Jebb Sinclair | Castaway Wanderers | 23 | 182/108 | 10 |
| 5 | Tyler Hotson | Plymouth Albion (Eng) | 24 | 196/112 | 11 |
| 6 | Nanyak Dala | Castaway Wanderers | 25 | 178/94 | 8 |
| 7 | Adam Kleeberger | Rotherham Titans (Eng) | 25 | 195/95 | 22 |
| 8 | Aaron Carpenter | Coventry (Eng) | 26 | 183/104 | 29 |
| 9 | Sean White | JBAA | 21 | 180/83 | 1 |
| 10 | Ander Monro | Castaway Wanderers | 28 | 178/88 | 18 |
| 11 | Justin Mensah-Coker | Moseley (Eng) | 25 | 196/107 | 19 |
| 12 | Nick Blevins | Velox Valhallians | 20 | 188/98 | 1 |
| 13 | Matt Evans | Hartpury College (Eng) | 21 | 183/89 | 7 |
| 14 | Ciaran Hearn | Castaway Wanderers | 23 | 190/100 | 9 |
| 15 | James Pritchard | Bedford Blues (Eng) | 30 | 175/85 | 30 |
| | | | | | |
| 16 | Mike Pletch | Velox Valhallians | 26 | 180/111 | 23 |
| 17 | Dan Pletch | Oakville Crusaders | 26 | 180/108 | 23 |
| 18 | Chauncey OíToole | Castaway Wanderers | 23 | 184/80 | 3 |
| 19 | Mark MacSween | Balmy Beach | 23 | 190/97 | - |
| 20 | Phil Mack | University of Victoria | 24 | 170/77 | 5 |
| 21 | Nathan Hirayama | University of Victoria | 21 | 183/88 | 3 |
| 22 | Sean Duke | University of Victoria | 21 | 189/89 | 4 |
Head Coach: Kieran Crowley (48).
Preview
Although there were some bright patches for Canada in the first test against Japan last Sunday in Sendai, at the end of eighty minutes of rugby the scoreboard read 46-8 to Japan. Canada tried to play open rugby but a high mistake rate and problems at the scrum and breakdown meant Japan were always in control. Japan exceeded 40 points against a Canadian side for the first time and the 38 point margin was the biggest winning difference for Japan, surpassing the 33 point margin in the 38-5 win for Japan at the Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo way back in 1932.
There is not a lot of time for Canadian head coach Kieran Crowley and his team to turn things around as the two sides transfer from Sendai in north-eastern Japan to the capital of Tokyo to prepare for the crucial second test. The visitors will be all the better for the hit-out in the first test but there are things to work on in training during the week if they are to come out and win the Tokyo test. The last time Canada played at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo was when they met Japan in the final of the Super Cup on 29 May 2005 and this should help with the confidence of the Canadians. On that occasion, a young Dan Pletch started at loose head prop, while prop Kevin Tkachuk and No8 Aaron Carpenter were on the bench as Canada triumphed 15-10 to break a two-game winning streak that the Japanese enjoyed going back to the days of the Pacific Rim Championship in 2001.
In Sendai, Japan scored three tries in each half to put the result beyond doubt in a game played at a high pace. The home side made the most of their opportunities in attack while a solid defence restricted Canada to one try, scored late in the game. Japan head coach John Kirwan will be looking for his side up pick up where they left off last Sunday, though he will also be looking for improvements in the lineout that was wayward at times in the first test. Kirwan will be wanting to close out the two-test series with a second win before the test side disbands for the remainder of the domestic rugby season.
Kirwan has made only one change to the starting line-up that did the job in Sendai with Alisi Tupuailei moving up from the bench to replace Koji Taira at outside centre. On the bench there are several changes with uncapped Tokai University hooker Takeshi Kizu coming in for Yoshimitsu Yasue who drops out of the XXII. Suntory rookie lock Shinya Makabe earns his place on the bench at the expense of Daniel Quate after his fine form in the first seven rounds of Top League and like Kizu he too will be hoping to run on at some stage for his first cap. Finally, Yamaha fullback Ayumu Goromaru is added to the reserves.
For Canada, tight head props Dan Pletch and Doug Woolridge swaps places with Pletch dropping back to the bench with Woolridge moving into the starting line-up. In the second row, Josh Jackson has had to return to France with Jebb Sinclair taking his place from the bench for the second test. Blindside flanker Chauncey OíToole also drops to the bench to make way for Nanyak Dala on the side of the scrum. Likewise, halfbacks Sean White and Phil Mack trade places with White claiming the No.9 jersey. Inside centre Bryn Keys is also out of the squad after injuring his right ankle in the first test with Nick Blevins promoted from the bench. Ciaran Hearn moves from the outside centre position to the right wing for this test with Matt Evans coming into the starting XV. In other changes, uncapped No8 Mark MacSween moves onto the bench.
Finally, New Zealand referee Vinnie Munro will control his first international after being assistant referee in the first test.
