New Zealander Patrick Tuipulotu runs to the try-line during a rugby test match between the All Blacks and Japan at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, near Tokyo, October 26, 2024.
16:17 JST, October 27, 2024
YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The All Blacks overcame a tough start from Japan to come within 10 tries en route to a 64-19 victory Saturday in the first of five matches on their tour of the Northern Hemisphere.
Japan scored the opening try of the match and New Zealand did not lead until the 15th minute when new captain Patrick Tuipulotu scored his second try. Japan scored again and almost regained the lead with a spectacular third try, which was disallowed due to a domino play.
New Zealand eventually settled down and began to pile up points, leading 43-12 at half-time. But the match was at times a shaky dress rehearsal for much tougher matches against England, Ireland and France in the coming weeks.
We need to be more consistent in our set piece. We left a lot of lineouts there, Tuipulotu said. “Also our scrum, we didn’t get the good march we wanted out of it. We will have to work on that, especially against good European teams who like set-pieces.”
The All Blacks named their heaviest front row ever with two props weighing more than 300 pounds (140 kilograms), but were unable to assert any early scrum dominance over Japan.
The Brave Blossoms led by Australian-born head coach Eddie Jones pounced on early mistakes from the All Blacks, scoring tries through winger Jone Naikabula and backrower Faulua Makisi to delight more than 60,000 spectators at Nissan Stadium.
When the All Blacks last played at the stadium in 2019, they lost in the World Cup semi-final to an English team led by Jones.
The All Blacks scored immediately after a try against Japanese-born New Zealand lock Warner Dearns was disallowed in the 21st minute. New Zealand flyhalf Damian McKenzie was dismissed after a tackle by Makisi, the ball sprung free and Dearns recovered it, charging 40 yards to score.
But the ball was touched in the tackle. Center Billy Proctor scored immediately afterwards and New Zealand added tries to Sam Cane, Samipeni Finau and props Pasilio Tosi and Tamaiti Willaims to take control of the match.
When we didn’t allow that attempt, you could visibly see our energy drop, Jones said. “Our attention to detail dropped and New Zealand scored 29 points in that period and lost the match. But I thought we showed a lot of spirit and character in the second half and played some good rugby.”
The All Blacks scored their eighth try in the 44th minute through returning scrumhalf Cam Roigard. Roigard did not play in the New Zealand mid-year tests or the Rugby Championship while recovering from a knee injury.
From then on the match got messy as both teams went to their benches. Japan replaced its captain, flyhalf Harumichi Tatekawa, in the 55th minute, while Hurricanes teammates Peter Lakai and Love came off the New Zealand bench to make test debuts.
Naikabula almost scored a second try but was denied in the right corner by Damian McKenzie. McKenzie also made a try-saving tackle on Yoshitaka Yazaki but was left hanging in the air as Opeti Helu scored a try-on debut for Japan in the 69th minute.
