Fiji battled from behind to beat Asian champions Japan 24-12 yesterday to chalk up their second win after three matches in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Fiji, who narrowly lost to New Zealand Maori 11-7 at home a week ago, trailed Japan 9-3 at halftime, but scored three converted tries in the second half in driving rain at the National Stadium.
“We always knew it was going to be tough playing Japan in Japan,” Fiji coach Ilivasi Tabua said. “It was not until the final 15 minutes that the game changed.”
Disappointed Japan coach and All Blacks legend John Kirwan said: “We had ample opportunity to win today, but threw the game away with errors.”
Japan’s starting 15, unchanged from the side that beat Tonga 35-13 last week, opened the scoring against a disorganized Fiji in the fifth minute with a penalty goal by James Arlidge.
Taniela Rawaqa leveled the scores with a penalty six minutes later, but the Brave Blossoms went ahead with two more penalty goals by Arlidge, who missed a third attempt a minute before the break.
“We told the boys at halftime to play in their territory and make Japan make mistakes and score from them and we did,” Tabua said.
Fiji started to click in the second half, with Sireli Naqelevuki making the most of a handling error by Japan fullback Shaun Webb to run in their first try in the 50th minute, with two more coming through Rawaqa and Vereniki Goneva.
Arlidge restored Japan’s lead in the 54th minute with his fourth penalty, taking the score to 12-10.
But it was his error that led to Fiji’s second try two minutes later when he scuffed his kick so badly it hit one of his teammates and from the resulting scrum, Rawaqa crossed the line.
Goneva touched down with two minutes to go, with Rawaqa scoring his third conversion.
It was the eighth win for Fiji over Japan in their 10 meetings.
In their previous encounter, Fiji struggled past the Blossoms 35-31 in Toulouse, in what was regarded by many as one of the best games of last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Japan will face New Zealand Maori in Napier next weekend in their first match on the road.
Fiji face tournament leaders Australia A away in Brisbane.
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