International Rugby: Hong Kong takes on Japan

02.05.2009
Hong Kong v Japan in Hong Kong (Asia 5 Nations)

Previews
Hong Kong struggled at this level last year and I can see the same happening again. A number of overseas-based players trained with the squad in Brisbane in January but only Pannell from New Zealand is available. Hong Kong's home ground will be an advantage but that's about it.

Last Five Encounters
18.05.2008 Japan 75-29 in Niigata (Asia 5 Nations)
29.04.2007 Japan 73-3 in Tokyo (Asia Nations Div.1)
18.11.2006 Japan 52-3 in Hong Kong (WCQ Asia R3; 20th Asia Champ.)
08.05.2005 Japan 91-3 in Tokyo (WCQ Asia Qualifying, Div.1)
28.10.2004 Japan XV 40-12 in Hong Kong (19th Asia Champ.)

GWC Rugby Rankings: Asia Table-Japan 1st; Hong Kong 3rd.

Prediction: Japan by 45 points

Teams


Japan
15 Jack Tarrant (Mitsubishi Sagamihara) 29, 1
14 Hiroki Yoshida (Toshiba) 27, 5
13 Koji Taira (Suntory) 26, 11
12 Ryan Nicholas (Suntory) 29, 9
11 Hirotoki Onozawa (Suntory) 30, 48
10 Tatsuhiko Otao (Yamaha) 27, 2
9 Fumiaki Tanaka (Sanyo) 24, 9
8 Takashi Kukutani (Capt.) (Toyota) 29, 19
7 Yoshitaka Nakayama (Toyota) 26, 6
6 Michael Leitch (Tokai University) 20, 3
5 Yuji Kitagawa (Kanto Gakuin University) 22, 1
4 Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba) 30, 30
3 Kensuke Hatakeyama (Suntory) 23, 2
2 Tateo Kanai (Suntory) 24, 1
1 Naoki Kawamata (Sanyo) 23, 1

Replacements
16 Yoshimitsu Yasue (IBM/Kobe) 24, New Cap
17 Hiroshi Yamashita (Kobe) 23, 1
18 Luke Thompson (Kintetsu) 27, 14
19 Phillip O’Reilly (Sanyo) 28, 9
20 Tomoki Yoshida (Toshiba) 27, 15
21 Shaun Webb (World/Coca-Cola) 27, 10
22 Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha) 23, 5
Head Coach: John Kirwan

http://www.rugbyjapan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=563&Itemid=1

Hong Kong

15 Mike Mckee (Hong Kong Football Club)
14 Sebastian Perkins (Hong Kong Football Club)
13 Rowan Varty (DeA Tigers)
12 Simon Hempel (Hong Kong Cricket Club)
11 Simon Smith (Hong Kong Cricket Club)
10 Kenzo Pannell (Canterbury University, NZ)
9 Jeff Wong Chun Kui (Kowloon)
8 Simon Leung (Hong Kong Cricket Club)
7 Kwok Ka Chun (Kowloon)
6 Nigel Clarke (DeA Tigers)
5 Nick Hurrell (DeA Tigers
4 Ivan Zenovic (DeA Tigers)
3 Nigel Hobler (Hong Kong Football Club)
2 Jon Abel (DeA Tigers)
1 Peter Spizziri (Hong Kong Football Club)
Replacements
16 Alex Ng Wai Shing (Valley)
17 Grapes Lai Tsz Leung (Kowloon)
18 Angus Washington (Hong Kong Football Club)
19 Kris Marin (Hong Kong Football Club)
20 Tim Alexander (Valley)
21 Edmund Rolston (Valley)
22 Adam Raby (Hong Kong Football Club)
Head Coach: Dair Rees
http://www.hkrugby.com/hkrugby/news/news-room.cfm?news_uuid=F633B39C-FF4D-43F8-AA36-1F0027B320EA