JAPAN v KOREA: Asia Rugby Championship, Top 3

09.05.2015

Venue: Fukuoka

Referee: Matthew Rodden (Hong Kong)

Preview
The clash of the No.1 Asian team with the No.2 team is one of the test rugby highlights this weekend.

Korea is a vastly improved side from last season. They recorded 30 points against Japan when they first met in April and then defeated Hong Kong away 33-26 two weeks ago. They lost against Hong Kong last year in Hong Kong 6-39. However many top players have been rested for the crucial games against Hong Kong next weekend

Japan are the favourites and in light of a much weaker Korean team taking the field they should win easily.Japanese coach Eddie Jones will not be pleased at the leaking of 30 points to Korea earlier. He has picked his most experienced side available.Shinya Makabe (Suntory Sungoliath) and legend Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba Brave Lupus) are both still injured. So whilst this is not Japan at full strength it certainly will be enough to easily defeat a depleted Korea Saturday.

Other Previews
http://www.japonrugby.net/le-xv-japonais-face-a-la-coree-du-sud-2015-2.php  (In French)

Last Five Encounters
18.04.2015 Japan 56-30 in Incheon (ARC Top 3)
17.05.2014 Japan 62-5 in Incheon (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
04.05.2013 Japan 65-5 in Tokyo (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
12.05.2012 Japan 52-8 in Seoul (Asia 5 Nations)
01.05.2010 Japan 71-13 in Daegu (WCQ Asia R2; Asia 5 Nations)

In 2004 Korea drew 19-19 with Japan in Tokyo as part of an Asia Tournament. Korea last defeated Japan in 2002 when they won 45-34 in the gold medal game at the Asia Games held in Korea.

Japan Last Five P 5, W 4, L 1
02.05.2015 v Hong Kong W 41-0 in Tokyo (ARC Top 3)
18.04.2015 v Korea W 56-30 in Incheon (ARC Top 3)
23.11.2014 v Georgia L 24-35 in Tbilisi
15.11.2014 v Romania W 18-13 in Bucharest
21.06.2014 v Italy W 26-23 in Tokyo

Korea last Five P 5, W 2, L 3
25.04.2015 v Hong Kong W 33-26 in Hong Kong (ARC Top 3)
18.04.2015 v Japan L 30-56 in Incheon (ARC Top 3)
24.05.2014 v Philippines W 52-22 in Makati (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
17.05.2014 v Japan L 5-62 in Incheon (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)
10.05.2014 v Hong Kong L 6-39 in Hong Kong (WCQ Asia; Asia 5 Nations)

GWC Rugby Rankings
Asia Table: Japan 1st, Korea 2nd

World Rugby Ranking Points
Japan 74.70, Korea 58.38

Prediction: Japan by 62 points. Score 70-8

TEAMS

Japan

1-Hisateru Hirashima (Kobelco Steelers, 36 caps) 2-Takeshi Kizu (Kobelco Steelers, 32 caps) 3-(c) Kensuke Hatakeyama (Suntory Sungoliath, 62 caps) 4-Shoji Ito (Kobelco Steelers, 30 caps) 5-Kazuhiko Usami (Canon Eagles, 2 caps) 6-Justin Ives (Canon Eagles, 25 caps) 7-Tsuyoshi Murata (NEC Green Rockets, 2 caps) 8-Ryu Koliniasi Holani (Panasonic Wild Knights, 37 caps) 9-Atsushi Hiwasa (Suntory Sungoliath, 40 caps) 10-Harumichi Tatekawa (Kubota Spears, 30 caps) 11-Kenki Fukuoka (Tsukuba Univ., 11 caps) 12-Yu Tamura (NEC Green Rockets, 28 caps) 13-Karne Hesketh (Munakata Sanix Blues, 4 caps) 14-Yoshikazu Fujita (Waseda Univ., 20 caps) 15-Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Jubilo, 45 caps)

Remplaçants:

16-Masataka Mikami (Toshiba Brave Lupus, 25 caps) 17-Hiroki Yuhara (Toshiba Brave Lupus, 19 caps) 18-Hiroshi Yamashita (Kobelco Steelers, 38 caps) 19-Luke Thompson (Kintetsu Liners, 51 caps) 20-Hayden Hopgood ( ? , 5 caps) 21-Yuki Yatomi (Yamaha Jubilo, 14 caps) 22-Ryohei Yamanaka (Kobelco Steelers, 2 caps) 23-Toshiaki Hirose (Toshiba Brave Lupus, 25 caps)

http://www.japonrugby.net/le-xv-japonais-face-a-la-coree-du-sud-2015-2.php

Korea

1-Son Young Ki (POSCO) 2-Kim Jeep (KEPCO) 3-Shin Dongwon (KRU) 4-Kim Ho Bum (Kubota Spears) 5-Youn Kwon Woo (Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars) 6-Jang Seok Hwan (Sangmu) 7-(c) Kim Jeong Min (KEPCO) 8-Park Soon Chai (NTT-Docomo Red Hurricanes) 9-Shin Ki Chul (KRU) 10-Lee Eu Tteum (POSCO) 11-Kim Gwong Min (KEPCO) 12-Kim Nam Uk (KEPCO) 13-Jegal Bin (NTT Shining Arcs) 14-Park Han Gyul (KRU) 15-Jang Sung Min (Sangmu)

Remplaçants:

16-Na Kwan Young (Sangmu) 17-Kim Min Kyu (Sangmu) 18-Kim Kwangsik (Honda Heat) 19-Choi Kang San (Korea Univ.) 20-Hwan In Jo (KEPCO) 21-Lee Myung Jun (Sangmu) 22-Oh Youn Hyung (KEPCO) 23-Nam Young Soo (Sangmu)

http://www.japonrugby.net/le-xv-sud-coreen-face-au-japon-2015-2.php