Month: September 2026

(Written by AZUL: September 21, 2026)

September 5, 2026. A test match between the Japan national rugby team and the Canadian national team was held at Denka Big One Stadium in Niigata Prefecture.

This marked the first time in 18 years that an international rugby test match had been held in Niigata Prefecture. Additionally, 2026 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Japan Rugby Football Union.

Denka Big Swan Stadium in Niigata Prefecture is about 300 km one way from my home. This time, I drove there.

The trip took about 6 hours one way. When I left Hachioji City in Tokyo, it was drizzling, and the temperature was 20 degrees Celsius—chilly enough to feel a bit cold—but in Niigata City, the temperature exceeded 30 degrees Celsius, and it felt like the height of summer.

Niigata Big Swan Stadium was built in time for the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in Japan. While the exterior is beautiful, a quarter-century has passed since its construction, and the facilities were showing their age.

First, there was wear and tear on the seats. The dark orange seats were likely replaced due to damage or other issues.

Next, I noticed rust on the roof pillars. Since Big Swan Stadium is located near the ocean, it is exposed to sea breezes, making it prone to rust.

The stadiums built across the country for the 2002 FIFA World Cup cannot be maintained unless the local governments where they are located make a concerted effort to operate them. This stadium is primarily used as the home stadium by Alvilex Niigata, a team in the J.League. I hope it will continue to contribute to the community by hosting many events in the future.

The results and upcoming schedule for the Japan national rugby team’s Test Matches, which began in June, are as follows.

Japan　Rugby　Test　Match　2026
	Date	Opponent	match venue	Result
1	6/27	Maori All Blacks	Nagoya, Japan	31-38●
2	7/4	Italy	Tokyo, Japan	27-10○
3	7/11	Ireland	New Castle, Australia	20-36●
4	7/18	France	Tokyo, Japan	15-42●
5	8/8	Australia	Osaka, Japan	32-35●
6	8/15	Australia	Queensland, Australia	17-56●
7	9/5	Canada	Niigata, Japan
8	9/12	(PNC　Semi-Final)	Osaka, Japan
5	9/19	(PNC Final or 3rd Place Match)	Tokyo, Japan
6	10/24	Fiji	Tokyo, Japan
7	11/8	Wales	Cardiff, Wales
8	11/15	England	Twickenham, England
9	11/22	Scotland	Murrayfield, Scotland
10	11/29	(Nations Championship)	Twickenham, England

The record so far stands at 1 win and 5 losses. Since the opponents were teams ranked higher than Japan, it was expected that there would be many losses, but Fans are eagerly anticipating seeing the Japanese national team secure a victory.

Now, here is the latest information on the two teams facing off today.

First, let’s take a look at the visiting team, the Canadian national rugby team, the Maple Leafs.

They are ranked 24th in the world. The team’s nickname is the Maple Leafs. They have competed in every Rugby World Cup from the inaugural tournament in 1987 through the 9th edition in 2019. At the 1991 Rugby World Cup, they advanced to the quarterfinals. They were eliminated in the qualifiers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, ending their streak of consecutive appearances. They have secured their spot in the 2027 Rugby World Cup by winning their qualifying matches.

Canada does not have a professional league domestically; many players compete in professional leagues in the United States, and many others play for amateur clubs.

While Canada’s national sevens and women’s teams have achieved success on the international stage, the men’s 15-a-side national team has not had any notable achievements in recent years. For the current Canadian national team, the Pacific Nations Cup serves as a valuable opportunity to strengthen their skills. We look forward to some great matches.

The starting lineup for this day’s match was as follows.

Maple Leafs
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Club	Canada Caps
1	Sam MILLER	188cm	113kg	24	SL Benfica	1
2	Foster DEWITT	186cm	113kg	30	Penarol Rugby Uruguay	6
3	Kyle STEEVES	183cm	122kg	26	James Bay AA	5
4	Daragh DOYLE	199cm	114kg	20	Clontaf Rugby Club	1
5	Izzak KELLY	199cm	125kg	26	SL Benfica	9
6	Mason FLESCH	196cm	109kg	26	Chicago Hounds	17
7	Sion PARRY	180cm	90kg	27	Ebbw Vale	13
8	Lucas Rumball	189cm	105kg	31	Chicago Hounds	69
9	Jesse KILGOUR	170cm	74kg	21	Aurora Barbarians	1
10	Spencer JONES	185cm	98kg	29	Juta Worriors	13
11	Liam JAMES	188cm	95kg	20	UBC Thunderbirds	0
12	Ben LESAGE	184cm	95kg	30	New England Free Jacks	37
13	Isaac OLSON	191cm	103kg	26	Canberra Royals RUFC	5
14	Kyle TREMBLAY	188cm	96kg	27	Westshore RFC	1
15	Takoda MCMULLIN	183cm	94kg	24	UBC Thunderbirds	5

** Player to Watch **

(The player wearing No. 8 is RUMBALL.)

Lucas RUMBALL. 189 cm, 105 kg, 31 years old. Position: FL, No. 8. Canada national team caps: 31. Club: Chicago Hounds. He has served as captain of the Canadian national team for 36 matches. With his exceptional leadership and formidable physical strength, he serves as the team’s emotional backbone and drives the squad forward.

He made his debut with the Canadian national team in 2016 and competed in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The Canadian team’s unity, centered around RUMBALL, will be their greatest strength.

Next, here is the latest information on the home team, the Japan national rugby team, the Brave Blossoms.

They are ranked 12th in the world. Under Head Coach Eddie Jones, they have been working to strengthen the new team since 2024, but with the 2027 Rugby World Cup just a year away, they are eager for concrete results in the form of victories. To achieve this, they need to either defeat higher-ranked teams or put on high-level performances against them. Since the Canadian national team is ranked lower than Japan in the world rankings, we hope they can end their losing streak in test matches here.

In terms of performance, Japan needs to improve its handling of high balls—a known weakness—as well as the scoring ability of the backline.

The starting lineup for this match was as follows.

Brave Blossoms
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Club	Japan Caps
1	Takato OKABE	180cm	105kg	31	Eagles	9
2	Mamoru HARADA	175cm	101kg	27	Brave Lupas	12
3	Shuhei TAKEUTI	183cm	115kg	28	Sungoliath	25
4	Jack CORNELSEN	195cm	110kg	31	Wildknights	31
5	Harry HOCKINGS	208cm	124kg	27	Sungoliath	3
6	Ben GUNTER	195m	120kg	28	Wildknights	20
7	Kanji SHIMOKAWA	188m	105kg	27	Sungoliath	24
8	Faulua MAKISI	187cm	112kg	29	Spears	24
9	Naoto SAITO	165cm	73kg	28	Stade Toulousain	31
10	Ryunosuke ITO	172cm	77kg	21	Meiji University	3
11	Haruto KIDA	176cm	90kg	27	Spears	2
12	Yuya HIROSE	181cm	92kg	25	Spears	5
13	Dylan RILEY	187cm	102kg	29	Wildknights	41
14	Inoke BURUA	178cm	95kg	27	Steelers	1
15	Takuro MATSUNAGA	172cm	82kg	27	Brave Lupas	8

** Player to Watch **

Yuya HIROSE. 181 cm, 92 kg, 25 years old. Position: CTB. Japan national team caps: 5. Graduate of Meiji University. Club: KUBOTA Spears. Aside from Riley, the Japan national team has struggled to establish a consistent center. Hirose has been putting in strong performances in League One matches since around last season, earning him a spot on the national team roster. Hirose’s strengths include his ability to execute precise kicks in attack, as well as his capability to serve as a place-kicker.

His challenge is to take his ability to break through the defense and his contact skills as a center to the next level, bringing them up to a standard that will hold up in international competition. However, because it’s a physically demanding position, injuries are a constant risk, making it difficult to increase his playing time. We hope to see him grow even further by the time the 2027 Rugby World Cup rolls around.

Now, let’s begin the first half.

The match kicked off with a kickoff by the Maple Leafs.

5 minutes into the first half:

Early in the match, the Brave Blossoms had 2 clear scoring opportunities near the try line but failed to score due to handling errors.

The Maple Leafs also struggled with set pieces, failing twice on lineouts and losing the scrum, resulting in inconsistent set-piece play. Following a foul here, the Brave Blossoms earned a penalty kick and secured a lineout inside the opponent’s 22-meter line.

Once they secured the ball, the Brave Blossoms formed a maul to drive forward and scored a try in the left-center of the opponent’s in-goal area. The try was scored by prop OKABE.

Reportedly, following their heavy defeat against Australia in their previous match, the Brave Blossoms had been intensively practicing their forward momentum through mauls, and the results of that training were on full display here.

Although they missed the conversion kick after the try, the Brave Blossoms succeeded in taking the lead, bringing the score to 5-0.

15 minutes into the first half:

The Maple Leafs struggled with set pieces and were frequently penalized in the scrum. As a result, the Brave Blossoms earned several penalty kick opportunities. Once again, deep in the opponent’s territory, they scored a try from their own lineout, advancing through a maul and slotting the ball in just to the left of the opponent’s goalposts.

The conversion kick after the try was successful, bringing the score to 12-0.

19 minutes into the first half:

During this period, the powerful tackles by the Brave Blossoms’ third-row forwards stood out, making it difficult for the Maple Leafs to gain ground.

However, amid this pressure, fullback McMulin slipped past the Brave Blossoms’ defensive line, broke through behind the defense, and ran straight to the try line, scoring a try directly beneath the opponent’s goalposts.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 12–7.

With this game-saving try, the Maple Leafs turned the momentum back in their favor.

22 minutes into the first half:

However, on the kickoff following the restart, the Maple Leafs committed a foul, granting the Brave Blossoms a penalty kick. From the lineout, they formed a maul and scored a try—their third of the day following the same pattern. The try was scored by flanker GUNTER.

Although the conversion kick after the try was missed, the score became 17–7.

27 minutes into the first half:

The Brave Blossoms dominated the Maple Leafs in the FW battle throughout the first half. Once again, capitalizing on a penalty kick earned from an opponent’s foul, they advanced deep into enemy territory. From a maul, they quickly spread the play; the ball was passed from wing BURUA to center HIROSE, who scored a try just to the right of the opponent’s goalposts.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 24–7.

42 minutes into the first half:

As the first half drew to a close, the Maple Leafs opted for an attacking strategy that avoided set pieces as much as possible. Specifically, once they gained possession, they refrained from kicking the ball out of bounds and instead focused on stringing together passes to sustain their attack.

As a result, both teams ended up showcasing the “ultra-fast rugby” style that is the Brave Blossoms’ trademark.

It was a whirlwind sequence of plays, but once the Brave Blossoms regained possession, they moved the ball down the field, pushing deep into enemy territory, and finally, flanker SHIMOKAWA scored a try in the right corner of the opponent’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 31–7.

The first half ended with this score.

In this match, as expected given both teams’ world rankings, the Brave Blossoms dominated the scoreboard. However, looking at the scoring patterns for the day, nearly all of the Brave Blossoms’ points came from ball possession by their FWs. On the other hand, the Brave Blossoms were largely unable to break down the opponent’s defense and score through their backs’ play. In particular, there were many handling errors between the center and the wing.

How the Maple Leafs structure their game plan for the second half will determine how exciting the match becomes. Will the Maple Leafs be able to turn the tide of the game?

And now, the second half began.

The second half started with a kickoff by the Brave Blossoms.

1 minute into the second half:

The Maple Leafs caught the ball after it was kicked deep into their own territory on the kickoff, spread it to their backline, and attempted a counterattack, but a handling error caused them to drop the ball forward. The Brave Blossoms picked it up, moved the ball forward, and scored a try in the left corner of the goalposts. The try was scored by hooker HARADA.

The Maple Leafs were completely unable to defend and conceded the first score of the second half to the Brave Blossoms without a fight.

The conversion kick following the try was also successful, bringing the score to 38–7.

18 minutes into the second half:

The Maple Leafs’ strategy in the second half, just as it had been toward the end of the first half, was to maintain continuous attack while avoiding set pieces as much as possible.

Since both teams continued to attack by moving the ball rather than relying heavily on kicks, the physical toll was intense. During a sustained attack, the Maple Leafs committed a foul, handing possession to the Brave Blossoms. The Brave Blossoms opted for a penalty kick and advanced deep into the opponent’s territory, near the try line.

At this point, Brave Blossoms’ lock HOCKINGS caught a loose ball from a lineout and scored a try in the left-center of the opponent’s in-goal area.

Substitute fullback GREENE attempted the conversion kick after the try but missed. The score stood at 43–7.

20 minutes into the second half:

Following the restart kickoff, the Maple Leafs entered the opponent’s half and moved the ball quickly, with center LESAGE scoring a try in the right corner of the opponent’s in-goal area.

This try can only be attributed to a lapse in concentration by the Brave Blossoms’ backline. Their focus had slipped after the previous try.

The conversion kick following the try was missed, bringing the score to 43–12.

37 minutes into the second half:

Looking at the second-half score so far—12-5—the Maple Leafs’ strong performance stands out.

However, once the Brave Blossoms entered the opponent’s half, they steadily advanced, broke through the line, and surged toward the try line. Finally, prop Inaba—making his debut for the Japanese national team that day—scored a try in the left-center of the opponent’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick following the try was also successful, bringing the score to 50–12.

40 minutes into the second half:

With the match nearing its end, the Brave Blossoms advanced deep into the opponent’s territory following a penalty kick awarded for a foul by the opposing team.

From there, the Brave Blossoms launched wave after wave of attacks centered around their forwards, pressing toward the opponent’s in-goal area, and it appeared that substitute No. 8 COSTLEY had scored a try.

However, a video review was called, and following the review, the Brave Blossoms’ try was upheld.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 57–12.

With that, the match ended, and the Brave Blossoms secured their first Test match victory in five games.

While the Japanese national team achieved a decisive victory on paper, several issues were evident regarding the backline’s defense and coordination. We hope the team will work to improve its overall performance in the Test Match series, which continues through November.

There is just over a year left until the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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 (Written by Azul: September 3, 2026)

On Saturday, August 8, 2026, a test match between the Japan national rugby team, the Brave Blossoms, and the Australian national team, the Wallabies, was held at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture.

Since it was an extremely hot day with the daytime high reaching 35 degrees Celsius, the match was held as a night game, kicking off at 7:05 p.m.

Since the venue was in Osaka, I departed from Tokyo Station on the Shinkansen.

I boarded the Nozomi 41 Shinkansen bound for Shin-Osaka, which departed at 2:30 p.m.

My Shinkansen arrived at Shin-Osaka Station on schedule at 5:00 p.m.

From there, I transferred to a local train and arrived at Kintetsu Higashi-Hanazono Station around 5:40 p.m. Even in the evening, the temperature was still over 30 degrees Celsius.

It was about a 10-minute walk from Higashi-Hanazono Station to Hanazono Rugby Stadium, the mecca of rugby in the Kansai region.

The crowd at Hanazono Rugby Stadium that day numbered 21,322, making it nearly a sellout.

It’s rare for Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka to be sold out, which underscores the high level of interest among Japanese rugby fans ahead of next year’s RWC 2027.

Now, let’s take a look at the Japan national rugby team’s record so far this season and their upcoming schedule.

Japan　Rugby　Test　Match　2026
	Date	Opponent	match venue	Result
1	6/27	Maori All Blacks	Nagoya, Japan	31-38●
2	7/4	Italy	Tokyo, Japan	27-10○
3	7/11	Ireland	New Castle, Australia	20-36●
4	7/18	France	Tokyo, Japan	15-42●
5	8/8	Australia	Osaka, Japan
6	8/8	Australia	Queensland, Australia
7	9/5	Canada	Niigata, Japan
8	9/12	USA	Osaka, Japan
5	9/19	(Pacific Nations Championship)	Tokyo, Japan
6	10/24	Fiji	Tokyo, Japan
7	11/8	Wales	Cardiff, Wales
8	11/15	England	Twickenham, England
9	11/22	Scotland	Murrayfield, Scotland
10	11/29	(Nations Championship)	Twickenham, England

This week and next week, the Japan national rugby team will play a two-game series against the Australian national rugby team. This week, they’ll play a home game in Japan, and next week, they’ll travel to Australia for an away game.

Now, let’s introduce the two teams facing off today.

First, here’s the latest on the visiting team, the Australian national rugby team—the Wallabies.

The Wallabies are currently ranked 8th in the world. They are a world-class powerhouse, having won the Rugby World Cup twice and finished as runners-up twice. In past matches against the Japanese national team, they have won all 7 encounters. However, at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, they suffered the humiliation of being eliminated in the group stage for the first time in history. Since they will be the host nation for the Rugby World Cup 2027 next year, they are determined to redeem themselves from the disgrace of the previous tournament at all costs.

The starting lineup for today’s match is as follows.

Wallabies
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Club	Australia Caps
1	Aidan ROSS	189cm	111kg	30	Reds	1
2	Josh NASSER	190cm	111kg	26	Reds	8
3	Allan ALAALATOA	183cm	120kg	32	Brumbies	79
4	Josh CANHAM	202cm	115kg	25	Reds	6
5	Miles AMATOSERO	203cm	125kg	24	Wallatahs	2
6	Rob VALETINI	193cm	113kg	27	Brumbies	39
7	Fraser McREIGHT	184cm	102kg	27	Reds	34
8	Harry WILSON	196cm	107kg	26	Reds	12
9	Ryan RONERGAN	184cm	80kg	28	Brumbies	10
10	Declan MEREDITH	183cm	88kg	27	Brumbies	3
11	Harry POTTER	185cm	95kg	28	Wallatahs	12
12	Hunter PAISAMI	175cm	97kg	27	Reds	20
13	Josef A. SUAALII	196cm	98kg	23	Wallatahs	4
14	Max JORGENSEN	183cm	88kg	21	Wallatahs	0
15	Tom WRIGHT	186cm	96kg	29	Brumbies	36

** Player to Watch **

Josef A. SUAALII. 196 cm, 98 kg, 23 years old. Club: Wallatahs. Positions: CTB, WTB, FB. Australia national team caps: 4.

A product of Australian rugby league, he has only 4 caps for the Australian national team, but he is a prodigious talent who has been attracting attention in Australia since he was young. He signed a professional contract with the Wallatahs of Super Rugby in 2023 and was selected for the Australian national team before making his debut with the club. In his first match for the national team—against England—he contributed to the victory and was named Man of the Match. His playing style combines that of a utility player capable of covering multiple positions with the ability to break through defenses using his impressive physique. He is a player to watch who could lead the Australian national team to victory at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Next up is the home team, the Japan National Rugby Team, the Brave Blossoms.

The Brave Blossoms are currently ranked 10th in the world. Last season, they suffered a series of heavy defeats during their European tour and barely managed to secure 12th place in the world rankings, thereby avoiding an unfavorable draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. However, the roster for this season has yet to be finalized, causing a tinge of anxiety among fans looking forward to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. We hope they will use this season’s series of matches against top-tier teams to thoroughly strengthen the squad.

We’ll also be watching to see if they can end their losing streak against the Australian national team, the Wallabies, who are ranked close to them in this season’s world rankings.

The starting lineup for this day’s match was as follows.

Brave Blossoms
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Club	Caps
1	Takato OKABE	180cm	105kg	31	Eagles	8
2	Hayate ERA	172cm	106kg	24	Kubota APEARS	7
3	Shuhei TAKEUTI	183cm	115kg	28	Sungoliath	24
4	Harry HOCKINGS	208cm	124kg	27	Sungoliath	2
5	Warner DEARNS	201m	117kg	24	Hurricanes	34
6	Ben GUNTER	195m	120kg	28	Wildknights	19
7	Kanji SHIMOKAWA	188m	105kg	27	Sungoliath	23
8	Faulua MAKISI	187cm	112kg	29	Spears	23
9	Naoto SAITO	165cm	73kg	28	Stade Toulousain	30
10	Ryunosuke ITO	172cm	77kg	21	Meiji University	2
11	Taira MAIN	180cm	92kg	25	Black Rams	1
12	Samisoni TUA	182cm	108kg	31	URAYASU D-Rocks	4
13	Dylan RILEY	187cm	102kg	29	Wildknights	40
14	Kazuma UEDA	177cm	87kg	23	Steelers	4
15	Takuro MATSUNAGA	172cm	82kg	27	Brave Lupas	7

** Player to Watch **

Samisoni TUA. 182 cm, 108 kg, 31 years old. Position: CTB. Club: Urayasu D-Rocks. From Tonga. Graduate of Setsunan University. Japan national team caps: 4.

After playing for the Kansai University All-Stars and the Japan national 7s team, he was selected for the Japan national 15s team in 2024 and earned his first cap in a match against England. He displays outstanding play in terms of speed and the ability to break through defenses. His limited number of caps is likely due to the time he spent recovering from an injury after his initial selection. The CTB position on the Japanese national team is a highly competitive one with many candidates and no set starting lineup; it will be interesting to see if he can win out in that competition and secure a spot on the final roster.

Now, the first half began.

The match kicked off with a kickoff by the Brave Blossoms.

12 minutes into the first half:

The Wallabies were the first to cross the 22-meter line into the opponent’s half. However, they committed several handling errors when moving the ball to the backs, preventing them from scoring.

As a result, the Brave Blossoms launched a counterattack, advancing nearly 90 meters from their own in-goal area to just short of the opponent’s try line.

The Brave Blossoms were pushed back briefly but continued their attack in the opponent’s half. After crossing the opponent’s 22-meter line once more, fly-half ITO cut inside on a running play. ITO evaded 4 Wallabies defenders and scored a try directly beneath the opponent’s goalposts.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 7–0 and giving the Brave Blossoms the early lead.

15 minutes into the first half:

Following the kickoff after the try, the Wallabies launched a counterattack. Perhaps due to the heat, the Wallabies committed a number of handling errors, but they managed to keep their attack going. Amidst this, the running plays by the Wallabies’ back 3 (the left and right wingers and the fullback) stood out. Just short of the opponent’s 22-meter line, winger POTTER picked up a loose ball and, with a deft step, executed a spectacular run, charging straight to the base of the opponent’s goalposts to score a try.

The Wallabies also successfully converted the try, tying the score at 7–7.

26 minutes into the first half:

Although the Wallabies had committed a series of handling errors early in the match, by this point, the backline players’ skillful running and their ability to retain possession without easily losing the ball were evident. Upon entering the opponent’s half, the backs used skillful combinations to quickly shift the play to the left, creating a numerical advantage, and ultimately, fullback WRIGHT scored a try in the middle-left of the opponent’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 7–14.

34 minutes into the first half:

Following a foul by the Brave Blossoms, the Wallabies advanced deep into enemy territory, where they formed a maul and went for a try in one swift move.

However, having learned from their failure to stop the opponent’s maul in last month’s Test match against France, the Brave Blossoms had trained extensively and devised countermeasures. As a result, they prevented the Wallabies from scoring from the maul in this instance.

During this scoring opportunity, the Wallabies were penalized for a dangerous tackle in the ruck. As a result, Wallabies lock AMATSERO, who committed the foul, was sent off for 20 minutes.

From the penalty kick awarded for this foul, the Brave Blossoms regained territory, continued their attack, and ultimately No. 8 MAKISI scored a try in the left-center of the opponent’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, tying the score at 14–14.

The first half ended with the score remaining tied. While the game was closely contested, the Wallabies did make slightly more mistakes, likely due to the heat in Japan. It will be interesting to see which team takes control of the match in the second half as fatigue sets in.

After a 15-minute halftime break, the second half began.

2 minutes into the second half:

The Wallabies took control right from the start of the second half. Despite being a man down, they boldly moved the ball forward, racking up gains in individual contact situations, and scored a try in the left corner of the opponent’s in-goal area. The try was scored by winger  JORGENSEN.

The conversion kick following the try was also successful, bringing the score to 14–21 and putting the Wallabies back in the lead.

5 minutes into the second half:

Although they allowed the Wallabies to take the lead, the Brave Blossoms immediately launched a counterattack. Once inside the opponent’s half, they spread the play left and right to gain ground. At just the right moment, winger UEDA burst in from the opposite side, broke through the defense, and ran about 20 meters to score a try in the center-right corner of the opponent’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was missed, bringing the score to 19–21. Neither team would give an inch, and the match remained tightly contested.

9 minutes into the second half:

From the restart kickoff, the Brave Blossoms boldly attempted a counterattack, but Wallabies prop BELL, who had come on as a substitute, made an outstanding ball recovery, earning the Wallabies a penalty kick.

Wallabies fly-half MEREDITH executed a superb touch kick, sending the ball right up to the edge of the opponent’s try line.

With that, the Wallabies leveraged their forward pack’s pressure to score a try in just a few phases. The try was scored by flanker McREIGHT.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 19–28.

13 minutes into the second half:

Following the restart kickoff, the Brave Blossoms entered the opponent’s half and moved the ball forward while under pressure in the scrum. Then, just past the opponent’s 10-meter line, the Wallabies committed a foul.

At this point, the Brave Blossoms opted for a penalty goal.

Although this penalty goal was from a distance of approximately 30 meters, fullback MATSUNAGA converted it, bringing the score to 22-28.

19 minutes into the second half:

As the second half reached its midpoint, both teams made several substitutions in an effort to revitalize their teams. Among them, Brave Blossoms’ WTB Yazaki received loud cheers from the stands.

The Brave Blossoms then advanced deep into the opponent’s territory and drew a penalty from the Wallabies directly in front of the goalposts. At this point, the Brave Blossoms opted for a penalty kick.

Brave Blossoms fullback MATSUNAGA calmly converted the penalty kick, bringing the score to 25–28.

30 minutes into the second half:

With the margin still at 3 points, the score remained unchanged for a while, and the tension continued to mount. However, the Brave Blossoms committed a foul near the center of the field; the Wallabies opted for a penalty kick and quickly advanced to the opponent’s try line.

At this point, as expected of a top-ranked team, the Wallabies pushed forward with brute force, and ultimately, substitute prop TUPOU scored a try directly beneath the goalposts.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, bringing the score to 25–35.

38 minutes into the second half:

With the match nearing its end, the Brave Blossoms penetrated deep into the opponent’s territory, presenting a long-awaited scoring opportunity. In response, the Wallabies—with an eye on their next home game—countered with relentless defense.

The Brave Blossoms spread the play wide to both sides and closed in on the try line, but the Wallabies attempted to prevent the score, even at the risk of committing a penalty.

However, in the end, the Brave Blossoms’ determination prevailed, and their captain, lock DEARNS, scored a try in the middle-left of the opponent’s in-goal area.

The conversion kick after the try was also successful, narrowing the score to 32–35, a 3-point deficit.

The Brave Blossoms attempted a comeback try on the final play following the restart kickoff, but the Wallabies intercepted the ball near their own 10-meter line and kicked it out of bounds, ending the match.

The Brave Blossoms put on a strong performance, closing the gap to just 3 points against the higher-ranked Wallabies, but this marked their 8th consecutive loss to the Wallabies. We look forward to seeing them redeem themselves in next week’s second Test match in Australia and at the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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