Māori All Blacks comeback win over Japan XV
- 23 hours ago
- 2 min read
Additional words from All Blacks.com - The Māori All Blacks turned a 31-14 deficit into a memorable 38-31 win against Japan XV at a packed, humid and greasy Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.
Leading into the second half the hosts fell short of their second victory in eight meetings against the Māori All Blacks since 1981.
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The bench added value quickly in the second spell as halfback Sam Nock was energetic and clincial, scoring a second-half try.
Prop Pouri Rakete-Stones forced a Japanese mishandle with two minutes remaining. From the ensuing scrum, standout starter Xavi Taele (15 tackles, 13 carries, 3 offloads, 52 metres gained) speared through for a decisive dotdown.
Five minutes earlier, the visitors were 31-28 behind, mounting phases inside the Japan XV 22. Substitute first-five Taha Kemara looped behind a pod and, with a dummy, bump, down, up and step scurried ahead for the go-ahead score.
Down 31-14 with 16 minutes remaining, the ball was transferred from Taele to debutant Payton Spencer and then to workhorse TK Howden as the gap closed to ten.
Then it was captain Bailyn Sullivan, Nikora Broughton, Howden and Nock whose handling proved too slick for the Brave Blossoms.
Earlier, the opening quarter saw each side exchange a try before the hosts applied a vice grip with their stifling lineout drive. Michael Stolberg was a towering presence with 12 catches, eight more than Esei Haangana. Japan's first five Ryunosuke Ito was electric.
The Māori All Blacks lost Sullivan and blindside flanker Torian Barnes to the sin bin before halftime.
With a two-man advantage, the Japan XV scored three tries. The halftime stats were conclusive: Japan XV held 65% of territory, a 7-2 penalty count in their favour, and made 48 fewer tackles.
Hurricanes Caleb Delany was another impactful reserve for the team, along with starting lock Crusaders Tahlor Cahill (13 tackles, 7 carries).
Māori All Blacks: 38 (Adam Lennox, Bailyn Sullivan, TK Howden, Sam Nock, Taha Kemara, Xavi Taele tries; Rivez Reihana 2, Kemara 2 cons) Japan XV: 31 (Kazuma Ueda, Mamoru Harada, Dylan Riley, Inoke Burua, Takuro Matsunaga tries; Matsunaga 3 cons).
