TOKYO: Japan qualified for their eighth straight Rugby World Cup with a 49-8 win over Hong Kong yesterday to claim the Asian Five Nations title in the final sporting event at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
Japan have never lost an Asian Five Nations match in the seven-year history of the competition, which this year doubles as a World Cup qualifier, and were never seriously troubled by Hong Kong.
The visitors finished as runners-up and now face Uruguay in the first round of the World Cup repechage.
Two tries for Yoshikazu Fujita and one apiece for Harumichi Tatekawa and Justin Ives staked Japan to a comfortable half-time lead before Thomas McQueen pulled one back for Hong Kong after the break.
But the hosts stretched their legs with a try for substitute Shinya Makabe before Fujita completed his hat-trick and Takeshi Kizu and Keisuke Uchida rounded off the scoring.
Japan coach Eddie Jones was delighted to sign off in style from the iconic stadium. “It was fantastic. You look at the background and see the flames there that were lit 50 years ago.” AFP
