Samoa trounces Japan

Leaega scores 23 in team's World Cup opener

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Posted: Sunday October 03, 1999 11:49 AM

Japan's Yukio Motoki (left) and Samoa's Lama Tony clash during their Rugby World Cup match. AP

WREXHAM, Wales (AP) -- Fullback Silao Leaega scored a try, four penalties and three conversions for a personal points tally of 23, and wingers Brian Lima and Afata So'oala collected two tries each as Samoa opened its World Cup challenge with a 43-9 victory over Japan on Sunday.

The result was the perfect start for the Samoans, who hope to beat Argentina at Llanelli next week while the Japanese face host Wales in Cardiff. All the Japanese points came from the boot of fly-half Keiji Horise who kicked three penalties although his fast running team went close to scoring tries during a spirited fightback early in the second half.

The game was a matchup of rival former New Zealand stars Graeme Bachop, who now plays for Japan, and his brother Stephen (Samoa). The honors clearly went to Stephen Bachop even though the Japanese fielded a lineup that had four more Kiwis.

In teeming rain and a strong, cold wind blowing across the Racecourse Ground, the first 10 minutes was a kicking contest between Hirose and Leaega who landed two each for a 6-6 scoreline.

Rival former All Blacks Craig Glendinning (Samoa) and Jamie Joseph (Japan) were shown the yellow card for rough play in a ruck before the Samoans broke out to score the first try in the 25th minute.

Center To'o Vaega burrowed through the middle and provided a pass outside to Lima who charged unchallenged across the line for the score. Leaega missed the conversion.

But a second try came seven minutes later when Stephen Bachop kicked into a huge space behind the Japanese defense and the fast-moving winger So'oalo got to the ball before Japanese captain and center Andrew McCormick to pass inside to Leaega to cross for the score.

This time Leaega kicked the close range conversion and the Samoans led 18-6, which they held on to at halftime despite an audacious 49-meter penalty attempt by Hirose who was just short.

A 30-meter penalty via the inside of the post by Leaega stretched the lead to 15 points four minutes into the second half before the Japanese rallied with some enterprising play led by Joseph.

Replacement fullback Pat Tuidraki and back row Yasunori Watanabe were both halted just short of the Samoan line before the Japanese pressure yielded a penalty and Hirosi's kick reduced the deficit to 21-9 in the 52nd minute.

Joseph was involved thee times in a persistent Japanese move in which Terunori Masuho was halted just a meter short of the line as the Samoan defense held out again.

But a well-worked third Samoan try in the 59 minute virtually finished off the Japanese fightback when Stephen Bachop fed Va'aiga Tuigamala, whose slick pass behind him found So'oalo running through the middle at pace and the winger raced clear for the score. Leaega's conversion made it 28-9 with a quarter of the game to go.

The powerfully built Tuigamala, a former Wigan rugby league star who now plays for England's rugby union champion Newcastle, was at the heart of almost every Samoan move by this stage. But they were denied another score by some ill-discipline among the forwards.

Team captain Pat Lam crossed the Japanese line but the score was canceled out because the touch judge spotted prop Brendon Reilly punching a floored Japanese player in the buildup.

But Leaega kicked his fourth penalty to stretch the lead to 31-9 with 10 minutes to go and then So'oala collected his own kick ahead to cross for his second try. Leaega converted again but he missed the kick after Lima burst down the left to take an outside pass to cross for his second of the game.

Lineups:

Samoa - Silao Leaega, Afato So'oalo, To'o Vaega, Va'aiga Tuigamala, Brian Lima, Stephen Bachop, Stephen So'oiloa, Pat Lam, Craig Glendinning, Junior Paramore, Lama Tone, Sene Ta'aa, Robbie Ale, Trevor Leota, Brendan Reidy.

Japan - Tsutomu Matsuda, Daisuke Ohata, Andrew McCormick, Yukio Motoki, Terunori Masuho, Keiji Hirose, Graeme Bachop, Jamie Joseph, Greg Smith, Yasunori Watanabe, Naoya Okubo, Robert Gordon, Kohei Oguchi, Masahiro Kunda, Shin Hasegawe.

Referee - Andrew Cole, Australia.

 

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