Month: November 2024

 (Written by Azul: November 15, 2024)

This time, I went to Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground in Minato-ku, Tokyo to watch the Kanto University Rugby Rivalry Group match between Teikyo University and Waseda University.

The weather was fine and the temperature was 20 degrees Celsius, making it a perfect day to watch the game.

This season’s Kanto University Rugby Rivalry Group League started in early September, and so far three teams, Teikyo University, Meiji University, and Waseda University, have all won and are competing for the championship. With the second half of the season now upon us, the top-ranked schools will now begin to face each other directly, and rugby fans can look forward to a series of exciting matches.

In the first match of the day, Meiji University vs. University of Tsukuba was played, kicking off at 11:30.

The result of the match was 31-0 in favor of Meiji University, defending their unanimous victory.

Next, the second match kicked off at 14:00.

Here is the latest information on both schools going into the second match.

First, let me introduce the Defending Champion, Teikyo University Rugby Club.

Last season, the team won the University Championship for three years in a row, but the most senior students have graduated and the team has become a new team. The results of the competitions so far this season were as follows.

September 7: 　vs Japan University of Health and Sport Science 67-6  〇

September 22: 　vs Aoyama Gakuin University 40-5　〇

Sept. 29: 　vs Rikkyo University 85-7　〇

Oct. 20: 　vs Keio University 57-19　〇

Teikyo University has had some close wins against lower ranked teams from last season. Teikyo University, last season’s university champion, has many U-18 Japan players joining the team this season. If they continue to gain experience in the game, the new players this season will grow steadily, but if we look for weaknesses, there are few players among the regular members who have won last season’s championship, so it remains to be seen whether they can show the same strength as last season in a matchup against a higher-ranked school.

This day’s starting lineup was as follows.

Teikyo University
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Hanjiro HIRAI	174cm	94kg	21
2	Ren TOMA	174cm	95kg	22
3	Taro UESUGI	176cm	113kg	21
4	Jo KURAMORI	180cm	102kg	21
5	Takuma MOTOHASHI	194cm	116kg	22	JapanXV,Japan
6	Keito AOKI	187cm	106kg	22	Japan XV
7	Eugene GUAINI	177cm	89kg	22
8	Kaisa DAUNAKAMAKAMA	182cm	120kg	21	U-18 Japan
9	Kumsu LEE	174cm	80kg	22
10	Takaya MOTOHASHI	182cm	86kg	20	U-20 Japan,JapanXV,Japan
11	Kanta MORI	176cm	89kg	21
12	Taichi KUGINO	178cm	89kg	22
13	Yamato UEDA	180cm	84kg	19	U-18,U-20 Japan,JapanXV
14	Genki IKUTA	169cm	83kg	21
15	Ryunosuke AOYAGI	176cm	82kg	20	U-18 Japan

＊＊　Player to watch　＊＊

Takaya Motohashi is 20 years old, 182 cm, 86 kg. A graduate of Kyoto Seisho High School, he is the younger brother of Takuma Motohashi, a regular lock for Teikyo University’s three consecutive university championships. He played mainly at CTB for U20 Japan this summer. He is the leading BK player of his generation, but has only become a regular starter this season, so he is expected to show his ability as the season deepens. Teikyo University’s fourth straight University Championship title this season will depend on the twin shoulders of MOTOHASHI, the commanding leader of the team.

And now, an update on the Waseda University Rugby Club, the right wing of Teikyo University’s team to beat.

Waseda University’s official results so far this season were as follows.

September 14: 　vs Rikkyo University 57-6 　〇

September 22: 　vs Japan University of Health and Sport Science 83-0　〇

October 12: 　vs Aoyama Gakuin University 67-0 　〇

Since forming their new teams for this season, both Teikyo University and Waseda University have played each other twice in open matches.

June 16: 7-60 (Teikyo University won)

August 18: 38-14 (Waseda University won)

With a record of 1 win and 1 loss, both teams have been making adjustments to focus on a direct confrontation in an official match.

This day’s starters were as follows.

Waseda University
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Airou SUGIMOTO	176cm	107kg	21	U19 Japan
2	Kenji SATO	177cm	107kg	21	Japan XV,Japan
3	Shotaro KAMEYAMA	176cm	116kg	22
4	Takeomi NISHIURA	184cm	94kg	22
5	Bunsuke KURITA	184cm	105kg	20	U20Japan
6	Osuke SHIRO	185cm	99kg	18	U18 Japan
7	Yusei TANAKA	166cm	87kg	21
8	Fuuta SUZUKI	183m	99kg	23
9	Sena HOSOYA	162m	64kg	21
10	Ryota HATTORI	178cm	80kg	18	U18 Japan
11	Haruto IKEMOTO	183cm	90kg	20
12	Kengo NONAKA	180cm	93kg	21	U20,U21Japan,Junior Japan
13	Shuhou FUKUSHIMA	183cm	95kg	21	U18 Japan
14	Kenzou TANAKA	172cm	76kg	19
15	Yoshitaka YAZAKI	180cm	86kg	20	U18,U20 Japan,JapanXV,Japan

** Player to watch **

(Ryota HATTORI is the player in the black-and-red striped jersey in the photo above.)

Ryota HATTORI is 178cm, 80kg, 18 years old. He is a graduate of Saga Technical High School and a member of the U18 Japan national team. As an 18-year-old first-year student, he has won a commanding position at Waseda University, where BK players from all over the country gather to compete for the top spot in the high school rugger world. In high school, he won a national championship in 7-man rugby, and his running ability and ability to find space are regarded as the best of his generation. In high school, he played FB, but was converted to SO by Waseda University’s rugby team coach, Otao, who noticed his exceptional kicking ability. Although he has little experience as an SO, he has made a big impact on the team’s tactics with his kicking ability. He is a player that we can expect no end to how far he will develop his abilities as the season deepens.

Before the game began, both teams sang their school anthems, and the fans of both teams were excited for this traditional match and the big game that will determine who will win the championship this season.

The crowd of 12,383 on the day was the largest of the season’s rivalry matches.

Teikyo University, as usual, went on the offensive from the very beginning of the game. However, in the early stages, Waseda University went toe-to-toe with Teikyo University, last season’s university champion, in set plays, dense battles, and development attacks. Last season, Waseda University was crushed by Teikyo University in both set plays and dense battles, so Waseda fans’ expectations for victory must have been heightened by Waseda University’s well-rounded performance this season.

13 minutes into the first half:

The　SO HATTORI, one of Waseda University’s new players of the season, kicked a touch kick from his own penalty kick that went close to the opponent’s in-goal, which made the fans filling Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium roar.

Waseda University secured the ball in their own lineout, and their FW players rushed through the maul and the dense side of the ruck to score a try, but Teikyo University’s defense in front of the in-goal was very strong, and a try was hard to come by. From this point on, Waseda University swung left and right to score with their BK. From a tight pack, SO HATTORI sent a long pass to the right, and WTB TANAKA, who ran to the left edge, scored a try in the right corner of the enemy’s in-goal. The conversion goal after the try failed. The score was 0-5, with Waseda University scoring first.

TANAKA, who scored the try, is one of Waseda University’s promising new players this season.

19 minutes into the first half:

From the restart after the try, both teams exchanged long kicks. However, Waseda’s SO HATTORI kicked from deep in his own half, which went out beyond the enemy 22m line. At this point, the 50-22 rule was applied, and the lineout became Waseda University’s ball. Here, Waseda University made a series of attacks in the enemy territory. Teikyo University then committed a knock-on infringement, resulting in a scrum that was Waseda’s own ball. For Teikyo University, it was a humiliating scrum push loss. Last season, Teikyo University had never lost a scrum to Waseda University, so the shock must have been great for Teikyo University. After that, Waseda University secured the ball, and made the best use of attacking from both sides, and finally, WTB Tanaka, who received the ball from FB YAZAKI, ran through on the right side and scored the second try of the day. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 0-12.

21 minutes into the first half:

Again, from the restart kickoff by Teikyo University, Waseda University deployed the ball in their own territory, and SO HATTORI kicked a long kick which was stopped in front of the enemy in-goal, The ball was passed from hooker SATOH to WTB TANAKA, and TANAKA scored his third try of the day. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 0-19.

Teikyo University suffered an unprecedented series of losses, and each player’s face showed signs of impatience.

27 minutes into the first half:

After a long period of Waseda’s attacking time, Teikyo University finally got a chance to attack in the enemy territory from the restart kick-off. Teikyo University’s FWs had been dominant in the contact phase of the game so far, so they connected short passes and their break-through FWs piled up the gains to close in on the enemy’s in-goal. Waseda University committed an infringement in their own half, and Teikyo University opted for a penalty kick and gained their own ball lineout just in front of the enemy in-goal. Teikyo University made a sign play, and from the lineout, FL AOKI received a short pass and went all the way to the left middle of the in-goal for a try. After the try, the conversion goal failed, and the score was 5-19.

35 minutes into the first half:

Teikyo University seemed to have confirmed their strength after the try they scored earlier, and they began to play a strategy of penetrating the enemy line, mainly with their FWs, and attacking the dense side of the field. Teikyo University chose to take a penalty kick after an infringement by their opponents, advanced their position to just before the enemy’s in-goal, secured the ball in a lineout on their own ball, and then formed a maul, which the FWs exploited to gain the ball. The try was scored by FL AOKI, who dragged 4 players to the right of the enemy in-goal for the second try of the day.

The conversion goal after the try failed, and the score was 10-19.

With this try, Teikyo University turned the tide of the match back in their favor.

40 minutes into the first half:

From the restart kick-off after the try, Waseda University advanced into the enemy territory and gradually advanced their position through a series of attacks. From a lineout near the 22-meter line, Waseda University was in a tight spot with the opposing defense, but hooker SATOH managed to secure the ball and pass it to SO HATTORI, who stepped past four men and scored a try right in the middle of the enemy in-goal.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 10-26.

The first half ended here, with Waseda University pulling the game back into their own hands.

Now, will Teikyo University, the winner of three consecutive University Championships, be able to pull themselves back into the game in the second half and capture a come-from-behind victory?

Or will Waseda University be able to continue their momentum and defeat the absolute champion, Teikyo University? We look forward to a heated battle in the second half.

６ minutes into the second half:

Teikyo University kicked off the second half and the game resumed. Teikyo University attacked from beyond the 22-meter line, but made a series of mistakes at the crucial moments and missed the opportunity to score.

Waseda University took advantage of Teikyo University’s mistake, and after entering the enemy territory, they moved to the left, and WTB TANAKA made a big gain in the first attack. Waseda University then went in the opposite direction, and the ball was again passed to WTB TANAKA, who made a big move from the left corner to the right corner.

6 minutes into the second half:

Teikyo University kicked off the second half, and the game resumed. Teikyo University attacked continuously beyond the enemy 22-meter line, but at the crucial moment, they made a series of mistakes, which was uncharacteristic of the university champions, and missed a scoring opportunity.

Waseda University took advantage of Teikyo University’s mistake, and after entering the enemy territory, they moved to the left, and WTB TANAKA made a big gain in the first attack. Waseda University then went in the opposite direction and the ball was again passed to WTB TANAKA who made a big move from the left corner to the right corner, where TANAKA got tangled up with three opposing defenders but was able to pull away and score his 4th try of the day in the middle right of the enemy in-goal.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 10-33. In the second half, it was Waseda University who scored first.

Teikyo University came close to scoring at the enemy’s in-goal, but Waseda University got the ball back, and when the ball passed to Waseda University’s SO HATTORI, he kicked it to the enemy’s 10m line with his amazing kicking ability. Waseda’s SO HATTORI’s kick flew about 20 meters farther than a normal SO of a university team. Even if Teikyo University took their time and attacked deep into the enemy territory, Waseda University’s SO HATTORI’s amazing kicking ability would bring them down to about 50 meters back. Teikyo University’s FWs were getting tired.

11 minutes into the second half:

Waseda University’s PG attempt is foiled by a foul by the opposing team, and they are about 40 meters out in front of the goalposts.

14 minutes into the second half:

Both teams kicked each other’s kicks, but Teikyo University’s BK, gradually being pushed back, decided that they had the worse of it and counter-attacked from their own 22m line. The penalty was committed in front of the enemy goal post, about 15 meters away, so Waseda University opted to go for the PG, which CTB NONAKA converted to make the score 10-36.

27 minutes into the second half:

Teikyo University made several attacks deep into the enemy territory, but after an infringement just before the in-goal, Waseda’s SO HATTORI took a penalty kick to bring his team back to the enemy 10-meter line, making it difficult to find a rhythm in the game. This led to frequent handling errors by Teikyo University, and each time the ball was lost to Waseda University.

Waseda University then moved closer to the enemy’s in-goal and attacked in a series of rhythmic attacks, culminating in SO HATTORI’s try to the left of the enemy’s in-goal.

Waseda’s conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 10-43.

40 minutes into the second half:

Teikyo University was still scoreless in the second half at this time. With a 33-point difference, Waseda University was almost certain to win the match, but Teikyo University was looking for revenge in their next matchup. However, Teikyo University was finding it difficult to break the enemy defense and even gain ground.

Teikyo University was in a dilemma on the day, as they were unable to score from inside their own 22-meter line. As Teikyo University was attacking the enemy line, Waseda’s WTB Tanaka intercepted the ball and ran 90 meters to score his fifth try of the day in the middle right of the enemy in-goal.

The conversion goal after the try was unsuccessful, but the score was 10-48.

42 minutes into the second half:

Toward the end of the match, Teikyo University attacked deep into enemy territory, and at about 15 meters in front of the goal posts, substitute FL MORIMOTO broke out through the side and scored a try just below the goal posts.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 17-48.

Immediately after the conversion goal, the game was called “no side. The final score was 17-48. Teikyo University had not lost by such a large margin since their golden era when they became the number 1 university in Japan.

Waseda University’s main reason for winning this match was that their FWs were more than equal to Teikyo University in set plays. The BKs were active in all directions based on the overwhelming kicking ability of SO HATTORI, a newcomer to the Waseda team this season. WTB TANAKA’s overwhelming decisiveness, scoring 5 tries by himself, led to such a large points difference against last season’s university champion, Teikyo University.

Waseda University has 2 current members of the national team, hooker SATOH and FB YAZAKI, but even without them scoring tries, the fact that they were able to score so many tries shows the resilience of this season’s Waseda University.

Can Waseda continue their winning streak and become the number 1 university in Japan for the first time since 2020? Or will Teikyo University be able to regroup and take revenge in the University Championship? This season’s college rugby is becoming more and more exciting.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

 (Written by Azul: November 6, 2024)

On October 26, 2024, a test match between the Brave Blossoms of Japan and the All Blacks of New Zealand took place at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. The temperature was 22 degrees Celsius and the weather was cloudy. The crowd was 60,057, 83% of the capacity of Nissan Stadium, the largest stadium in Japan.

Considering that the attendance at the PNC final in September was less than 20,000, this means that the All Blacks are an especially popular team among Japanese rugby fans.

The Brave Blossoms are ranked 14th in the world, while the All Blacks are ranked 3rd in the world, making this the strongest match Japan has played so far this season.

The previous matchups between the Brave Blossoms and the All Blacks are as follows

October 25, 1987: 0-74 ●

November 1, 1987: 4-106 ●

June 4, 1995: 17-145 ●

September 16, 2011: 7-83 ●

November 2, 2013: 6-54 ●

November 3, 2018: 31-69 ●

October 29, 2022: 31-38 ●

The Japanese national team has lost six straight, with an average score of 14-83, and with the exception of 2022, they have racked up heavy defeats.

Let us introduce you to the two teams that would be competing on this day.

First, let’s talk about the New Zealand All Blacks, who was the Visitor Team of this day.

He has won three of the ten RWCs held so far,

New Zealand is the only country that has won 3 of the 10 RWCs held so far,and has won more than three-quarters of its matches against all other countries in Test matches. Before the RWC, the Japanese national team was not allowed to play in the Rugby World Cup due to its lack of ability. In recent years, many All Blacks players have joined League One, a professional rugby league in Japan, and the All Blacks are very popular and well known in Japan.

Currently ranked third in the world, the All Blacks will travel to Europe this November to compete with the best European rugby teams in the world and try to regain the No. 1 spot in the world rankings.

This day’s starting lineup was as follows.

All Blacks
No.	Name	height	weight	age	NZ Caps
1	Tamaiti　WILLIAMS	196cm	140kg	24	14
2	Asafo　AUMUA	177cm	108kg	27	15
3	Pasilio　TOSI	193cm	140kg	26	3
4	Sam DARRY	203cm	110kg	24	5
5	Patrick TUIPLOTU	198cm	120kg	31	46
6	Samipeni FINAU	193cm	115kg	25	4
7	Sam CANE	189cm	103kg	32	100
8	Wallace SITITI	187m	113kg	22	5
9	Cameron ROIGARD	183m	88kg	23	5
10	Damian MCKENZIE	177cm	78kg	29	56
11	Mark TELEA	186cm	94kg	27	15
12	Anton LIENERT-BROWN	185cm	96kg	29	79
13	Billy PROCTOR	187cm	96kg	25	1
14	Sevu REECE	179cm	87kg	27	30
15	Stephen PEROFETA	181cm	85kg	27	5

** Player to watch **

Mark TELEA. 186cm, 94kg, 27 years old. Position = WTB. Caps for NZ = 15. Club: Blues (Super Rugby).

He made a strong impression on rugby fans around the world at the RWC 2023, scoring his first try in his first RWC appearance in the opening match of the tournament. Even when surrounded by opposing defenses, he slips through tackles like an eel and scores a lot of tries. Will he be able to showcase their superior skills on this day?

Next, I would like to introduce the home team of the day, the Brave Blossoms of Japan.

The Japanese National Rugby Team, a.k.a. Brave Blossoms, has formed a new team under the leadership of new HC Eddie JONES, and has been playing a series of test matches since June this year. The results of the matches so far and the schedule for the future are as follows.

	Date	Opponent	match venue	Result
1	6/22	England	Tokyo	17-52　●
2	6/29	Maori All Blacks	Tokyo	10-36　●
3	7/6	Maori All Blacks	Toyoda	26-14　〇
4	7/13	Georgia	Sendai	23-25　●
5	7/21	Italy	Sapporo	14-42　●
6	8/25	Canada	Bancouver	55-28　〇
7	9/7	USA	Saitama	41-24　〇
8	9/15	Samoa	Tokyo	49-27　〇
9	9/21	Fiji	Osaka	41-17　●
10	10/26	All Blacks	Tokyo
11	11/9	France	Paris
12	11/16	Uruguay	Chambéry
13	11/24	England	London

The team has played 9 matches so far, with a record of 4 wins and 5 losses.The team’s world ranking, which was 12th before the start of the season, has dropped to 14th. The team now has only 4 test matches left in the season, including this one.

After this, the team will continue to play matches against teams higher in the world ranking, so we hope that the team will show growth as a team from this point on.

The team has been made up mainly of young players who have had little experience playing in the past, but the return of some of the core players from RWC 2023 is a good sign for the team’s improvement.

This day’s lineup was as follows.

Brave Blossoms
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Japan Caps
1	Takato　OKABE	180cm	105kg	29	4
2	Atsushi　SAKATE	180cm	104kg	25	46
3	Shuhei TAKEUCHI	183cm	115kg	26	10
4	Sanaila　WAQA	202cm	120kg	29	7
5	Warner DEARNS	201m	117kg	22	18
6	Amato FAKATAVA	195m	115kg	29	10
7	Kazuki　HIMENO	187m	109kg	30	32
8	Faulua MAKISI	187cm	112kg	27	12
9	Shinobu FUJIWARA	171cm	76kg	25	6
10	Harumichi TATEKAWA	180cm	94kg	34	60
11	Malo TUITAMA	182cm	91kg	28	4
12	Nicolas MCCURRAN	188cm	93kg	28	4
13	Dylan RILEY	187cm	102kg	27	24
14	Jone　NAIKABULA	177cm	95kg	30	13
15	Yoshitaka　YAZAKI	180cm	85kg	20	4

** Player to watch **

（Kazuki HIMENO (Number 7 is HIMENO)

Kazuki HIMENO is 30 years old, 187cm, 109kg. Position = FL, No.8. Japan national team CAP = 32. A graduate of Teikyo University, he was the captain of Japan’s national team at RWC 2023. He was out of the national team in the spring due to elbow surgery, but has recovered from the injury and made a long-awaited return to the national team. We hope that this day’s match would be a step forward in reinvigorating the Japanese national team’s strong FW.

Prior to the match, a ceremony was held. Following the national anthems of both countries, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko, Honorary President of the Japan Rugby Union, gave encouragement to both teams.

Then, just before kickoff, the atmosphere of the decisive battle reached its climax with the performance of HAKA, the War Cry of the NZ national team.

Kickoff for the first half.

5 minutes into the first half:

One of the characteristics of Brave Blossoms’ catchphrase, “super-fast rugby,” is to attack hard early in the game and score the first point. On this day, the Brave Blossoms got into the enemy territory right from the start, and once they secured the ball, they launched a series of attacks. Both teams then exchanged kicks with each other in an attempt to advance their positions. The Japanese team then launched a series of attacks from around the 10-meter line in enemy territory. A successful sign play saw WTB NAIKABULA run right next to SH FUJIWARA, and NAIKABULA slipped behind the enemy defensive net and headed for the in-goal. NAIKABULA was just in front of the in-goal, he was caught by two All Blacks defenders just before the in-goal, but spun around and scored a try in the middle left of the enemy in-goal.

The Brave Blossoms also succeeded in scoring the conversion goal after the try. The score was 7-0.

12 minutes into the first half:

The All Blacks, as if fired up by the first goal, kicked off from the restart, and gradually advanced deep into the enemy territory. The ball was passed to WTB TELEA who was running on the edge of the line, and despite being tangled up with the enemy defense, TELEA twisted his body into the left corner of the enemy in-goal to score a try.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was tied 7-7.

16 minutes into the first half:

The All Blacks showed their physicality by not getting knocked down until they passed the ball off-load to a follow-up player, even if they were caught by the opposing defense. Finally, the lock TUIPLOTU scored a goal in the right corner of the enemy’s in-goal.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 7-14 to the All Blacks.

19 minutes into the first half:

From the restart kickoff, Brave Blossoms got into the enemy territory, and their FW players fought hard to penetrate the defense and advance more than 10 meters. The Brave Blossoms then chose to take a penalty kick and kicked the ball into touch. The Brave Blossoms secured the ball at the lineout. Here, NO.8 MAKISI broke through the opposing defense and scored a try in the left center of the enemy’s in-goal.

After the try, the conversion goal failed and the score was 12-14.

The excitement in the stadium was high as both teams scored points against each other.

20 minutes into the first half:

Brave Blossoms also won the ball back in a tight battle and went on the counter-attack. The All Blacks got the ball and as SO McKENZIE was about to kick, Brave Blossoms’ NO.8 MAKISI made a strong tackle and the ball rolled backwards. Brave Blossoms lock DEARNS ran in and kicked the ball, caught it himself, and took it straight into the in-goal, overcoming the fast-footed WTB REECE of All Blacks who was chasing him, and scored a try in the left center of the enemy in-goal.

The stadium was in full swing, and the crowd went wild for the first time of the day.

However, a TMO video review revealed that when Brave Blossoms’ No.8 MAKISI made a tackle, the passing ball hit MAKISI’s hand, resulting in a knock-on foul by the Brave Blossoms and the try was cancelled.

22 minutes of the first half:

From a scrum in the middle of the field after the restart, the All Blacks went to the right and scored a try on the first attempt by CTB Procter. The conversion goal after the try failed, and the score was 12-19.

25 minutes into the first half:

In this period, both sides put on a show as they fought for the ball in a dense battle, but here All Blacks outpaced their opponents with their quickness in supporting in dense areas, and finally FL CANE scored a try in the left corner of the in-goal. After the try, the conversion goal failed, and the score was 12-24.

31 minutes into the first half:

From the kickoff after the restart, All Blacks had a scrum, from which All Blacks moved to the left, and SO McKENZIE got behind the enemy defense and made a big gain. The All Blacks then connected with the ball inside the enemy 22-meter line, and as the ball spread out from the right end of the field to the left end, they gained a numerical advantage and finally scored a try by FL FINAU in the left corner of the enemy in-goal.

The conversion goal after the try failed, and the score was 12-29.

34 minutes into the first half:

The All Blacks attacked for more and more time, and the Brave Blossoms’ tackles were no longer able to keep up with them. The Brave Blossoms players became tired from the continuous physical battles, and their tackles became weaker, leading to a vicious cycle where the All Blacks were able to get out of tackles and connect with the ball continuously. Conversely, the All Blacks found a rhythm in their attack and made gain after gain in the enemy territory. In the end, prop TOSI scored a try right in the middle of the enemy in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 12-36.

40 minutes into the first half:

Brave Blossoms players started to show signs of fatigue. The All Blacks made a series of relentless attacks on the Brave Blossoms, and after a penalty kick, the Brave Blossoms gained possession of their own ball lineout just inside their own 22-meter line, close to the in-goal. From there, the All Blacks secured the ball, and after a maul, they moved forward to score a try by prop WILLIAMS at the right end of the in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 12-43.

The score at the end of the first half was 12-43.

The Brave Blossoms were evenly matched until about 20 minutes into the first half, but after Rock DEARNS’ try was disallowed, the pace of the game became one-sided for the All Blacks.

Could the Brave Blossoms really come back in the second half of the match?

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

4 minutes into the second half:

The Brave Blossoms tried to move forward from their own territory and connect with passes, but were unable to gain any ground. In contrast, when the All Blacks got possession of the ball, they were able to break through their opponents’ defenses and make progress, perhaps due to the strength of their individual players at the point of contact. Then, All Blacks shook off the defense in enemy territory, and SH ROIGARD gained more than 10 meters and scored a try right in the middle of the enemy in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 12-50.

After this, both teams replaced at least four players, and the newly introduced players stepped up at the point of contact. The Brave Blossoms players in particular put on a good show, but were unable to score.

The Brave Blossoms changed their game and instead of going for the fast break, they started to connect the ball steadily with their individual players at the point of contact.

24 minutes into the second half:

The Brave Blossoms made the biggest show of the second half, when CTB RILEY broke through a gap in the opposing defense and connected with FB YAZAKI, who followed him. YAZAKI’s first try for the national team was expected, but it was stopped by All Blacks’ SO McKENZIE just before the in-goal.

28 minutes into the second half:

Brave Blossoms substitute prop HELU received the ball in front of the enemy 22m line, darted past the defense, and scored a try just under the goal post.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 19-50.

37 minutes into the second half:

The All Blacks had not scored for some time in the second half, but an infringement by their opponents led to a penalty kick that gave them the chance to go inside the enemy 22m line and take the ball out of their own half. After winning the ball, they attempted to move forward in a maul, but the Brave Blossoms defense held firm and prevented them from advancing. However, the All Blacks were able to move to the right and the ball was passed to WTB LOVE, who came on as a substitute, and although he was tangled up with two defenders, he was able to score a try through individual skill.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 19-57.

41 minutes into the second half:

Just before the end of the game, Brave Blossoms started their final attack from their own line, but WTB LOVE of All Blacks took the ball away from them, and he scored his second try of the day right under the in-goal.

The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the All Blacks won the match with a final score of 19-64.

Despite the heavy defeat for the Brave Blossoms, there were some positives to take away from the match. One was the stability of the FW set play against the All Blacks. The other was that the team was able to create a game without playing “ultra-fast rugby” all the time. We hope that the team will be able to win on their upcoming tour of Europe.

＊＊　New Weapon: The Newly Arrived　　＊＊

I changed the camera for taking pictures from this day’s game.

The new camera is the Canon Power Shot SX70HS, with an optical zoom of 65x. The SX420 camera I had been using until then had a zoom factor of 42x, so I was able to take clearer pictures from a distance at the stadium. The difference is obvious when comparing actual photos.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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