Scotland v Japan, 23 September

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SCOTLAND V JAPAN
23 September 2015
KO: 14:30 BST
Kingsholm, Gloucester

Live on [tbc]

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Touch judges: George Clancy (Ireland) & Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

A. Head to Head

4 Played 4
4 Won 0
0 Drawn 0
0 Lost 4
221 Points 45

B. Recent Form

09 Nov 2013
Scotland 42 - 17 Japan
Murrayfield, Edinburgh

13 Nov 2004
Scotland 100 - 8 Japan
McDiarmid Park, Perth

12 Oct 2003
Scotland 32 - 11 Japan
Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville

05 Oct 1991
Scotland 47 - 9 Japan
Murrayfield, Edinburgh

C. Teams

SCOTLAND

15 Stuart Hogg
14 Tommy Seymour
13 Mark Bennett
12 Matt Scott
11 Sean Lamont
10 Finn Russell
09 Greig Laidlaw (c)

01 Ali Dickinson
02 Ross Ford
03 Willem Nel
04 Grant Gilchrist
05 Jonny Gray
06 Ryan Wilson
07 John Hardie
08 David Denton

16 Fraser Brown
17 Ryan Grant
18 Jon Welsh
19 Richie Gray
20 Joshua Strauss
21 Henry Pyrgos
22 Peter Horne
23 Sean Maitland

JAPAN

01- Keita Inagaki
02- Shota Horie
03- Hiroshi Yamashita
04- Luke Thompson
05- Justin Ives
06- Michael Leitch (captain)
07- Michael Broadhurst
08- Amanaki Mafi

09- Fumiaki Tanaka
10- Harumichi Tatekawa
11- Kenki Fukuoka
12- Yu Tamura
13- Male Sa'u
14- Kotaro Matsushima
15- Ayumu Goromaru

16- Takeshi Kizu
17- Masataka Mikami
18- Kensuke Hatakeyama
19- Shinya Makabe
20- Shoji Ito
21- Hendrik Tui
22- Atsushi Hiwasa
23- Karne Hesketh

majesticimperialman wrote:If Japan had had a 7/8 day turn around i would not fancy Scotland chances at all.

This surely needs to be looked at for the next RWC. NO team should have to play 3/4 days after their first game.

We need to extend the tournament by a week, basically.

4 tries on now. Scotland really got to go for it. Could be vital

Japan players are looking really tired now, it is becoming an unfair contest.

Agreed

1st thing - don't mess this up

2nd thing - go for TBP

Gone away from them now

Scotland can count themselves very lucky, should have been a yellow, Japans was ( and I think that was a Scottish knock on) and they should be 7 points less

BP seems a possibility now, hopefully some of the negative comments will calm down a bit. It's not been a great performance, but Japan are a decent team and we've a nice wee lead.

great try! well done Seymour and run under the posts as well..... good stuff

On balance RuggerRadge Japan should have been up quite a bit at halftime and just after. Didn't convert multiple chances and have been let down by poor refereeing now..

Time for another 2 maybe 3 tries here

Japan can still get through after this; I really believe they can beat USA and Samoa. I don't believe anyone is going through this group unbeaten.

Scotland really, really need to get this try bonus point because if Japan do win their last 2 games they could be in a three-way tie with them and the Springboks.

Also, we need to deny Japan a LBP

Japan tiring because of that stupid short turn around now. To go from SA game to Scotland game with just 3 days in between is a joke.

From their performance first half you have to wonder what this game would be like if they'd had a full weeks rest.

For all the people slagging off John Lacey, I say, welcome to the world of the Pro12. We have to put up with this crap every week.

Am I missing something, who cares about the 4 day turnaround? Are Scotland just to let Japan win since they have had a 4 day turnaround. Scotland need to be ruthless now.

As for the Scotland doommongerers (you know who you are) quit with the depressing rants. This Japanese side beat the Springboks, and we are currently 21 points to the good....

Japan tiring now.

Error count creeping up.

Scotland don't look very impressive but they are doing what they have to do.

A try bonus would make it a good start for Scotland.

Well done to Scotland for getting the job done. Favorites to top the group now?

LordDowlais wrote:For all the people slagging off John Lacey, I say, welcome to the world of the Pro12. We have to put up with this crap every week.

Couldn't agree more

Great try by Bennett.

Aye there you go. Game over- back down to earth with a bump for Japan. But 10 days to prepare for Samoa now; this World Cup is far from over for the Brave Blossoms.

Bennett could become a real superstar

Awesome

GunsGerms wrote:Well done to Scotland for getting the job done. Favorites to top the group now?

For me South Africa should win their three remaining games and they picked up 2 bonus points against Japan, so they are still the favourites.

10 days! one extreme to another.

Seymour's foot was over the dead ball line when he grounded the ball for the third try by the way! I can't have been the only one to see it!

GunsGerms wrote:Well done to Scotland for getting the job done. Favorites to top the group now?

SA can get 10 points against USA and Samoa, putting them on 12 points. They could beat Scotland by more than 7 and still top the group, possibly scoring another 4 tries. I don't reckon Scotland will get 10 points against USA and Samoa.

TightHEAD wrote:10 days! one extreme to another.

We have a 4 day turnaround before the USA, somehow I get the impression you'll be less sympathetic to us.

Bonus point in the bag - well done Scotland. There will be tougher challenges to come but a potential banana skin has been effectively dealt with.

Tiger/Chief wrote:Seymour's foot was over the dead ball line when he grounded the ball for the third try by the way! I can't have been the only one to see it!

I do think it was an error not to go upstairs and double check that one. Would not have changed the result, Japan are clearly fading fast in the last quarter. Turnaround just too much for them.

Notch wrote:

Tiger/Chief wrote:Seymour's foot was over the dead ball line when he grounded the ball for the third try by the way! I can't have been the only one to see it!

I do think it was an error not to go upstairs and double check that one. Would not have changed the result, Japan are clearly fading fast in the last quarter. Turnaround just too much for them.

I thought the same, looked out of bounds.

[quote="maestegmafia"]

LordDowlais wrote:For all the people slagging off John Lacey, I say, welcome to the world of the Pro12. We have to put up with this crap every week.

Couldn't agree more[/quote

+1 - how Lacey didn't give Nel a card is beyond belief. And yes, standard of reffing in Pro12 is dire - not just Lacey and Clancy. Sco and Wal refs - with exception of Nigel - are uniformly sh1te too.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Am I missing something, who cares about the 4 day turnaround? Are Scotland just to let Japan win since they have had a 4 day turnaround. Scotland need to be ruthless now.

I think you are missing something.

It's not up to Scotland to be nice. It's more that it's unfair that the organizers have hindered teams with these short turn arounds. Its the same for Fiji coming off their game against England and then having to shorten their prep to play Australia!

Not only is it tough on the minnows who already have an up hill battle, but it skews the results in the pool as these mid week games allow the top sides to pile on points against weakened sides, which could be key if it comes down to p/d.

Japan were more than competitive for 50 mins and missed a host of opportunities. With a better scrum and kicker and they will be a match for anyone.

That is just tired, tired tackling from Japan. They are on the canvas physically and have been for a while.

Notch wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Well done to Scotland for getting the job done. Favorites to top the group now?

For me South Africa should win their three remaining games and they picked up 2 bonus points against Japan, so they are still the favourites.

Scotland got a BP v Japan too. Does that not make them favorites?

Tough on Japan this. They haven't been as clinical as they were against the South Africans, and they have had numerous refereeing decisions go against them.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:10 days! one extreme to another.

We have a 4 day turnaround before the USA, somehow I get the impression you'll be less sympathetic to us.

No, 4 days is ridiculous but you should have the depth to coup with two games against minnows.

Hogg, Russell and Bennett three potential world class superstars

brennomac wrote:with exception of Nigel

Why exempt him ?

He is one of the worst.

brennomac wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:For all the people slagging off John Lacey, I say, welcome to the world of the Pro12. We have to put up with this crap every week.

Couldn't agree more[/quote

+1 - how Lacey didn't give Nel a card is beyond belief.  And yes, standard of reffing in Pro12 is dire - not just Lacey and Clancy. Sco and Wal refs - with exception of Nigel - are uniformly sh1te too.

not to mention the refs in England and France too. This isn't a Pro 12 only problem....

LeinsterFan4life wrote:This isn't a Pro 12 only problem....

Pro12 refs are a country mile behind any of the other leagues refs.

Well done Scotland - keep the foot on the throat and ratchet up the points difference.

Let's not drag Pro12 into the WC!!!! Obsession!

TightHEAD wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:10 days! one extreme to another.

We have a 4 day turnaround before the USA, somehow I get the impression you'll be less sympathetic to us.

No, 4 days is ridiculous but you should have the depth to coup with two games against minnows.

It's pretty harsh on Japan but the scots are playing some good rugby.

SecretFly wrote:Let's not drag Pro12 into the WC!!!!  Obsession!

I agree.

Laidlaw should know the rules better lol

Mate,  we are minnows.

Our history belays how poorly we have taken to the professional era. Compare our player pool resources to the likes of France, England, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland.

LordDowlais wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:This isn't a Pro 12 only problem....

Pro12 refs are a country mile behind any of the other leagues refs.

Name these great refs in the other leagues?

GunsGerms wrote:

Notch wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Well done to Scotland for getting the job done. Favorites to top the group now?

For me South Africa should win their three remaining games and they picked up 2 bonus points against Japan, so they are still the favourites.

Scotland got a BP v Japan too. Does that not make them favorites?

I reckon South Africa will get 15 or 16 points from this group. Scotland have 5 now, I would back them to get another 5 against the USA but I can't see them beating South Africa and even if they get a LBP I can't see them getting four tries against Samoa. That puts them on 14 or 15 with South Africa winning the head to head.

Thats my prediction, I might be proven wrong. Maybe Scotland will beat an ageing and disunited Springbok side. I'd actually be delighted if they did win that game. But I don't see South Africa letting anyone else upset them in this group.