Tonga U20 comes off second best in Junior World Trophy final [1]
Monday, April 21, 2014 - 18:43
The Tonga Under-20 rugby team was beaten by Japan 35-10 at the final of the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) at the Hong Kong Football Club on April 19.
Japan's victory qualifies them to compete in the Junior World Championship in 2015. Japan dropped out off the Junior World Championship in 2009.
This year, Tonga and Japan proceeded to the final, after Tonga led Group A and Japan led Group B.
Both Tonga and Japan started the tournament with a loss, Tonga lost to Georgia 34-10, and Japan was beaten by Uruguay 33-28. But after their poor start both bounced back. Tonga defeated Hong Kong 39-16 and then the United States 28-22. Japan also won all their two remaining matches, against Namibia and Canada.
Tonga went into the final with the objective of winning and advancing into the Junior World Championship, but unfortunately, according to an IRB report, the Tonga team "failed to come to terms with the 100 miles an hour game of the Asian champions . . . "
Tonga managed to score only one try toward the end of the game, though it put first points on the score board with a penalty conversion by Mosese Latu. At half-time Japan was leading 10-3.
"As a nation we must now put more focus on this squad as we look ahead to the 2019 Rugby World Cup which will be hosted in Japan," said the Japanese coach Keisuke Sawaki.