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The USA closed out their two-test tour of Japan with an 11-8 victory in Shizuoka on Saturday. It was the second close contest for the Eagles in the span of a week, with the two sides settling for a draw in the first test. Tessa Hann made her test debut for the USA, the fourth new cap on the tour.
Hot and humid conditions were again the order of the day but the Eagles took advantage of ill discipline to score first. Kathryn Treder looked to have scored from a rolling maul but a TMO review wiped the points on the board. After winning a scrum penalty Treder would get a second crack from a lineout drive and this time the score was counted.
Japan would control possession and territory for much of the half-hour that followed. Seina Saito crashed over after a long sequence to draw the scores level, and a short time before halftime the Sakura took a three-point lead via the boot of Ayasa Otsuka after the Eagles were caught offside.
Hann made an impact with a strong carry early in the second half that led to a penalty goal from McKenzie Hawkins that again evened the score. A 50-22 from the Eagles flyhalf then put the USA within striking distance, but again the TMO intervened when Rachel Ehrecke crossed the line.
The two sides battled for territory in the final quarter until the visitors pushed their way into kicking range. A penalty gave Hawkins her shot at the posts and she made no mistake, giving the USA a 3-point lead with just four minutes to play. Japan would regain possession but conceded a turnover while on attack and saw their chance slip away.
Both teams will now prepare for the year-end WXV tournament. The USA head to Vancouver next month to contest the top division, their opening match against England on September 29. Japan travel to Cape Town for the second division round-robin with hosts South Africa their opponents on September 27.
| SCORING |
JAPAN 8
Tries (1) – S. Saito (29′)
Cons (0) – A. Otsuka 0/1
Pens (1) – A. Otsuka 1/1 (37′)
USA 11
Tries (1) – K. Treder (7′)
Cons (0) – M. Hawkins 0/1
Pens (2) – M. Hawkins 2/2 (46′, 77′)
| TEAMS |
JAPAN
1 Manami Mine (16 Hinata Komaki 62′), 2 Asuka Kuge (17 Kotomi Taniguchi 46′), 3 Wako Kitano (18 Nijiho Nagata 62′), 4 Yuna Sato, 5 Otoka Yoshimura (19 Sakurako Korai 66′), 6 Masami Kawamura, 7 Iroha Nagata (capt.), 8 Seina Saito (20 Kyoko Hosokawa 60′), 9 Moe Tsukui (21 Megumi Abe 66′), 10 Ayasa Otsuka (23 Minori Yamamoto 66′), 11 Komachi Imakugi, 12 Haruka Hirotsu (22 Kanako Kobayashi 51′), 13 Mana Furuta, 14 Misaki Matsumura, 15 Sora Nishimura
USA
1 Catie Benson (17 Alivia Leatherman 51′), 2 Kathryn Treder (16 Paige Stathopoulos HT), 3 Mae Sagapolu (18 Maya Learned 67′), 4 Erica Jarrell (20 Tessa Hann 38′), 5 Hallie Taufo’ou, 6 Rachel Ehrecke, 7 Tahlia Brody, 8 Freda Tafuna (19 Jenny Kronish 51′-62′), 9 Taina Tukuafu (21 Sophie Pyrz 57′), 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Tess Feury (capt.), 12 Katana Howard (22 Gabby Cantorna HT), 13 Emily Henrich (23 Joanne Fa’avesi 23′-33′), 14 Bulou Mataitoga, 15 Sariah Ibarra
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, August 17
Venue: Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka
Kickoff: 18:00 local
Weather: sunny, 88°F(31°C), wind sw 16mph (26km/h)
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Jessica Ring (Australia)
Assistants: Ella Goldsmith (Australia) & Ano Kuwai (Japan)
TMO: Estelle Whaiapu (New Zealand)
