Eagles overcome slow start to beat Japan

The USA overcame a woeful first half performance to beat Japan 30-17 in their second pool match of the World Cup in Whangarei. Numerous errors saw the underdogs taking a 5-3 lead to the break but the Eagles responded with 27 points in the second forty to keep their Quarter Final hopes alive.

Playing against a stiff wind, Japan put boot to ball and drove Tess Feury into touch to set up an early attacking lineout. A set move at the front caught the Eagles unaware and Megumi Abe dove over in the corner with just over three minutes gone on the clock.

More troubles for the USA came when Kathryn Johnson was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on while Japan were on the attack. The pressure stayed on and the ball crossed the line, but it was held up and the Eagles were given a drop-out to escape the danger.

With Johnson still on the sidelines the USA pressed into scoring position. They won a penalty and opted for three points instead of pressing for the try. Gabby Cantorna took the three, and just before halftime her long raking kick forced Japan to clear to touch. Alev Kelter blasted up the middle but she was too high in contact and Japan held on for the halftime whistle.

The second half proved more fruitful for the Eagles despite now playing against the wind. Straight hands down the line found Joanna Kitlinski loitering on the wing, the hooker tearing away to show a clean pair of heels to the defense to give the USA their first lead of the match.

Japan fired back, using the breeze to earn field position. With the Eagles on the retreat a quick tap from Abe created just enough time to send the ball wide to a waiting Hinano Nagura to score in the corner and take back the lead.

Johnson redeemed her earlier indiscretion with a turnover at the breakdown to set up an attacking throw-in. The drive was stalled but Kelter was there to crash over on a short ball from Olivia Ortiz.

Thunderous carries from Jennine Detiveaux and Kelter in succession sent Japan reeling and Cantorna’s grubber bounced up perfectly for Elizabeth Cairns to score just a couple minutes after entering the game. Hope Rogers then fended off three would-be tacklers before Detiveaux sprinted clean up the middle to score off an inside pop pass from Carly Waters.

A questionable decision from Cantorna to kick the ball away late in the game cost the Eagles seven points as Komachi Imakugi gathered and sped free, converting her own score under the posts. The winger was then shown yellow after knocking down a pass, and again the USA opted for three instead of five or better with Kelter’s kick closing out the scoring.

Detiveaux’s try secured the bonus point the Eagles needed but the slow start sees them entering their final pool game with a scoring differential of +1. A win over Canada next weekend will see them through to the top eight. Depending on the results in the other two pools, a loss may not be enough.

 

SCORING

USA 30
Tries – J. Kitlinski (45′), A. Kelter (54′), E. Cairns (61′), J. Detiveaux (70′)
Cons – G. Cantorna 0/2, A. Kelter 2/2 (62′, 71′)
Pens – G. Cantorna 1/1 (22′), A. Kelter 1/1 (79′)
YC – K. Johnson (13′)

JAPAN 17
Tries – M. Abe (3′), H. Nagura (51′), K. Imakugi (76′)
Cons – A. Otsuka 0/2, K. Imakugi 1/1 (77′)
YC – K. Imakugi (78′)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Hope Rogers (17 Catie Benson 77′), 2 Joanna Kitlinski (16 Kathryn Treder 77′), 3 Charli Jacoby (18 Nick James 56′), 4 Kristine Sommer, 5 Evi Ashenbrucker (19 Jenny Kronish 77′), 6 Kathryn Johnson, 7 Rachel Johnson (20 Elizabeth Cairns 59′), 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Olivia Ortiz (21 Carly Waters 56′), 10 Gabby Cantorna (22 Megan Foster 77′), 11 Tess Feury, 12 Alev Kelter, 13 Eti Haungatau, 14 Jennine Detiveaux, 15 Meya Bizer (23 Lotte Clapp 56′)

JAPAN
1 Saki Minami (capt.) (18 Wako Kitano 63′), 2 Kotomi Taniguchi (17 Nijiho Nagata 59′), 3 Sachiko Kato (16 Hinata Komaki 71′), 4 Yuna Sato (19 Kie Tamai 63′), 5 Maki Takano (20 Otoka Yoshimura 63′), 6 Iroha Nagata, 7 Kyoko Hosokawa (23 Ayano Nagai 59′), 8 Seina Saito, 9 Megumi Abe (21 Moe Tsukui 63′), 10 Ayasa Otsuka, 11 Komachi Imakugi, 12 Minori Yamamoto, 13 Mana Furuta, 14 Hinano Nagura, 15 Rinka Matsuda (22 Ria Anoku 71′)

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Amber McLachlan (Australia)
Assistants: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand) & Maria Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)