Volcanoes bow to Japanese in Rugby World Cup q’finals

MANILA, Philippines - Japan showed its mastery over the Philippines in rugby, blasting the Volcanoes again, 50-0, in the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow last Sunday.

The Japanese also dealt the Volcanoes a severe 121-0 beating in the Elite Division of the Asian 5 Nations (A5N) rugby union competition in Japan last April.

The Philippines thus wound up with four losses in its World Cup debut.

Japan went on to make the finals but bowed to Russia, 29-5, at the Luzhniki Stadium although the Japanese clinched the coveted spot in next year’s Youth Olympic Games by finishing ahead of Hong Kong and the Philippines. Only six teams, one from each continental region, will be invited by the International Rugby Board to send a team to the Nanjing Games. 

Russia ran in five tries to stop Japan’s recent run of success on the international field. Before the final, Japan captain Katsuyuki Sakai had said it was important for the sevens team to follow in the footsteps of the 15-a-side team which had recently recorded a historic victory over Wales as well as wins over Canada and the United States in the Pacific Nations Cup.

“Our 15-a-side team has done the country proud in the last few weeks and it was important that the sevens team come here and do something similar. Unfortunately we couldn’t go on and win the final,” said Sakai.

Sakai, 24, who will play for Toyota Jido Shokki Shuttles in the country’s corporate Top League next season said it was pleasing to finish ahead of Asian rivals Hong Kong at this World Cup.