Japan's U20 rugby team suffered another setback at the Junior World Championship, falling to Scotland 32-43 in a hard-fought match. Despite a valiant effort, the Japanese side finished the pool stage at the bottom of their group, setting up a 13th-place semifinal against the USA.
The match began with a poor start for Japan, conceding a try within two minutes and trailing 19-0 in the opening quarter. The Scots' dominance was evident, with a strong performance from Daniel Kelly and a faltering Japanese lineout. The decision to change the entire tight five for the game backfired, as the scrum struggled under pressure.
However, Japan showed resilience, scoring a try through Koshi Tsumura and converting it by flyhalf Yuki Koboyashi in the 22nd minute. Koboyashi's penalty on the half-hour mark kept Japan in the game, but Scotland soon secured a bonus-point try, leading 26-10. The Japanese side made changes to the front row, but their struggles persisted.
The match saw a back-and-forth exchange of scores, with Japan's Sota Miura scoring a try from a maul in the 37th minute, reducing the deficit to 15-26. A yellow card for Scottish prop Ollie Blyth-Lafferty in the 42nd minute provided Japan with an opportunity to push for points, but their attacks lacked fluidity.
In the second half, Japan had possession but coughed it up too often. Scotland extended their lead to 31-15, and Japan's clinical attack failed to materialise. Reserve scrumhalf Shinnosuke Uchida's solo play brought Japan back into the game, scoring a try to narrow the gap to 22-31.
The momentum shifted to Japan, who scored their fourth try and bonus point with 15 minutes left, closing the gap to 29-31. An excellent 50/22 by Takeru Niwa in the 69th minute almost paid off, but a poor lineout cost them. Poor missed tackles and Scottish power play saw Alex Bryden score a try, extending the lead to 36-29.
Japan took three points from a penalty, making it 32-36 with under five minutes left. They were chasing the win, but a Scottish flyhalf, Jake Dalziel, intercepted the ball and scored the winning try, denying Japan the losing bonus point.
Despite the loss, Japan's performance showed significant growth, as head coach Naoya Okubo noted. The team will now face the USA in the 13th-place semifinal, with the opportunity to finish in a higher position. The match against the USA will be a crucial test for Japan's U20s as they look to build on their progress and compete at a global level.
Fullback Ryuto Koga from Meiji Uni expressed his determination, stating that the team felt they could compete globally if they executed their game plan. He acknowledged the disappointing results but emphasised the value of the experience, aiming to continue growing and improving.
The Junior World Championship 2026 has been a challenging journey for Japan, with a loss to Italy and a defeat to New Zealand in the opener. However, the team's performance against Scotland demonstrated their resilience and ability to compete, leaving them with a glimmer of hope for a better finish in the tournament.
