REPORT: Japan 13-26 Scotland
BATH, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 31: Chris Robshaw of Harlequins in action during the Aviva Premiership Match between Bath Rugby and Harlequins at The Recreation Ground on October 31, 2015 in Bath, England. (Photo by Julian Herbert/Getty Images)
Rugby News

Japan 13-26 Scotland: Vern Cotter’s men get their series off too positive start against Brave Blossoms

18 June 2016
Rugby Rucker
  • Scotland won the first of their two summer Tests against Japan with a workmanlike performance in Toyota City
  • Shota Horie got the opening try for the Cherry Blossoms but the Scots were ahead by half-time
  • Captain Greig Laidlaw’s impeccable kicking was crucial, scoring 16 of the 26 points
Captain Greig Laidlaw kicked 16 points as Scotland overcame Japan to clinch a 26-13 victory in the opening Test in Toyota City.

Captain Greig Laidlaw kicked four penalties and added two conversions for the visitors, who inflicted Japan’s only loss of their astonishing World Cup effort under Eddie Jones last year.

“It was a good win,” Laidlaw told reporters. “We probably need to tighten up a little bit more and be more accurate.

“We let Japan off the hook a little bit in the second half,” he added. “But we’re here to win two games so we will look to improve for next week.”

Japan stunned mighty South Africa in their opening game at the World Cup but, after a four-day turnaround, Scotland took the wind out of their sails with a crushing 45-10 win in their next match.

MANOFTHEMATCH

GREIG LAIDLAW

LINE UPS

Japan: 15 Kotaro Matsushima, 14 Mifiposeti Paea, 13 Tim Bennetts, 12 Harumichi Tatekawa, 11 Yasutaka Sasakura, 10 Yu Tamura, 9 Kaito Shigeno, 8 Amanaki Mafi, 7 Shokei Kin, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Naohiro Kotaki, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Keita Inagaki
Replacements: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Masataka Mikami, 18 Shinnosuke Kakinaga, 19 Kotaro Yatabe, 20 Hiroki Yamamoto, 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Kosei Ono, 23 Rikiya Matsuda

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Duncan Taylor, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Damien Hoyland, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 John Hardie, 6 John Barclay, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Alasdair Dickinson
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Moray Low, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 David Denton, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Maitland

Date: Saturday, June 18
Venue: Toyota Stadium, Tokyo
Kick-off: 19:20 local (10:20 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Marius Mitrea (Italy), Brendan Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Ian Smith (Australia)