Singapore put up a strong fight against Japan in final Asian 5 Nations game
By REDintern Firdaus Khan. Photos by Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports, Koh Yizhe/Red Sports and reader Ben Goh.
Nick Dance (Singapore, #3) breaks free and charges forth. (Photo 1 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Yio Chu Kang Stadium, Saturday, May 23, 2009 – Singapore put up a strong fight in the final game of their 2009 HSBC Asian 5 Nations campaign before falling 15-45 to Japan.
The final score, however, was not indicative of the amount of heart and soul that the Singapore team played with, as the men were determined to keep their opponents at bay and not go down without a fight.
Having already been crowned champions last week, Japan rested some key players for the fixture but they still showed enough quality to see off the challenge of Singapore.
It was a game with only pride on the line as the result would not change the final positions on the table with Singapore finishing last in the five-team group.
Singapore, who were keen to impress in front of their home fans, were undone in just eight minutes by the champions.
The Japanese took full advantage of the crack in the Singapore front line and broke through the middle before Hitoshi Ono easily scored a try to notch their first points for the evening.
It went from bad to worse for Singapore as the Japanese continued their onslaught, making the score 26-0 with only half an hour gone.
Japan proved their worth as they possessed a higher level and standard of playing which was apparent with their quick and often direction-changing passes and industrious move.
One of the highlights of the game was a low kick played down the right channel to allow Japan’s Ayumu Goromaru to run in for a try.
Singapore fly-half Ryan Cumbers converted a penalty, giving the home fans something to cheer about just before the break.
After the restart, the home side built on that after the restart as Cumbers converted another penalty to lift the home fans off their seats as they wondered if Singapore could continue to narrow the gap.
Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed almost immediately as Singapore were caught napping as Japan scored another try just moments later. Japan then took their foot off the pedal but they were still able to dictate and dominate play.
Cumbers was arguably Singapore's best player as he converted three more penalties and was never afraid to jump in to thwart the Japanese attacks.
Inevitably though, Japan still managed to find ways to score two more tries and never looked in trouble despite having a player sent to the sin bin midway through the second half.
The champions held on to win 45-15 to ensure a 100% win record in the 5 Nations while the defeat meant Singapore finished win-less and will participate in next year's Division 1 tournament.
Despite being tackled by a hoard of Singapore players, Masakazu Toyota (Japan, #19) edges near the try line… (Photo 2 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… going down with players in tow… (Photo 3 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… to hit the ground… (Photo 4 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… for a try. (Photo 5 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Ryan Cumbers (Singapore, #10) converts a place kick… (Photo 6 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… much to the cheers of the Singapore supporters. (Photo 7 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Takashi Kikitani (Japan, #6) passes to a team mate. (Photo 8 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Chris Gilbert grabs the ball at the line-out. (Photo 9 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Andrew Lee (Singapore, #9) clears a ball. (Photo 10 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Head to head… (Photo 11 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Ryan Cumbers runs through. (Photo 12 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Singapore captain Ben Wheeler trying to break away from Tatsuhiko Otao (Japan, #10). (Photo 13 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Japan lets the ball slip… (Photo 14 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… for Alex Chew (Singapore, #14) to contest… (Photo 15 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… only to be brought down soon after. (Photo 16 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Steve Horsfall tries to avoid his opponent. (Photo 17 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Ryan Cumbers tries to stop his opponent. (Photo 18 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Andrew Lee passes to a team mate. (Photo 19 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Some fumbling by Japan saw Singapore able to contest for the ball. (Photo 20 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Alex Chew tries to stop his opponent from scoring a try. (Photo 21 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Ben Wheeler tries to avoid his opponent. (Photo 22 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Takashi Kikutani passes the ball. (Photo 23 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
A Japanese player runs with the ball. (Photo 24 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Japan scores a try through Hitoshi Ono. (Photo 25 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Jonathan Lee releases the ball to a team mate as he is tackled. (Photo 26 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Holding the ball firm to the ground… (Photo 27 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
… and releasing it as his opponents pile on top of him. (Photo 28 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
Ben Wheeler at the line out. (Photo 29 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
A “Yio Chu Kang” wave went around the stadium. (Photo 30 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
A spectator’s child engrossed with his popcorn before the game. (Photo 31 © Lai Jun Wei/Red Sports)
The face of concentration as Singapore captain Ben Wheeler leads his team out. (Photo 32 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Singapore player drags a group of players along with him as he attempts to get out of a tough defensive situation. (Photo 33 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Hitoshi Ono avoids a Singapore challenge… (Photo 34 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
… to score the first try of the evening. (Photo 35 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Alex Chew gets ready to receive the ball as his teammate is brought down by two Japanese players. (Photo 36 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Japanese player shrugs off a Singapore player’s tackle. (Photo 37 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Japanese player brings the ball forward. (Photo 38 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
James Valintine (left) looks to help his teammate take down a Japanese player. (Photo 39 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Andrew Lee passes the ball out. (Photo 40 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Skipper Takashi Kikutani runs unchallenged as he makes his team’s second try of the evening. He scored a brace of tries in the match. (Photo 41 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
“I want the ball dead!” Ben Wheeler giving instructions to his players after Japan’s second try. (Photo 42 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Japanese player attempts to convert. (Photo 43 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Gaspar Tan tries to prevent a Japanese player from kicking the ball forward. (Photo 44 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Singapore skipper Ben Wheeler gets the ball. (Photo 45 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Japanese player pulls Ben Wheeler’s shirt as he attempts to get away. (Photo 46 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Singapore player just misses his tackle, letting a Japanese player break free. (Photo 47 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Alex Chew gets taken down near his own try line. (Photo 48 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Eyeing the ball as players pile above him. (Photo 49 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Alex Chew collides in mid-air with a Japanese player as Ben Wheeler manages to pass the ball out. (Photo 50 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
James Valintine sticks out an arm to prevent one big Japanese player from passing to another. (Photo 51 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Koji Taira passes the ball en route to Japan’s third try. (Photo 52 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Ryan Cumbers sets the ball for a penalty… (Photo 53 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
… which he converts with ease. He scored all of Singapore’s 15 points through penalties. (Photo 54 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Ben Wheeler charges forward over a sea of bodies. (Photo 55 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Ben Wheeler shrugs off a challenge from a big Japanese player. (Photo 56 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
Ryan Cumbers finds himself surrounded by two Japanese players as he trys to side-step them. (Photo 57 © Koh Yizhe/Red Sports)
A Japanese player leaves a Singapore player in his wake. (Photo 58 © Ben Goh)
Both teams reaching for a throw-in. (Photo 59 © Ben Goh)
A Japanese player passes the ball just as he gets taken down. (Photo 60 © Ben Goh)
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