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Ueda (8', 31')
Tries
Forbes (22'), Wrampling (27'), Eklund (34'), McWhannell (42'), Sullivan (50'), Nock (58'), Brown (65'), Hauiti-Parapara (71'), Trask (80')
Greene (9', 32')
Conversions
Reihana (43', 51', 59', 66')
Greene (19', 49')
Penalties
Feature Photo Credit Mark Zhuang
Against the odds, the touring Maori All Blacks easily defeated the JAPAN XV in Tokyo in front of a near sell-out crowd at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground as part of the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025.
Ross Filipo as Head Coach of the Maori All Blacks will be most pleased with his first match in charge as they overcame a half-time deficit 17-5 to run away with a convincing 53-20 win in which they were the side that ran the ball and and played the game at a much higher tempo in what was meant to be the blueprint for how the Japanese aimed to play.
How many of the JAPAN XV would have forced their way into the starting lineup or matchday squads for the upcoming tests against Wales is uncertain, but if the Brave Blossoms play the in the same way, you can be certain the Welsh will end their horrendous long-standing winless run, which stretches back to the Rugby World Cup in France.
The opening half saw JAPAN XV score first, and some well-constructed tries and even some set-piece ascendancy. But the Maori responded with three tries of their own.
The Japanese did move the ball around, but there were plenty of mistakes, and defensive lapses will be among the biggest concerns. There was an opening brace of tries for wing Kazuma Ueda in that first half, but the visitors ran in six unanswered tries to blow away the hosts after the break.
Sam Greene played at fly half in his first game for a Japanese representative side and kicked his goals, but struggled to get the backline moving as the game went on, and defensively, like many of his teammates, was guilty of falling off tackles, which led to some soft tries in international rugby.
For the Maori All Blacks, who head to New Zealand next to take on the Scots in Whangarei , there were tries for Zarn Sullivan, Sam Nock, Jahrome Brown, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara and Kaleb Trask in the second half, after Cole Forbes, Gideon Wrampling and Kurt Eklund scored in the opening forty minutes.
The Japanese have been in camp for some time, and have held several already this year as the JAPAN XV have played three matches in 2025, while the Maori All Blacks had a week and limited training time - that is the big worry for Brave Blossoms Head Coach Eddie Jones, even though he wasn't in officially in charge of the game (acting head coach was Neal Hattley) - he was present at the match.
The win for the visitors means that's six in seven for this fixture, and many would have backed the Japanese to make it two consecutive wins based on the amount of time they had to get ready.
Eddie Jones said after the game that the loss provided "a lot of good lessons" for the squad and that “For a lot of these guys, it's their first game above League One, so it's a much higher level of game.” At some point, the platitudes and excuses will need to end, and the results will need to favour the Japanese, especially when it comes to test matches in 2025.
The JAPAN XV have now conceded an average of just under 30 points per match in 2025, and mid-week confirmed they will also face the visiting Australia A team at Yodoko Sakura Stadium in Osaka on Saturday, October 18 2025.
The match will take place one week ahead of the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025 fixture between the Brave Blossoms and the Wallabies on Saturday, October 25, at Tokyo’s National Stadium.
Maori All Blacks 53
Zarn Sullivan, Sam Nock, Jahrome Brown, Kemara Hauiti-Parapara, Kaleb Trask, Cole Forbes, Gideon Wrampling, Kurt Eklund tries; Rivez Reihana 4 conversions
Japan XV 17
Kazuma Ueda 2 tries; Sam Greene 2 conversions, 1 penalty
