Japan snatch late draw

Pool B, Canada 12, Japan 12: Japan scored a controversial injury-time try to snatch a draw in their battle with Canada to avoid Pool B's wooden spoon.

Koji Taira touched down deep into overtime after referee Jonathan Kaplan refused to halt the game with Canada leading 12-5.

Tries from Pat Riordan and Dth van der Merwe had seen Canada overturn a half-time deficit inflicted by Kosuke Endo's brilliant solo score.

The result helped Japan avoid their 14th successive defeat in World Cups, and denied Canada the chance to maintain their record of posting a win in every tournament for which they have qualified. After Japan stole the ball at the lineout, the wing steamrollered his way through the first line of defence before shrugging off another attempted tackle and touching down. Shotaro Onishi missed the conversion.

Seven minutes into the second half Canada's forward power finally told as Pat Riordan finished off after a succession of rolling mauls. James Pritchard failed with the conversion to keep the scores level.

Morgan Williams then tapped and kicked a penalty crossfield to Van der Merwe for the easiest of touchdowns. Pritchard made no mistake with the conversion.

As Canada did in the first half, Japan piled on the pressure late on but they appeared to have failed to get the try they needed when the ball went for a lineout in stoppage-time.

But referee Kaplan played on and Taira eventually touched down in the corner. Onishi kicked the conversion from out wide to spark jubilant celebrations among the Japanese players.

CANADA: Pyke; Van der Merwe, Culpan, Spicer, Pritchard; Smith, Williams; Snow, Riordan, Thiel, Burak, James, Yukes, Kleeberger, Carpenter. Replacements: Mensah-Coker for Culpan (72), D Pletch for Snow (46), M Pletch for Riordan (60), Franklin for Thiel (57), Jackson for Kleeberger (79), Webb for Carpenter (56). Sin Bin: Riordan (35).

JAPAN: Aruga; Endo, Imamura, Onishi, Loamanu; Robins, Yoshida; Nishiura, Matsubara, Soma, H. Ono, Thompson, Makiri, O'Reilly, Miuchi. Replacements: Onozawa for Endo (72), Taira for Imamura (69), Kim for Yoshida (49), Yamamura for Soma (52), Vatuvei for H. Ono (56), Kiso for Miuchi (74).

Referee: J Kaplan (South Africa).

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times