Japan wins 5th HSBC Asian 5 Nations Top 5 Title

It may be a new Japan team but the result was just the same as the Brave Blossoms wrapped up the 2012 HSBC Asian Five Nations (HSBC A5N) Top 5 with an emphatic 67-0 win over Hong Kong.

In Saturday’s other HSBC A5N Top 5 match, promoted Division I champions Korea dismantled Kazakhstan 87-17 in Almaty to grasp second place on the Series table with one week remaining.

Japan’s victory – their 20th straight bonus-point win in the competition – ensured Japan won the title for the fifth straight year. And they did so playing a brand of rugby that coach Eddie Jones believes could get them into the world’s top 10.

 “That was our best performance of the HSBC Asian Five Nations,” said Eddie Jones. “We had the game won by halftime. We played with a fair bit of discipline and control and I’m really pleased with the growth of the team.”

Hong Kong was overwhelmed by the pace and power of Japan who dominated the breakdown area to run in 11 unanswered tries in a slick display in front of heir home fans at Prince Chichibu Stadium.

Hong Kong will have to make certain that they end their HSBC Asian 5 Nations campaign on a winning note when they take on Kazakhstan in their final game at home next Saturday. A win at home versus the Nomads will see Kazakhstan drop down to the first division for the first time in tournament history, ensuring that Hong Kong will join Japan as the only team in the history of the HSBC Asian 5 Nations to have never been relegated from the Top 5.

In the other HSBC A5N Top 5 match in Almaty, Korea dispatched Kazakhstan 87-17. Korea started the scoring early with the first try in just the second minute through centre Kim Nam Wook, who scored a brace, as did winger Kim Gwong Min.

Korea flyhalf Oh Young Hyung accounted for 27 points with a try, two penalties and 8 conversions, while burly No 8 Han Kun Kyu scored a hat-trick. Other tries came from scrumhalf Yang Young Hun, lock Park Soon Chai, hooker Hwang Min Seo, winger Cho In Soo and reserve back Jegal Bin. Kazakhstan’s points came through tries from Nikita Trifimov, Alexandr Zhakharov and Yevgeniy Shekurov. Captain Ildar Abdrazhakov added a conversion.

Saturday’s results see Hong Kong fall to third place in the Series table on 7 points, while Korea resume their traditional second in Asia standing on 11 points from two wins and one loss. On the bye this weekend, UAE remains in fourth on six points, while Kazakhstan will have a do or die battle in Hong Kong next week with a win and a UAE loss without bonus point crucial to its hopes of staying in the HSBC A5N Top 5 in 2013.

Hong Kong host Kazakhstan next week, while UAE travels to Seoul.