Ireland U19s too strong for Japan

Ireland U-19 31 Japan U-19 18

Ireland Under-19s had too much power and skill for their Japanese counterparts as they earned this play-off win at the IRB World Cup in Durban.

Held scoreless by Australia in their final group game, the Irish blitzed Japan for four tries in the opening half - ending it 26-6 in front - at a windy Glenwood High School.

Crescent College flanker Barry O'Mahony bagged a sixth-minute effort with a fine solo run. Well-taken scores from busy Portadown wing Dale Black and Clongowes centre Fergus McFadden followed as Pat Murray's charges looked untroubled at 19-0 in front.

Yuki Kawamoto then opened Japan's account with two penalties towards the end of the half, but UCD fly-half Killian Lett was on hand on 33 minutes to slalom through under the posts for Ireland's fourth.

And while Japan right wing Rikiya Asami earned the most plaudits with an excellent 40-metre run and touch down in the second half, Irish replacement Robert Boles' 48th-minute try in the right corner ended the game as a contest.

A silly yellow card for Shannon tighthead Kevin Griffin saw Ireland down a man in the closing stages, but it failed to take the sheen off "an impressive win" in Murray's mind.

"The boys are happy with the win. We took the game to Japan and we got the points on the board in the first half, when we had to," said Murray. "We were never really worried that we would slip up, although Japan played very well."

Dublin University number 8 Diarmuid Laffan - who turned in an exhaustive display - added: "I thought we had a very good game - especially in the first half when we built a big lead with the wind. In the second half Japan stepped up the intensity of their game and we did lose a bit of concentration."

Laffan and co face Scotland - 32-10 winners over Georgia today - in next Sunday's 9th-10th place play-off at King's Park.

Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Barry O'Mahony, Dale Black, Fergus McFadden, Killian Lett, Robert Boles; Cons: Robert Kearney 2, Fergus McFadden

Japan: Tries: Yuga Takada, Rikiya Asami; Cons: Yuki Kawamoto; Pens: Kawamoto 2