Wallabies squeeze past Japan to give Kiss a winning start / Photo: © AFP
Wallabies squeeze past Japan to give Kiss a winning start
Australia got new coach Les Kiss off to a winning start on Saturday with a nail-biting 35-32 victory over Japan that was full of twists and turns in sweltering Osaka.
Harry Potter, Tom Wright, Max Jorgensen, Fraser McReight and Taniela Tupou all scored tries for the Wallabies, who also lost Miles Amatosero to a red card upgraded from yellow in the first half.
Japan were looking for their first win over Australia and they set up a tense finale when captain Warner Dearns reduced the deficit to three points with two minutes left.
Kiss was leading the team for the first time after taking over from Joe Schmidt with just 14 months to go until they host the Rugby World Cup.
Japan's Ryunosuke Ito, a 21-year-old university student winning only his fourth cap at fly-half, scored a try for the home team, who also got scores from Faulua Makisi and Kazuma Ueda.
The evening game was played in 30C heat and high humidity at Hanazono Rugby Stadium.
It was announced earlier in the day that Fijian rugby player Saimoni Vunilagi had died in Japan after being taken to hospital on Monday with "symptoms consistent with severe heatstroke".
The match started at a furious tempo despite the conditions and Japan took the lead with just over 10 minutes on the clock.
Ito broke free and jinked past two Australian defenders to score his first try for his country.
The Wallabies hit back three minutes later when Potter picked up a loose ball and sauntered through the Japan defence.
Australia then took the lead when Wright cantered home to score in the 26th minute.
The Wallabies were left temporarily short-handed when Amatosero, making his first start for Australia, was yellow-carded for charging Dearns' head with his shoulder.
Japan immediately made their advantage count when Makisi charged through for a try, which Takuro Matsunaga converted to even the score.
Amatosero's yellow was upgraded to a 20-minute red card seconds before the half-time hooter blew.
Australia restored their lead two minutes into the second half when Jorgensen crossed the line for a try.
But Japan hit back again when Ueda finished off a quick passing move in the 45th minute.
Matsunaga missed the conversion to leave the Wallabies two points ahead, and McReight stretched Australia's lead with another try soon after.
Matsunaga kicked two penalties to bring Japan within three points until Tupou gave Australia a cushion.
Dearns crossed late to keep Japan in it but Australia held on for the win.
(A.Nikiforov--DTZ)
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