TGRFC V Doronko RFC

V Doronko RFC

Dateline: February 10^th, 2019

The Tokyo Gaijin RFC have made it two wins from two games in their first foray into the Katsushika League with a 31 v 24 victory over Doronko RFC at Katsushika Sogo Sports Center Track & Field Stadium.

The Gaijin did not start too well with lock Win Irham dropping the kickoff and one of his team mates in front of him playing the ball earning an instant penalty with just a few seconds gone. Sean Robinson won the lineout back for the Gaijin but then Nik Pavesic threw an intercept pass just 8 metres out from his own line and the Doronko player couldn’t believe his luck as he dotted down under the posts. 7 v 0 after the successful conversion and Doronko must have been feeling like all their Christmases had come at once.

In the 8^th minute the Gaijin scored in the right corner after the ball was swung left to right and fullback Ryosuke Okawara made a nice break, drew his opposite number, and then passed to David McElhinney to finish off in the corner,

In the 14^th minute the Gaijin took the lead. From their own 22 metre line Daisuke Teraoka gave a nice inside ball to Ryosuke Okawara, who chipped ahead and won the race to the ball. He then drew his opposite number again and gave a lovely inside ball to Taku Tokuriki, who scored under the posts. The successful conversion from Teraoka had the Gaijin in the lead 12 v 7.

Closing in on the 25^th minute mark saw the Doronko tight head prop go on a big 25 metre run bumping off a few Gaijin forwards – including Nik Pavesic, who was to get the Goat of the Game afterwards for this and the intercept pass. Doronko kept up the pressure and earnt a 5 metre scrum and put on the power to allow their number 8 to crash over off the back. This tied up the scores at 12 v 12 and they failed to go ahead when the conversion was missed.

The Gaijin would claw back the lead before halftime to go into the break at 19 v 12 up. In the 28^th minute from a scrum 10 meters out there followed a few recycles before Nik Pavesic beat two tackles to go over the line and Teraoka duly converted.

Three minutes into the second half the Doronko No.13 scored in the left corner but their kicker failed to add the extras leaving them 2 points behind at 19 v 17.

In the 11^th minute of the half the Gaijin were pounding the Doronko line. Nik Pavesic made a good charge to get close and then prop Akihito Kashiwaba crashed over from the next ruck. Teraoka missed with the conversion.

In the 16^th minute Doronko came back again with a penalty try after Gaijin centre Mosese Nasegesege was found guilty of a high tackle on the try line. This brought the scores all level again at 24 all.

In the 21^st minute Ryosuke Okawara made a nice break down a skinny blind from 10 metres inside his own half. He passed to Taku Tokuriki and then wrapped around receiving a nice behind-the-back pass. Okawara then dodged a few defenders and scored under the posts. Teraoka’s conversion put them back in the lead at 31 v 24.

The Gaijin seemed to be doing all they could to lose in the last 5minutes giving away 5 penalties in a row. Mosese Rarasea made two loose carries in a row trying to beat too many players and giving up the ball. The Gaijin defense held up though and they managed to close out the game and secure a tight win.

SCORE: TGRFC 31 (David McElhinney 1, Taku Tokuriki 1, Nik Pavesic 1, Akihito Kashiwaba 1, Ryosuke Okawara 1 tries; D. Teraoka 3/5 conversions) DORONKO RFC 24 (4 tries; 2/4 conversions)

MVP: David McElhinney

Goat: Nikola Pavesic

TEAM:

1. Akihito Kashiwaba (Japan)

2. Tommy Nasuno (c) (Japan)

3. Tsunaki ‘Don’ Tanaka (Japan)

4. Andrew Mills (NZ)

5. Mohammed ‘Win’ Irham (Indonesia)

6. Taku Tokuriki (Japan)

7. Sean Robinson (Ireland)

8. Nikola Pavesic (Croatia)

9. David McElhinney (Ireland)

10. Daisuke Teraoka (Japan)

11. Taku Eguchi (South Africa)

12. Sovita Tui (Fiji)

13. Jamie Martin (England)

14. Yoshihiro Sato (Japan)

15. Ryosuke Okawara (Japan)

16. Gorka Gerdiaga (Basque)

17. Natsuhiko Kunitomo (Japan)

18. Jared Schiefer (USA)

19. Izawa Hanabusa (Japan)

20. Mosese Rarasea (Fiji)

21. Mosese Nasegesege (Fiji)

22. Masato Fujita (Japan)

23. Ryo Takahashi (Japan)