Springbok Women escape Japan scare in WXV opener

The Springbok Women overcame a shaky start with a 31-24 victory over Japan in the opener of the WXV 2 tournament in Cape Town on Friday.

While both teams have safely qualified for next year’s Rugby World Cup in England, the importance of this tournament rests on both sides’ day-to-day positions, which will determine their placement in the RWC pool draw.

In a see-saw battle that came and went, they scored a total of eight tries; The South Africans used their dominance up front to gain the upper hand while calling on their solid defense in the final quarter; The Japanese put on a display of enterprising play that often stunned the Springboks.

But in the end, it was strength that prevailed over talent, with the home side prevailing.

MATCH SUMMARY: SPRINGBOK WOMEN VS JAPAN

Flyhalf Ayasa Otsuka was the visitors’ chief destroyer, while Aseza Hele and Chumisa Qawe dominated for South Africa.

Japan scored two points in the first half, but South Africa erased a seven-point deficit and took a 17-12 lead at halftime.

The clash of playing styles continued into the second half, but the big difference was that the Springbok Women reduced their high error count in the opposition half and this improvement was rewarded with another converted attempt to double their points advantage on the scoreboard to 24-24. 12.

But Japan refused to lie down. They responded with two consecutive tries to lock the scores at 24 apiece. However, just as they found their second wind, an untimely yellow card cost Otsuka dearly.

The Springbok Women capitalized on the player advantage with Vainah Ubisi gunning for the winning score.

There was still time and plenty of opportunities for Japan to grab a deserved draw late in the game, but the Springbok Women called on their defense to finish the game.

Springbok Women — Essays: Aseza Hela, Chumisa Qawe, Sanelisiwe Charlie, Ayanda Malinga, Vainah Ubisi. Conversions: Jakkie Cilliers (3).
Japan — Essays: Kotomi Taniguchi, Ayasa Otsuka, Seina Saito. Transformations: Ayasa Otsuka, Misaki Matsumura.

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