Key moments in Japan's missed chance to beat Maori All Blacks

Whilst obviously a much improved performance in light of the previous week, Japan really missed a great chance and should have beat the Maori All Blacks in the second test. Here is a look at some of the key moments in the game.

Yamada fails to back himself
Centre Kotaro Matsushima scythed through the Maori defence in the opening seconds of the game, and drew the full back to set the wing Akihito Yamada free. There was no guarantee that Yamada was going to score of course with a couple of defenders chasing back hard, but he didn't even have the confidence to go for the line and just stopped and stepped inside into the defence.

Kickable penalties turned down
That chance was just one from the first 12 or so minutes where Japan were all over the Maori All Blacks and came away with 0 points. The failure to capitalise on the pressure was pretty much where the game was lost. In just the first 5 minutes, Japan turned down 3 kickable penalties with the kick to the corner option breaking down on each occasion. Then after winning a penalty in the 6th minute full back Ayumu Goromaru hit the kick wide.

Inagaki's disallowed try
The closest Japan came to a try from their early pressure was disallowed, and perhaps unluckily so. Prop Keita Inagaki went through but it was disallowed by the TMO George Ayoub for obstruction, although it appeared more like the defenders just brought the dummy runners.

Yamada's fumbled intercept
Yamada ever so nearly stunned New Zealand Maori with a try from defence, but unfortunately for him he fumbled the intercept. It was a very risky play though as he if he didn't get to the ball rushing out the line, it was a certain Maori try, so at least he did well to get to to the ball.

The last minutes
Despite wasting several points in the first half, Japan rallied in the second half to score 18 unanswered points to enter the final minutes holding a 3 point lead. After a dominant scrum, they kicked the penalty downfield, only for another throw not straight at the lineout at a key point in the game to comeback and haunt them. Then in defence, the wide defence faltered with Kotaro Matsushima making the error getting drawn into Kurt Baker and leaving the winger unmarked. Then despite looking to a decent job at dealing with a huge overlap out wide, it ends up being too much as Ryohei Yamanaka takes a risk getting drawn in and leaves Dan Pryor for an easy run in.