The Pacific Rugby Cup sees Australia’s best emerging Super Rugby talent compete against national representative teams from Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and Argentina

Queensland Reds Media Release –

Queensland Reds A have secured an 81-7 win over Junior Japan, in their IRB Pacific Rugby Cup clash, at Suncorp Stadium.

The match was the curtain raiser for the Reds Ladies Round Super Rugby clash against the Cheetahs, and Reds A set the tone for the evening, running in 11 tries to Junior Japan’s one.

The first half was dominated by Reds A, scoring seven of their tries and capitalising on occasional handling and defensive errors from Junior Japan.

Two of these tries belonged to winger Nigel Ah-Wong, who had an impressive game in attack.

Reds A Coach Peter Wilkins was pleased with the team’s efforts in the first half and believed they made a marked improvement throughout the Pacific Rugby Cup.

Strong Performer: Chris Kuridrani bagged a try in an impressive run-out

“I thought we had an excellent first half, we obviously didn’t put on as many points in the second half but we stuck to our shape and maintained patience,” Wilkins said.

“Over the four games the team have improved every week, it was a focus of ours to evolve each week and the team have delivered and it’s pleasing that our fourth game has been our best performance.”

When Japan looked set to score early in the first half, Australian under 20s flyer Jonah Placid ran the length of the field to score a try which brought the score to 19-0 in just the 18th minute.

Chris Kuridrani also proved to be a strong performer, scoring one try and offloading to Placid who subsequently scored late in the first half.

Wilkin’s was impressed with Placid in his return match after missing the match against Fiji Warriors through injury.

“Jonah went well in his return match, he hasn’t played a lot of Rugby at outside centre, but he is a solid footballer and he played his natural game and made the most of his opportunities,” he said.

Japan looked set to score several times throughout the first half but the Reds A defence remained consistent and strong under pressure.

An injury to Junior Japan scrumhalf Ryuji Yonemura gave both teams a chance to regroup in what was an eventful opening 20 minutes.

A try to Reds A and Australian Under 20s captain Curtis Browning on the halftime siren took the score to 52-0 after 40 minutes.

Jamie-Jerry Taulagi built on last week’s strong performance against the Fiji Warriors by using his characteristic speed to score two tries.

Junior Japan showed moments of promise in the second half and their patience near Reds A’s line eventually paid off, with a scrum in front of the posts leading to a try from Yuki Okada.

Nigel Ah-Wong responded with his third try of the match just two minutes later which brought the score to 74-7.

What looked to be a runaway last-minute try to Junior Japan’s Kenishiro Kuwae was intercepted by Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.

Minutes later Nigel Ah-Wong scored his fourth try of the match on the final siren. Ah-Wong, Taulagi and Kuridrani in the back thee stood out for Wilkins with their physicality.

“The back three were very unselfish in the way they played, and they worked together in attack and supported each other well in defence and they brought great physicality to contest,” Wilkins said.

Junior Japan will come up against a number of the same players next Friday when they face the Reds Under 20’s at Ballymore.

Reds A 81 (N Ah-Wong 4 tries, J Placid 3 tries, J Taulagi 2 tries, C Browning, B Enever, C Kuridrani, S Johnson tries,  S Johnson 7 con S Greene 1 con ) defeated Junior Japan 7 (Y Okada try Toshiki Hamagishi con)