KAMAISHI, IWATE PREFECTURE – The tone for Japan’s win over Fiji on Saturday was set as early as the third minute when match captain Pieter “Lappies” Labuschagne overruled the wishes of Yu Tamura and told his flyhalf to take the points on offer rather than kick for the corner.
The South African-born flanker’s conservative approach paid instant dividends at Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium as the Brave Blossoms took an early lead that they never relinquished.
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