domestic
2023.01.03
[Reparto editoriale]
Tenri High School of Nara Prefecture, which has won the national championship six times in the past, decided to enter the top four in the National High School Rugby Tournament, which was their 64th first time appearance in four seasons. In the quarterfinals held on January 3 at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka City, they won a fierce battle with Nagasaki Prefectural Nagasaki Hokuyodai High School 8-5. Tenri High School advanced to the semifinals for the first time in 18 years since the 84th tournament where they won runner-up.
Nagasaki Hokuyodai scored first. In the 14th minute of the first half, when Tenri, who was a solid defender, repeated 13 phases in front of goal, gaining an advantage, SO Hitoshi Imazaki passed the pass over the defender to CTB Hayato Arakaki, who was on right wing, and a try was scored.
On the other hand, Tenri had repeatedly missed chances against Nagasaki Hokuyodai’s tenacious defense, but in the 26th minute, the opponent fouled in a scrum, and SO Genta Suda scored three goals with a penalty.
Both teams fought hard without giving up a single step.
Tenri made a series of handling errors under pressure from Nagasaki Hokuyodai, but managed to turn the game around in the 12th minute of the second half when they were 2 points behind. After being deployed from the lineout and hitting the vertical once, he moved the ball quickly and gained a numerical advantage, and WTB Shun Uchida dodged tacklers one after another and scored a try.
Nagasaki Hokuyodai, chasing a 3-point difference, went deep into the opposition line in the closing stages, but was sadly unable to line up. After that, there was a knock-on and momentum stopped. And just before the end of the game, he repeated 17 phases with the last attack, but could not escape from his own half due to Tenri’s patient defense following the discipline, and finally the blue jersey was swallowed up by the white waves in the break, and the fierce battle was not part.
