TOKYO - Japan overpowered Italy 27-10 in Tokyo on Saturday in a promising start to rugby's Nations Championship for Eddie Jones' men.
Jones was absent from the coach's box at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground while serving the last game of his suspension for verbally abusing local match officials during an under-23 tour of Australia in April.
Coming off a Super Rugby championship with the Wellington, New Zealand-based Hurricanes, lock Warner Dearns gave a commanding performance captaining the world No. 12 Brave Blossoms.
The towering second-rower drove across for his team's first try in the 11th minute, shortly after the 10th-ranked Azzurri took a 7-0 lead thanks to Juan Ignacio Brex's converted effort.
Center Yuya Hirose produced some fancy footwork to set up Takuro Matsunaga for Japan's second try, and the hosts went into the break leading 17-10 after an exchange of penalty goals.
Japan's strong defensive effort kept Italy scoreless in the second half, with a converted try from Ben Gunter and a penalty from Matsunaga extending the victory margin.
"There's a long way to go in this tournament, but this is a good way to start," Gunter said. "(Italy) play a very strong, tough style of footy, so we knew today was going to be a very physical battle."
Japan will play their second match of the inaugural Nations Championship against Ireland in Newcastle, Australia, in a week's time.
The biennial tournament features the teams from Europe's Six Nations and the Southern Hemisphere's Rugby Championship, alongside Japan and Fiji.
