Rugby: Japan beaten by Fiji in home test match a year from World Cup

The ninth-ranked Brave Blossoms leveled three times against world No. 10 Fiji, but Ben Volavola converted two penalties in the final 20 minutes in the rain at Tokyo's Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in a match celebrating the Japan Rugby Football Union's centenary.

"I'm extremely disappointed. We for sure wanted to win on this memorable day," Japan scrumhalf Naoto Saito said. "We want to move the ball around even under these conditions, but the big Fijian players came to steal or interrupt at breakdowns, and we couldn't find the rhythm."

Eddie Jones' men led through Saito in the sixth minute from a driving maul, but Kitione Salawa and Tevita Ikanivere went over as Fiji led 14-7 and Japan never led again.

Japan captain and lock Warner Dearns brushed off two challenges to go over for a converted try before their flyhalf Ryunosuke Sato's misplaced pass inside his own half allowed Tuidraki Samusamuvodre to dribble and touch down.

Faulua Makisi crossed off another driving maul as Japan tied 21-21 in the 36th minute moments after a foul on the No. 8 resulted in a Fiji player being sent to the sin bin.

But Japan allowed Fiji wing Nacani Boginisoko to scythe his way through nearly the length of the pitch to set up scrumhalf Terio Tamani in the 44th minute despite the numerical advantage, and Dearns' second converted try of the match in the 54th minute after a patient attack turned out to be their last points of the match.

"We've been working on the mauls for the past year, so it's positive we scored tries off them," prop Mamoru Harada said. "(But) we need to be winning at this level to reach our target of the last four at the World Cup. We want to produce results on the tour of Europe."

Japan travel to face Wales on Nov. 7 before playing England and Scotland in the following two weekends in the Nations Championship.