The Western Force have opened their three-week Japan tour with narrow defeats to the Mie Pearls and Yokohama TKM in their hybrid 40-minute games in Nagano on Saturday.
Playing a different format, the Force took on the two Japanese National Women’s Rugby Championships clubs across two 40-minute games, kicking off at 12pm and 1pm local time at Sugadaira Rugby Field. The two Japanese sides also played each other from 2pm.
Taking on 2023-24 Japanese runners-up Mie Pearls first, Wanneroo and Wallaroos back-rower Tamika Jones marked her return from a metatarsal injury with a double in a narrow 19-12 loss.
Backing up, the Force led against Yokohama after tries from Kalamunda front-rower Braxton Walker and 2024 Rebecca Clough medallist Samantha Wood, only to fall 17-12 after two late tries for the Japanese outfit.
The Force are next in action on Sunday 27 October 1pm WST against 2023-24 Japanese champions Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix at the scenic Fujiyoshida at the northern base of Mt Fuji.
Game 1 rundown
In the Force’s first game, the Pearls ran in the first try inside five minutes after picking off a lineout, with the conversion successful for a 7-0 lead.
Five minutes later, Jones scored for the Force off a successful maul and great carry by hybrid back-rower Brooklyn Teki-Joyce.
The tries kept coming as Pearls crossed again in the 12th minute, this time through the centre channel, before opening up a 19-5 lead with a converted try in the 22nd minute.
The WA side kept coming and got some reward with a 34th minute try from Jones following a dominant scrum, rounding out the scoring for a 19-12 defeat.
Western Force 12
Tries: Jones 2
Conversions: Freeman 1/2
Penalties: Nil
Pearls 19
Tries: 3
Conversions: 2/3
Penalties: Nil
Game 2 rundown
After a standard 15-minute break, the Force backed up the 1pm (local time) kick-off against Yokohama TKM, who went ahead inside five minutes with a converted try.
But the Force rallied with front-rower Braxton Walker scoring from a Yokohama lineout on the quarter hour. Freeman’s conversion attempt missed, leaving the Force down 7-5.
In the 23rd minute, Wallaroos scrum-half Samantha Wood dotted, sending the Force into the lead. Freeman added to the extras this time for a 12-7 lead.
Yokohama, however, hit back quickly, crossing for two tries in the next 10 minutes to flip the game and claim a 17-12 lead.
Western Force 12
Tries: Walker, Wood
Conversions: Freeman 1/2
Penalties: Nil
Yokohama TKM 17
Tries: 3
Conversions: 1/3
Penalties: Nil
Selected Western Force line-up
Starters; Hannah Palelei, Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, Braxton Walker, Sera Naiqama, Rosie Ebbage, Tamika Jones, Nami Dickson, Brooklyn Teki-Joyce, Georgia Cormick, Grace Freeman, Leilani Hills, Ngamihi Monk, Ocean Tuhua, Halley Derera, Sheree Hume
Reserves; Loretta Mailangi, Allana Sikimeti, Alapeta Ngauamo, Zoe Elliot, Sofaia Talemaira, Topaz-Jean Porter, Samantha Wood, Nicole Ledington, April Downey, Tizanae Kovacs
