Japan win Asian Championship

After their 27-12 win over Kazakhstan two weeks ago, Japan came into the final game in the Asian Championship as favourites - not least because their opponents had lost 40-0 to Kazakhstan.However, the first two games in the series had been played on firm surfaces, with much of Japan's success came from great running by their backs. The field that greeted them in Hong Kong was very different.

A red rain storm warning had already resulted in an earlier U18 fixture being moved to a different ground, and would later result in the following men's international coming to a premature conclusion. The ground was wet from the start, and increasing saturated as the game went on - conditions that would not help Japan's running game.

And after 18 minutes it was Hong Kong who scored firstafter the home teams forwards had been camped on the Japanese line,with wingIvy Kwong Sau Yan touching down in the corner. But ten minutes later it was big Japanese number 8Mateitoga Bogidraumainadave who made her first impact on the game, picking up the ball on he Hong Kong 22 and breaking three or four tackles before unloading to Maki Takano to level the scores. And so it remained at the break.

Ninety seconds into the second half, however, the ball again reached Bogidraumainadave close to the Hong Kong line and this time she needed no help, scattering Hong Kong players like skittles she put her team ahead. However, two yellow cards for Japanese players gave the advantage back to Hong Kong, and whenAdrienne Garvey kicked aheadNatasha Olson-Thorne was in the perfect place to race through and score beneath the posts. Hong Kong were ahead again, 12-10.

But the yellow cards ran out, Japan were back to 15, andBogidraumainadave was on hand again. This time from 30m out she crashed through five challenges to score. And ten minutes later she was over again, taking the ball from the back of a scrum 15m the line to crash through and score her hat-trick try. Finally with two minutes left the Japanese backs finally became involved, Emi Ito picking up a mistimed Hong Kong clearence kick to run back 60m to touch down in the corner and complete the win.