Māori All Blacks triumph over the Japan XV

Hoki mai! The Māori All Blacks flipped a 31-14 deficit into a memorable 38-31 win against Japan XV at a packed, humid and greasy Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.

Despite leading for 51 minutes and trailing for just seven, the hosts fell short of their second victory in eight meetings against the Māori All Blacks since 1981.

The Māori All Blacks bench added value quickly in the second half. Halfback Sam Nock was energetic, cunning and clincial, scoring a second-half try. Prop Pouri Rakete-Stones made a shuddering shot that forced a Japanese mishandle with two minutes remaining. From the ensuing scrum, standout starter Xavi Taele (15 tackles, 13 carries, 3 offloads, 52 metres gained) speared through for a decisive dotdown.

Five minutes earlier, the Māori All Blacks were 31-28 behind, mounting phases inside the Japan XV 22. Substitute first-five Taha Kemara looped behind a pod and, with a dummy, bump, down, up and step scurried ahead for the go-ahead score.

Tellingly, the Māori All Blacks delivered nine more offloads than the Japan XV, with ten players delivering at least one each as the ingenuity the Māori are renowned for eventually surfaced.

Down 31-14 with 16 minutes remaining, the ball was transferred from Taele to debutant Payton Spencer and then to workhorse TK Howden as the gap closed to ten.

Then it was captain Bailyn Sullivan, Nikora Broughton, Howden and Nock whose handling proved too slick for the Brave Blossoms.

Earlier, the opening quarter saw each side exchange a try before the hosts applied a vice grip with their stifling lineout drive. Michael Stolberg was a towering presence with 12 catches, eight more than Esei Haangana. Japan's first five Ryunosuke Ito was electric.

The Māori All Blacks lost Sullivan and blindside flanker Torian Barnes to the sin bin before halftime. 

With a two-man advantage, the Japan XV scored three tries. The halftime stats were conclusive: Japan XV held 65% of territory, a 7-2 penalty count in their favour, and made 48 fewer tackles.

Hurricanes DHL Super Rugby Pacific champion Caleb Delany was another impactful reserve for the team, along with starting lock Crusaders Tahlor Cahill (13 tackles, 7 carries).

Māori All Blacks: 38 (Adam Lennox, Bailyn Sullivan, TK Howden, Sam Nock, Taha Kemara, Xavi Taele tries; Rivez Reihana 2, Kemara 2 cons) Japan XV: 31 (Kazuma Ueda, Mamoru Harada, Dylan Riley, Inoke Burua, Takuro Matsunaga tries; Matsunaga 3 cons).