Japan tempo out paces Men’s Eagles in Pacific Nations Cup

The game was a fast paced, high tempo outing as can be expected from Japan’s style of play – but more so a quality lesson for the Eagles building towards top caliber performances against top ranked teams. The USA and Japan have matched up annually over the past three years, and will notably meet in Pool E of the Rugby World Cup this time next year. Despite the losses, each match continues to be an opportunity and development marker for this Men’s Eagles squad progressing towards next fall in Australia.

The match highlighted the importance of defending hot starts from opposition on home grounds, and discipline to not fall behind and chase the scoreline. The two-match series marches on for the USA, next playing rival Canada from Tokyo on Sept 19 at 3:00AM ET, live on Paramount+.

Head Coach Scott Lawrence said on the significance of a top tier match, “The value of a game like this is the opportunity it gives us to test players at a high level. If we want to build real depth, we have to put players in these environments, challenge them, and learn from the experience. That’s how we grow the squad and that’s what will prepare us for Japan at the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Captain Jason Damm echoed the same post-match, “We just let them get too many points too soon. You look at the first 20 minutes, how quickly and easy it was for them to score, compared to the next 20 minutes where we were able to get back into the game. For us we just need to learn to start faster and not wait for them to slow down. We know Japan is a great side, and we really want to catch up to the rugby they are playing. We’re able to see the gap today and know we have a lot of work to do.”

Japan’s relentless pace dictated the terms of the match right from the opening whistle. Before the Eagles could settle into defensive structure, Japan's early assault exploited gaps and scored three converted tries in the first ten minutes.

Sam Greene’s kicking and Japan's ability to seamlessly recycle the ball kept the USA pinned in their own territory. By the time Mamoru Harada finished off a maul in the 15th minute, the USA were in an early deficit and fighting to get hands on the ball.

Despite the punishing start, the USA settled down the stretch of the first half to battle back into the contest. In the 23rd minute, a strong setup by Tonga Kofe put the Eagles within striking distance, allowing Shilo Klein to pick up from the base of the ruck and smash over the line for a first try. The USA maintained that attacking pressure, and ten minutes later, Ruben de Haas orchestrated a nice phase that put Tavite Lopeti over the whitewash. Breaking through 10 meters of tackles and keeping on his feet, Lopeti provided the top USA highlight on the night. Chris Hilsenbeck was perfect off the tee, converting both tries to give crucial momentum.

Unfortunately the USA couldn't sustain their fightback after the break, and the match quickly slipped out of reach as Japan regained their clinical edge. A yellow card to Damm in the 50th minute left the USA a man down, and Japan capitalized on the numerical advantage with a flurry of tries from Jack Cornelsen, Esei Haangana, and Tiennan Costley. The Eagles shifted to reserves shortly after to inject fresh energy—which sparked a few late, aggressive runs from Julian Roberts—but the squad was unable to earn points in the second half.

While a tough result, the match is an important element to the overall progression of this Eagles team. So far 2026 has been winning performances with a now 4-1 record on the year, however losses provide lessons this squad will parlay into next week against Canada.

Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup 2026 schedule

Japan vs USA | 14-63 (Loss)

Saturday, 12 September

Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka

USA vs Canada

Saturday, 19 September | 3:00 AM ET

Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo