Scotland overcome Japan in tour opener in Toyota City
Last Updated: 18/06/16 2:07pm
Scotland opened their two-Test tour of Japan with a 26-13 victory in the first Test at Toyota City.
Tries either side of the break - a penalty try and one from WP Nel - settled a hard-fought contest as Japan paid the price for a brief period of indiscipline during which they had two players sin-binned.
Captain Greig Laidlaw gave the tourists an early lead with a fifth-minute penalty but Japan skipper Shota Horie was also quick to make his mark by scoring a try under the posts in the ninth minute.
A quick tap penalty in Japan's own half released wing Yasutaka Sasakura down the right with support inside him. The move broke down a few feet from the Scots' line but quick ball allowed fly-half Yu Tamura to tip possession on to Horie to score, with Tamura adding the conversion.
Tamura also slotted a 30th-minute penalty from long range after Laidlaw had kicked two further penalties for Scotland, who were winning plenty of set-piece possession but making too many mistakes to create any real threat.
Japan were reduced to 14 men in the 35th minute when Hendrik Tui was sin-binned and the visitors took advantage when they were awarded a penalty try in the 38th minute following a deliberate knock-on which resulted in another yellow card for Rikiya Matsuda.
Matsuda prevented Tommy Seymour from going over after Stuart Hogg's outside break had stretched the Japanese defence.
Laidlaw added the conversion although Tamura did spurn a chance to reduce the deficit before the break when he missed with a long-range penalty attempt.
The hosts' 13 men faced a Scotland onslaught after the restart which brought a second Scotland try for Nel as he went over from close range after Damien Hoyland had been stopped inches short, with Laidlaw converting from the touchline to make it 23-10.
Tamura and Laidlaw, who ended the game with 16 points, then swapped penalties, but Scotland were unable to add another try once Japan had 15 players back on the pitch - Hogg going closest after a fine break - while their defence held firm during a period of late pressure from the home side.