The Japanese union was founded in 1926. It chose to mark its centenary with a Test match in Niigata, where the Brave Blossoms had not played for eighteen years.

Nine tries, two for a hooker

Japan beat Canada 57-12 on Saturday 5 September in Niigata. Nine tries in all, two of them scored by hooker Mamoru Harada. Props Takato Okabe and Takumi Inaba, lock Harry Hockings and flankers Ben Gunter and Kanji Shimokawa were also on the scoresheet.

Dominant up front, the Japanese also found space for their backs.

Four defeats before this one

The win ends a run. Since beating Italy 27-10 in the Nations Championship on 4 July, Japan had lost four in a row: 20-36 against Ireland on 11 July, 15-42 against France on the 18th, then twice against Australia, 32-35 at home on 8 August and 17-56 a week later in Australia.

The 57-12 against Canada is by far their biggest win of that period, and their highest points total.

A summer without a break

Eddie Jones’s side have been playing match after match since June, with a squad in camp almost permanently. That is one of the reasons given for their win over Italy, when the Azzurri were ahead of them in the world rankings and favourites.

The Pacific Nations Cup, in a reduced format, starts on Saturday 12 September. Japan will face the United States, while Fiji take on Canada.