Japan overturn halftime deficit to beat Spain

Las Leonas, who went ahead at half-time on the scoreboard and had a chance of winning, but once again lost out to the disciplined defence and the work from the forwards of the Japanese team.

Spain, with many changes compared to the match held last Sunday, played a vibrant match at the Pedro Escartín Stadium in Guadalajara . Juan González 's team was been able to control the game and dominate, at times, the higher ranked Japanese.

However the first forty minutes began, as has already happened in Las Terrazas the previous week, with a clear dominance by the visitors and a maul try from a lineout showed the strangth of the Japanese forward pack. The Spanish reaction would not take long to arrive, which after a few minutes was ahead thanks to a cpnverted try from Clara Piquero.

The good start for Las Leonas was upset by a yellow card for Alba Capell, which Japa took advantage of taking the lead again, 7-12. But back to full strength the Spanish enjoyed their period with throughout their three quarters and that was how Alba Vinuesa 's test would come , which would make it 14-12 with which the first half would close.

Before the break Maider Aresti would see a second yellow card for Spain, so the second part would begin for Las Leonas with numerical inferiority. Once again, Japan would take advantage of it to strike as soon as they returned to action and return to command in the match, 14-19.

The Japanese forward would gradually impose their superiority and again from the side they would extend their advantage with a new touch-maul test, which would be quickly answered by the last Spanish brand, Lucía Díaz. A Japanese punishment blow would put an end to the possible reaction of the National Team, which came to have possession to achieve the comeback, and closed the score in the final 19-27.

Spain:1 Ines Antolinez 2 Cris Blanco (C) 3 Sidorella Bracic 4 Cristina Garcia 5 Elena Martinez 6 Maria Calvo 7 Alba Capell 9 Carmen Castellucci 9 Lucia Diaz 10 Zahia Perez 11 Clara Piouero 12 Maider Aresti 13 Alba Vinuesa 14 Claudia Perez 15 Ines Bueso16 Marietta Roman 17. Maria 11 Castillo 18. Laura Delgado 18. Sara Martori 20. Nerea Garcia 21. Julia Castro 22. Iciar Pozo 23. Sara Rodriguez

Japan:1 Sachiko Kato; 2 Asuka Kuge; 3 Makoto Lave Mai; 4 Ayano Sakurai; 5 Otoka Yoshimura; 6 Masami Kawamura; 7 Nagata Iroha ◎; 8 Ayano Nagai; 9 Moe Tsukui; 10 Susa Otsuka; 11 Imakugi Komachi; 12 Kanako Kobayashi; 13 Mana Furuta; 14 Kotono Yasuo; 15 Sora Nishimura16 Koji Ayumu; 17 Hinata Komaki; 18 Hiroka Sidaka; 19 Sakurako Mukai; 20 Sakurako Hatada; 21 Minoru Yamamoto; 22 Yu Hirotsu; 23 Megumi Abe;