Rugby World Cup: Japanese bow out in style with victory over Americans

Historic day: Amanaki Mafi celebrates his try

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Historic day: Amanaki Mafi celebrates his try

By Andrew Baldock

October 11 2015 11:27 PM

Japan ended their World Cup campaign exactly how they started it - by making history.

Three weeks after causing the sport's greatest upset through defeating twice world champions South Africa in Brighton, Eddie Jones' team saw off the United States 28-18 at Kingsholm.

By doing so, they became the first team in 28 years of World Cup rugby to win three pool games and not secure a quarter-final place.

Japan finished two points behind Pool B runners-up Scotland after tries by wings Kotaro Matsushima and Yoshikazu Fujita and substitute Amanaki Mafi saw them home to victory.

USA: Wyles, Ngwenya, Kelly, Palamo, Test, MacGinty, Petri, Fry, Fenoglio, Lamositele, Smith, Peterson, McFarland, Durutalo, Manoa.

Replacements: Thiel for Fenoglio (63), Dolan for Smith (31), Quill for Peterson (77).

Not Used: Kilifi, Baumann, Barrett, Kruger, Niua.

USA: Tries: Ngwenya, Wyles. Cons: MacGinty. Pens: MacGinty 2.

Pens: Goromaru 3.

Japan: Goromaru, Fujita, Tatekawa, Wing, Matsushima, H. Ono, Tanaka, Inagaki, Horie, Yamashita, Thompson, Ives, Leitch, Broadhurst, Holani.

Replacements: Hesketh for H. Ono (73), Mikami for Inagaki (59), Kizu for Horie (77), Hatakeyama for Yamashita (41), Makabe for Ives (68), Tui for Broadhurst (73), Mafi for Holani (41).

Japan: Tries: Matsushima, Fujita, Mafi. Cons: Goromaru 2.

Att: 14,578