After the second round of the World Rugby U2O Trophy 2019, Japan, Portugal and Tonga have a maximum of 10 points to their name following back-to-back bonus-point wins.

Japan's win over Uruguay in a high-scoring match means they have a four-point cushion over Los Teritos in Pool A and, barring a disastrous showing against Kenya, look certain to make the final on 21 July, while Portugal and Tonga, who are tied on 10 points at the top of Pool B, are set for a winner-takes-all showdown next Wednesday to see who will progress to the showpiece match and give themselves the chance to win promotion to the U20 Championship.

On a sunny day in São Jose Dos Campos, no less than 38 tries were scored across the four matches to add to the 40 managed on day one. Tonga dominated Hong Kong in a record win, Japan had too much firepower for Uruguay, Portugal impressed against Canada and, in an entertaining finale, Kenya snatched victory away from Brazil with the last kick of the match.

VIEW FIXTURES >>

TOURNAMENT STANDINGS >>

The pool stages conclude on Wednesday when Hong Kong face Canada in the opening match at 12:00 local time (GMT-3), after which all eyes will be on the other Pool B match between Tonga and Portugal. Japan then tackle Kenya in the Pool A opener before the all-South American affair between Uruguay and Brazil brings play to a close. 

POOL A: JAPAN 46-31 URUGUAY

Defending seemed optional for large periods of this 13-try match which saw Japan pick up a precious win in their bid to bounce straight back up to the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Uruguay took the lead when number eight Juan Manuel Aguiar picked up from the base and crossed for a converted try after only four minutes but that setback served as a wake-up call to the Japanese who then ran in four tries, three of them converted, in a devastating 17-minute spell between the 17th and 32nd minutes.

Having forced Uruguay onto the back foot from the moment they went behind, Japan finally drew level when captain Shota Fukui broke off from the back of a ruck and slipped the ball to hooker Mamoru Harada, who was left with an easy run-in.

Japan then punished prop Ezequiel Ramos' yellow card to the tune of 21 points with Kaisei Tamura getting the second try and blindside Halatoa Vailea grabbing a brace, Ryuto Fukuyama converting twice to rub salt into the Uruguayan wounds. Fukuyama's failure to convert Vailea's second try was his only miss of the match and he ended with a 16-point haul from five conversions and two penalties.

Trailing 26-7, Uruguay showed great resolve to turn the tide and it was Aguiar, who had been sacrificed during the 10-minute sin-binning due to the need for a front-row replacement, who celebrated his return to the field with a second try.  Matías D'Avanzo slotted the conversion to reduce the deficit to 12 points at the break.

Within five minutes of the restart, Fukui scored twice  – the first after a great run from hooker Harada –  and it looked as though Japan had victory sewn up. However, Los Teritos once again showed their battling qualities to respond with two tries.

Winger Baltazar Amaya took a slick inside ball from centre Felipe Perez before Aguiar completed his hat-trick try in the 52nd minute from a lineout move after Los Teritos had won a scrum penalty in midfield and kicked to the corner.

A couple of penalties from Fukuyama took the score to 46-26 and calmed Japan's nerves but with nine minutes left on the clock and Japan down to 14 men following a yellow card to Ougi Yamamoto, Uruguay scored from another attacking lineout through replacement forward Reinaldo Puissi.

Los Teritos went close to narrowing the gap further but were held up over the line and Japan celebrated a win that puts them on the verge of qualification for the final.

POOL A: KENYA 26-24 BRAZIL

Kenya left it to the last minute to secure their first victory in the U20 Trophy since they last competed in the competition as hosts a decade ago.

Os Curumins, as Brazil's U20 side are known, wasted countless opportunities as they looked to register their maiden win at this level.

With a dominant scrum laying a solid platform from which to attack, the tournament newcomers opened strongly and led 10-0 in as many minutes, thanks to their forwards. First, an unstoppable maul from a lineout saw flanker Rafael dos Santos cross the line before he was joined on the scoresheet by hooker Leonardo de Souza.

Back came Kenya, the African forwards softening up the home side's defence before flanker Brian Amaitsa broke through. The try was converted by fly-half Dominic Coulson, who then landed two penalties to give Kenya a 13-10 half-time lead.

Seconds after the restart, from a lineout move, scrum-half Samuel Asati ran a perfect angle and combined with winger Geoffrey Okwach who split open the defence and raced under the posts. Five minutes later, Coulson added a penalty to his conversion to establish a 13-point lead.

With the support of the locals behind them, Brazil were soon back in the match, full-back Carlos Proença scoring after good work from the inside backs while Kenyan number eight George Kyriazi was in the sin-bin.

Rumbustious prop Henrique Ribeiro then took three would-be tacklers over the line with him and Lucas Spago added the extras as Brazil edged in front, 24-23.

The home team could have scored a couple more tries in the final 10 minutes to kill the match off but the pressure of Kenya's defence and their own lack of composure prevented them capitalising on the chances.

Rather than protecting the ball in those final minutes, Brazil allowed Kenya to take control of possession and put themselves within kicking range and, from 35 metres out to the right, Coulson kept his cool and slotted the winning penalty. 

POOL B: TONGA 64-12 HONG KONG

Tonga enjoyed a record win at this level to give themselves a chance of qualifying for their first final since 2014.

After a slow start in which they conceded a seventh-minute try to Hong Kong's test-capped flanker Sam Tsoi, Tonga took the game to their opponents and they were ahead before the end of the first quarter thanks to a brace of tries from dangerous full-back Hateni Tafolo.

Still in the game, Hong Kong continued to attack and they were rewarded with a second try when full-back Thaddeus Summers drew in two defenders and offloaded to winger Sam Down.

Now level at 12-12 Hong Kong's tails were up but that was as good as it got for the Asian side as Tonga scored 52 unanswered points to beat their previous best U20 Trophy score of 62, set against Russia in 2012.

In the final 13 minutes of the opening half four tries were scored, all by forwards. Flanker Tupou Afungia started the spree from a five-metre lineout drive before he was joined on the scoresheet by second-row Solomone Fono and front-row duo, Fifita Mafi and Apitoni Toia.

Although Hong Kong fought bravely to keep the score down in the second half, they were unable to compete with the size and strength of the Tongans who continued to boss the match up front.

Benefitting from the quality front foot ball supplied by the pack, winger Lisiate Folou scored within 10 minutes of the restart before centre Rodney Tongotea grabbed a brace. Roy Lolesio added another in stoppage time and Filipe Samate's seventh conversion took Tonga to new heights.

POOL B: PORTUGAL 49-21 CANADA

Despite Tonga's big win, Portugal remain on top of Pool B on points difference after they produced another good all-round display to see off Canada.

Having been instrumental in their opening round win against Hong Kong, fly-half Jerónimo Portela produced another classy display which saw him directly involved in a few of his side's six tries as well as kicking 16 points to take his overall tally for the tournament to 34.

The final scoreline was probably harsh on Canada, who scored three tries themselves, as they were held up over the line on two more occasions and another opportunity went to waste when they knocked on with the try-line at their mercy.

After Portela opened the scoring from the tee, Canada captain Will Percillier converted his own try to put Canada 7-3 up after nine minutes.

Winger Raffaele Storti, definitely one to watch in the future going on his first two displays in Brazil, wrestled the initiative back for Portugal with the first of his two tries before hooker Rodrigo Bento added his name to the scoresheet, Portela converting.

However, Canada hit back with a try for prop Stefan Zuliani, which Percillier converted, to make it a three-point match at 17-14 to Os Lobitos at the break.

Aggressive defence from Portugal kept Canada at bay at the start of the second period and a Portela penalty followed by Storti's second, which the fly-half improved, took the score to 27-14.

When Percillier converted Reid Davis' try approaching the hour mark, Canada were back to within one score of last year's bronze medallists but quickfire tries from António Cunha and centre Rodrigo Marta – after the centre charged down Percillier's kick close to halfway and ran in unopposed – dashed any hope they had of pulling off a comeback win.

Portugal added further gloss to the win when replacement Francisco Afra Rosa added a sixth try two minutes from time.

Photo: Brasil Rugby / FotoJump