Australia A ran in 10 tries to beat Japan in their IRB Pacific Nations Cup encounter in Townsville on Saturday, the 71-10 score being the highest ever winning total and victory margin in the history of the competition.

Josh Holmes scored three of those tries in an impressive halfback partnership with Berrick Barnes, while wing Clinton Schifcofske contributed 26 points to Australia A's cause with a try, nine conversions and a penalty.

The victory means Australia A remain unbeaten and set up a mouth-watering encounter next weekend with the Junior All Blacks, the defending champions who lead the standings after a third maximum points win, this time against Tonga in Nuku'alofa.

The Junior All Blacks though didn't have it all their own way against a Tongan side without a win to their names in this year's Pacific Nations Cup, having to come from behind at half time to triumph 39-13.

AUSTRALIA A 71-10 JAPAN

Four tries in nine first half minutes set Australia A on their way to a 71-10 victory over Japan at the Dairy Farmers Stadium in Townsville, the Japanese midfield simply unable to contain a home side looking to attack from anywhere on the pitch.

The sides had been locked at 10-10 following tries by centre Ryan Cross and Japanese fullback Bryce Robins until the 27th minute, when Dean Mumm won the ball in the lineout and Cross scythed through a gap in the defence to score from 40 metres out.

That try opened the floodgates as Australia A kept attacking the Japanese midfield, Peter Hewat's break finding Clinton Schifcofske in space for a 31st minute try. Five minutes later the score had crept to 36-10 after a double from scrum half Josh Holmes.

Japan had come into the game on a high after beating Tonga 20-17 last weekend to record their first ever Pacific Nations Cup victory and, despite giving away 46kg to the Australia A forward pack, they created a few scoring opportunities with Robins lively at fullback.

However coach John Kirwan will have been disappointed with the problems they encountered in lineouts with throws not straight or lost, nor the way Australia A were able to cut through his midfield with ease at times.


Australia A led 36-10 at half time, having already secured the all important bonus point for scoring four tries when Holmes, the IRB Under 19 Player of the Year in 2006, crossed the line for the first time before a crowd of 4,745.

The Japanese line was breached twice more in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, the first time within two minutes of the restart after a perfectly weighted cross field kick from the impressive Barnes fell into the arms of the totally unmarked Haig Sare.

The wing, on his first appearance in the Pacific Nations Cup, had simply to fall over the line to score Australia A's sixth try of the match. Holmes then completed his hat-trick, Hewat's chip bouncing into the arms of flanker David Pocock to break through the line and find the scrum half again in support.

Replacement forward Salesi Ma'afu was sent to the sin bin just before the hour mark for taking out Japanese prop Ryo Yamamura nowhere near the ball, but it was Australia A who scored while a man down, prop Gareth Hardy the beneficiary this time.

Ma'afu returned to score the ninth try, receiving the ball with his back to the try line before spinning round to touch down from a quickly taken tap by Hewat. This was not his final contribution to game, being sent off in injury time for another infringement.

Minutes earlier Australia A had scored their 10th try, a solo effort from Kurtley Beale. The 18-year-old fly half, who had replaced man of the match Barnes after 55 minutes, gathered his own chip through the defence to touch down unchallenged.

Japan though to their credit had refused to give up despite the mounting scoreline, bravely continuing to defend with all their worth and trying to score their second try right until the final whistle, something that will have pleased Kirwan.

Match statistics

AUSTRALIA A: 1. Gareth Hardy 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 3. Troy Takiari 4. Alister Campbell (Captain) 5. Will Caldwell 6. Dean Mumm 7. David Pocock 8. Jone Tawake 9. Josh Holmes 10. Berrick Barnes 11. Haig Sare 12. Ryan Cross 13. Junior Pelesasa 14. Clinton Schifcofske 15. Peter Hewat.

Replacements: 16. Sean Hardman 17. Salesi Ma'afu 18. Adam Wallace-Harrison 19. Julian Salvi 20. Josh Valentine 21. Gene Fairbanks 22. Kurtley Beale.

Tries: Ryan Cross (2), Clinton Schifcofske, Josh Holmes (3), Haig Sare, Gareth Hardy, Salesi Ma'afu, Kurtley Beale.
Conversions: Clinton Schifcofske 9
Penalties: Clinton Schifcofske 1

Yellow card: Salesi Ma'afu 59
Red card: Salesi Ma'afu 80

JAPAN: 1. Masahito Yamamoto 2. Mitsugu Yamamoto 3. Ryo Yamamura 3. Takanori Kumagae 5. Tsyuoshi Sato 6. Hajime Kiso 7. Takamichi Sasaki (Captain) 8. Hare Makiri 9. Yuki Yatomi 10. Kousei Ono 11. Hirotoki Onozawa 12. Koji Taira 13. Yuta Imamura 14. Kosuke Endo 15. Bryce Robins.

Replacements: 16. Yusuke Aoki 17. Tomokazu Soma 18. Hitoshi Ono 19. Glen Marsh 20. Koichi Ohigashi 21. Shotaro Onishi 22. Go Aruga.

Tries: Bryce Robins
Conversions: Kousei Ono
Penalties: Kousei Ono

TONGA 13-39 JUNIOR ALL BLACKS

The Junior All Blacks may top the standings with maximum points after three victories, but they were made to work had for their 39-13 win over Tonga at the Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku'alofa on Saturday.

Tonga had lost their previous two matches - 60-15 to Australia A and 20-17 to Japan - but were fired up for the visit of the Junior All Blacks, the home side countering the Haka with their own version as a vocal home crowd roared their support.

The Junior All Blacks were favourites to complete their Pacific Islands tour with another impressive victory, but it was actually Tonga who made the better start, turning over possession from the kick off and then again to set wing Seti Kiole on a 50-metre charge.

Tonga were rewarded for this early pressure with a 12th minute try, the ball being won in the lineout and spread wide to centre 'Isileli Tupou, who drew the defence before sending fullback Vungakoto Lilo through the gap for the opening score of the match.

Fly half Fangatapu 'Apikotoa missed the conversion, allowing his opposite number Stephen Brett's penalty to reduce the deficit to 5-3 minutes later. However, much to the delight of the home crowd, Tonga hit back almost immediately with another try.

Lilo chased his own kick, his eyes never leaving the flight of the ball and was rewarded for his endeavour when he claimed the ball in the air from Cory Jane to dive over the line for Tonga's second try, which Apikotoa again failed to convert.

Tonga had enjoyed the advantage in both territory and possession in the opening quarter, but gradually the Junior All Blacks began to threaten more, although handling errors were proving costly until a forward drive saw Ross Filipo touch down in the 33rd minute.

Brett's conversion levelled the score at 10-10, but an injury time penalty by Lilo just curled inside the posts to give Tonga a 13-10 advantage at half time, one they deserved after taking the game to the defending champions.

Within two minutes of the restart the Junior All Blacks took the lead for the first time, one they would never relinquish. Casey Laulala made the break but, stopped just short, he popped a low ball back, which hooker Derren Witcombe kicked and then touched down.

Tonga's hopes were dealt a blow when captain 'Otenili Latu was sin-binned for stopping Australia A from taking a quick tap in the 49th minute. The loss proved costly with another forward drive resulting in a try for Junior All Blacks captain Marty Holah.

Then, just before flanker Latu was due to return, replacement Tane Tu'ipulotu had the strength to reach over the line with three Tongan players, including Sione Kalamafoni and Lilo, hanging onto him to stretch the Junior All Blacks' lead to 29-13.

That try secured the bonus point for the Junior All Blacks, who then gave the scoreline a more comfortable look to it with tries from wings Anthony Tuitavake and Scott Hamilton and a similar look to their 38-10 victory in 2006.

Match statistics

TONGA: 1. Toma Toke 2. 'Aleki Lutui 3. Soane Tonga'uiha 4. Sione Kalamafoni 5. 'Isileli Fine 6. Teu'imuili Kaufusi 7. 'Otenili Latu (Captain) 8. Hale T Pole 9. Soane Havea 10. Fangatapu 'Apikotoa 11. 'Aisea H Kaufusi 12. 'Isileli Matakaiongo Tupou 13. Hudson Tonga'uiha 14. Seti Kiole 15. Vungakoto Lilo.

Replacements: 16. Feki Moala 17. Sateki Mata'u 18. Lopeti Liku 19. Chris Hala'ufia 20. Tevita Palu 21. Siua Taumalolo 22. Sione Fonua.

Tries: Vungakoto Lilo (2)
Penalties: Vungakoto Lilo

Yellow card: 'Otenili Latu 49

JUNIOR ALL BLACKS: 1. Clarke Dermody 2. Derren Witcombe 3. John Afoa 4. Ross Filipo 5. Tom Donnelly 6. Kieran Read 7. Marty Holah (Captain) 8. Mose Tuiali'i 9. Jimmy Cowan 10. Stephen Brett 11. Anthony Tuitavake 12. Sam Tuitupou 13. Casey Laulala 14. Scott Hamilton 15. Cory Jane

Replacements: 16. Tone Kopelani 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Jerome Kaino 19. Daniel Braid 20. Andrew Ellis 21. Stephen Donald 22. Tane Tu'ipulotu.

Tries: Ross Filipo, Derren Witcombe, Marty Holah, Tane Tu'ipulotu, Anthony Tuitavake, Scott Hamilton.
Conversions: Stephen Brett 3
Penalties: Stephen Brett