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International round-up

Monday 24th November 2008

Japan enjoyed a second success over America on Saturday, winning 32-17 in Tokyo's Prince Chichibu Stadium.

The Americans got off to a flying start, with full-back Chris Wyles scoring an unconverted try only one minute into the match, but Japan pulled back to 5-5 when prop Kensuke Hatakeyama touched down in the eighth minute.

Winger Koji Tomioka added another try to give Japan a 10-5 lead in the 28th minute and the hosts never looked back.

Fly-half Shaun Webb and flanker Takashi Kikutani added two more tries in the 31st and 63rd minutes, while left centre Ryan Nicholas scored three conversions and two penalty goals.

The visitors scored two more tries through Takudzwa Ngwenya and John van der Giessen.

In the weekend's only World Cup qualifier, the Czech Republic kept the European Nations Cup Division 2A fascinating by bouncing back from a deficit to beat Moldova 11-9 in Prague.

Moldova led 6-0 at the break, thanks to two penalties from fly-half Octavian Manoli, but a number of changes at the break saw the Czechs bounce back.

Two penalties from full-back Tom� Krejc� levelled the scores, but Manoli landed his third kick at goal to give Moldova the lead with 18 minutes to go.

A red card for Moldovan hooker Dimitri Arhip with five minutes to go changed things, and two minutes later Czech wing Martin Jagr, who plays his club rugby at Toulon, steamed home for the winning try.

The five teams in the group - the other three are Belgium, the Ukraine, and Poland - have all won and lost a match so far, and there are no bonus points in this tournament, so points difference is the deciding factor.

Moldova thus lead the pool having beaten Belgium by 20-8 a week ago, leaving the Belgians bottom. Poland are in second, the Ukraine third - having suffered a one-point defeat and beaten Poland by the same margin - and the Czech Republic fourth.

Finally, Uruguay crushed Chile 46-12 in Montevideo in the South American Championships, and Bosnia Herzegovina beat Azerbaijan 18-7.