Tusi Pisi leads Sunwolves to historic first Super Rugby win
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 26/04/16 10:52am
Japan's Sunwolves finally secured their first Super Rugby win with a 36-28 victory over the Jaguares in Tokyo.
Fly-half Tusi Pisi played a starring role at the Prince Chichibu Stadium, contributing 18 points with his boot and also setting up two of their three tries as they rallied to overcome a half-time deficit in a battle of the league's expansion teams.
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Victory tasted all the sweeter for the home side, coming just a week after their embarrassing 92-17 defeat by the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, where they conceded 14 tries.
The Sunwolves appeared to be suffering a hangover from that hammering in the early stages, giving up early tries to Agustin Creevy and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino to trail 10-3.
Yasutaka Sasakura cut the deficit with a Sunwolves try - Pisi was again involved thanks to a flick pass through his legs - and a Pisi penalty gave them a 13-10 lead.
But it was the Jaguares back on top by half-time with Emiliano Boffelli going over for a try and Juan Martin Hernandez, who had missed all three conversion attempts, connecting on a penalty to make it 18-13.
They extended the lead to nine points when Facundo Isa intercepted a wayward pass and sprinted in 50 metres for a try, Hernandez converting to make it 25-16.
But, with just over 20 minutes remaining the Sunwolves breathed fresh life into the game when Pisi was involved in a try scored by Derek Carpenter.
Pisi briefly gave the home side the lead with a penalty, although it was cancelled out by Hernandez, but the Sunwolves led again nine minutes from time when the Samoa international split the uprights again.
Victory was confirmed just a minute before the full-time whistle when a darting run from Pisi saw him break through the Jaguares line and offload for Harumichi Tatekawa to touch down under the posts.
