HONG KONG (AFP) - Dominant Japan sit atop the Asian Five Nations table Sunday after demolishing the Arabian Gulf in an 18-try romp, but unbeaten Hong Kong insist they are still on course to take the inaugural title.
In Osaka on Saturday, Japan routed the Arabian Gulf 114-6 for their biggest victory since they defeated Taiwan 155-3 in a World Cup qualifier in July 2002, and follows victory over South Korea on the opening weekend of the competition.
In Hong Kong, the home side made it two wins out of two with a more routine 23-17 win over Kazakhstan to go with their victory over the Gulf last week.
Japan have 12 points, including two bonus points for scoring four tries or more, and a staggering points differential of plus 130. Hong Kong are on 10 points and Kazakhstan third on one point.
In Japan's victory, Hirotoki Onozawa led the way with three tries, with Takuro Miuchi, Bryce Robins and Shaun Webb adding a brace apiece.
Japan, the only Asian team to qualify for last year's World Cup in France, have a blend of youth and experience as coach John Kirwan prepares for the Pacific Nations Cup in June and builds towards the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
"We talked all week about playing for the full 80 minutes," said a delighted Kirwan following the win.
"So I am happy the guys stuck at the gameplan for the full 80. I am proud of them. We could have got loose but they stayed tight."
Kirwan's men now venture into the unknown when they travel to Kazakhstan.
"They will be very physical and very big," Kirwan said. "So we need to move on and improve on today's performance.
"We haven't yet reached a standard we aim at."
Captain Takuro Miuchi agreed there was room for improvement.
"We were able to show a good performance, although we have to improve more. Our basic ability is better than it was in the World Cup (last year)," he said.
Speaking after his team's win Saturday, Hong Kong coach John Walters said the performance was an improvement on last week's victory over the Arabian Gulf.
He said he had his sights set on winning the Five Nations, admitting the clash with Japan could be the title decider.
"We don't want to peak too early," he said, adding: "I don't care what they (Japan) do. The day that we turn up to play them we'll be focusing on our game and they'll be focusing on theirs."
The standard of rugby in Asia lags far behind countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England, but the International Rugby Board sees plenty of potential here, and the Five Nations was launched as a platform to develop and expand the sport across the region.
The tournament is the pinnacle of four newly formed tiers of competition across all 25 Asian rugby unions, with promotion and relegation between divisions.
The last-placed team in the 2008 Asian Five Nations will be relegated to the 2009 division one competition.
The Arabian Gulf face South Korea next Friday in Doha, Qatar, with both on zero points, and Kazakhstan meet Japan in Almaty on Saturday.
