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TOKYO - A team of veteran All Blacks needed two late tries to overcome Japan 35-26 at Kobe's Universiade Stadium on Wednesday (local time).
The "Classic All Blacks" won the first of two games against Japan with the help of late tries from Scott McLeod and Ron Cribb.
The All Blacks team, who included Jonah Lomu, Carlos Spencer and captain Andrew Mehrtens, were invited to face John Kirwan's Japan team as a test for the home side ahead of the World Cup.
In 1995, the All Blacks beat Japan 145-17 in a World Cup game.
Japan took an early lead in Wednesday's game through tries by Mitsugu Yamamoto and Kosuke Endo but the All Blacks responded through Justin Marshall, Cribb and Simon Maling.
Japan added tries from Yuta Imamura and Hitoshi Ono in the second half.
Japan's impressive performance was marred by first five-eighths James Arlidge sustaining a suspected broken leg.
- REUTERS
