TBILISI – Lee Seung Sin slotted a penalty after the siren to give Japan a 25-23 win against Georgia in the final test of their four-match European rugby tour on Saturday.
The tourists were in front most of the way at Tbilisi’s Mikheil Meskhi Stadium before giving up the lead when Georgia flyhalf Tedo Abzhandadze converted Tornike Kakhoidze’s 77th-minute try.
But Eddie Jones’ men received a lifeline on their last drive when Georgia’s defensive indiscipline gifted Lee the opportunity to kick for the game.
Coming off last weekend’s heartbreaking 24-23 loss to Wales, the world No. 13 Brave Blossoms arrived needing a win to lift them into the top 12 above Georgia and secure a more favorable draw for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Lee kicked three first-half penalties, plus the extras for Dylan Riley’s outstanding 80-meter try in the 10th minute, to send the tourists into the break with a 16-6 lead.
The Japan flyhalf kept the scoreboard ticking over with another three-pointer early in the second half before the home side brought the deficit back to 10 with a penalty from Abzhandadze.
Desperate Japanese defense prevented Georgia scoring their first try of the second period, with Jack Cornelsen’s ankle tap causing winger Akaki Tabutsadze to lose the ball over the whitewash.
The hosts finally breached the Japanese defense with Demur Tapladze’s 69th-minute try. They appeared to seal the win when Kakhoidze dived over near the posts, giving Abzhandadze an easy conversion.
The victory snapped a five-match losing streak for the Brave Blossoms stretching back to their July 12 defeat to Wales in Kobe.