3. Pool Stage Heroics
2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A
Sticking with the 2019 Rugby World Cup for now, as when the pool stages were drawn for the competition, the odds were promptly stacked against the Brave Blossoms to progress into the knock-out stages. As the tournament hosts, Japan were seeded into Pool A, and were joined by Ireland, Scotland, Samoa and Russia, with the two ‘home nations’ sides expected to make the quarter-finals.
However, the opening weekend came around and Joseph’s Japan recorded a sufficient 30-10 win over Russia, whilst Ireland depleted Scotland’s threat with a 27-3 shut-out. Round two saw the Brave Blossoms record their aforementioned brilliant win over Ireland, which excited Scottish hopes of a late push to the quarter-finals. Gregor Towsend’s men responded with a 34-0 demolition of Samoa, before Japan followed suit with their own heavy win against the Pacific Islanders.
This set up an enticing finale to Pool A, with a win for Scotland enough to take them through alongside Ireland to the last eight. A thrilling contest unravelled in Yokohama’s International Stadium, with Scotland fly-half Finn Russell setting the tempo with a try after seven minutes. Japan’s fullback maestro Kotaro Matsushima responded with a scintillating score, as the contest truly ignited. A real contender for match of the tournament, Japan and Scotland traded blow for blow, with a spot in the knock-out stages being contested like a heavyweight title.
Kenki Fukoaka added two tries to close out the match for his nation, with the sharpshooting of Yu Tamura establishing enough daylight from the tee for the win. This victory saw Japan become the first tier two nation to beat two tier one sides (Ireland and Scotland) at the same Rugby World Cup. What made this fixture even more special is that despite the chaos caused by Typhoon Hagibis, the debris was cleared in time by the hard-working communities, so that the match would take place for a historic Japan win.
4. Breaking into the Top 10 with a Perfect 10
Japan 26 – 23 Italy: 2014 Summer Internationals
In a fixture that could well have flown under the radar for the wider rugby world, Japan’s three-point triumph over Italy in the Summer of 2014 holds great precedence in the history of the Brave Blossoms. This win over the Azzurri sent Japan up to 10th place in the World Rugby rankings for the first time in their history, and marked a definitive milestone in the upwards trajectory of Japanese rugby.
The Brave Blossoms had long been dominant in the Asian Five Nations, with their 21st title achieved that previous April of 2014. However, this narrow win over Italy held far more significance, than any 132-10 thrashing of Sri Lanka ever could. Since 2006, Japan had been progressing outside of their Asiatic bubble, under the guidance of former All Black John Kirwan.
Voyages into the Pacific Nations Cup brought sporadic successes, as Japan tested their resiliency against the hard-hitting South Sea Islanders of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. A winless run at the 2011 Rugby World Cup ended Kirwan’s time with the Brave Blossoms, with Eddie Jones taking over the following year, to re-gain the upwards momentum that had since slipped off. Jones took his Japan side to a flying run of form, as nine consecutive wins branched across the 2014 Asian Five Nations and Pacific Nations Cups.
To complete the perfect 10, Japan took on a tier one opponent to send a statement across the rugby world. This first ever victory over Italy took place in the Japanese capital of Tokyo, in what concreted the new era of competition against Japan and the top tier nations. Japan took this winning momentum into the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with an unforgettable encounter with South African coming in over the horizon.