VIBE
What a topple, what an overthrow, what a friggin upset. Take a bow, Japan. Bigger than North Korea v. Italy in the 1966 soccer world cup or Douglas v. Tyson in 1990, the performance of the Brave Blossoms was one for the ages.
The boys of Eddie Jones outsmarted those of Heyneke Meyer: there was great variation in their game. They played deep and tight when nobody was expecting them to, scoring off a driving maul, but also shifted it swiftly to the wide channels, relying on excellent running lines, decoy runners and support play. Their defensive realignment was very good, only let down by individual mistakes.
The South Africans made an extensive use of driving mauls and one-out runners in the tight channels but played stop-and-go and lacked the urgency at the breakdown and accurate kicking game that should have won them the game.
SCORE
South Africa 32
Tries: Louw, B. Du Plessis, De Jager, Strauss
Conversions: Lambie 3
Penalties: Lambie 2
Japan 34
Tries: Leitch, Goromaru, Hesketh
Conversions: Goromaru 2
Penalties: Goromaru 4
Score at half-time: 12-10
INCIDENTS OF NOTE
One minute to go on the South African 5 metre line, penalty Japan, the Brave Blossoms are 3 points behind on the scoreboard. The Japanese supporters are sweating like horny komarus as Michael Leitch decides that the team will take the scrum rather than go for the posts. After two shaky scrums, the Japanese go wide on the right before spreading it wide again on the left. Mafi takes it to the line, catches 2 Boks defenders before offloading to Hesketh who glides in the corner. TRY.
FEAST YOUR EYES
That brilliant set-piece play off the lineout that resulted in Goromaru’s try. 9 to 12, 13 decoy, 12 to the inside winger short-passing to Goromaru, over the line. The Eddie Jones touch was obvious there.
SHOULD I BOTHER WATCHING IT?
Even with the kids, the missus, friends and the whole city asking for you, that game is a must-watch. Greatest RWC upset, even better than France v. New Zealand 1999. Gee, even an OZ bledisloe win might not top that !
