Japan seeks victory
TOKYO - After their momentous victory over Ireland, Rugby World Cup hosts Japan are hoping to take the next step towards their first quarter-finals appearance with victory over Samoa tomorrow in Toyota City.
Japan beat Ireland 19-12 in a match head coach Jamie Joseph said his team had been preparing for three years. While the side may not have been eyeing up their Samoa game for as long, that doesn’t mean they will come underprepared.
“We’re focusing on what we want to do and what we want to achieve on the weekend, and hopefully we can force the other team to play in a different way,” said Pieter Labuschagne, the stand-in skipper against Ireland. “We knew straight away what we were up against, who we were going to face, and that’s all part of being prepared,” Labuschagne said of the different challenges each Pool A opponent presents.