JAPAN WILL BE READY FOR BOKS’ POWER PLAY
Yutaka Nagare says Japan can expect to face a hand-to-hand battle with South Africa today, but believes the speed and energy of the Brave Blossoms might just be enough to overcome the Springboks’ brute power.
He said: “I think I’ll definitely lose if I go head-on (with the South Africans). I have to use my technique given I’m small.
“The try Finn Russell scored in the Scotland game started off with my mistake so I really felt responsible, and I feel they’ll look to attack me in the next game, as well as near the try-line.
“I want to play smart. They’ll come at us head-on. We know, as you can see from their line-up, they’ll look to make it a forward battle, play a physical game.
“We need to fight properly there of course but it’s important to play the ball smartly and make it a quick battle.
“I’ll look to connect players through my communication and keep executing the gameplan the coaches showed me.”
South Africa recovered to squeeze into the knock-out rounds four years ago, but could not raise their game again to beat the All Blacks in the semi-finals.
But fly-half Handre Pollard insists the experiences of four years ago will have no bearing this time.
He said: “Four years ago was a complete different story. Different South African side, different World Cup, different place.
“The guys who were part of that 2015 side certainly learned from the mistakes we made, and hopefully we can improve on that in this playoff series.
“We want to play our best rugby and win, by one point or whatever – we’ve just got to win.”