Japan intent on defying the odds
For Michael Leitch this story of his Japan rugby team and their giantkilling feats is not told yet. The skipper has a sneaky feeling there is another chapter to be added.
The 31-year-old Cantabrian, who moved to Japan as a teenager, has emerged as the inspirational leader of the Brave Blossoms. He guided them to their famous upset defeat over South Africa at the 2015 World Cup and is at the vanguard of an even more significant achievement at this global tournament in their own country.
Leitch and his Japan team made history when they rolled, first, then world No 2 Ireland (19-12) and, then, Scotland (28-21) to qualify top out of Pool A at this Rugby World Cup.
It was a significant achievement after the ultimate disappointment of 2015 when they were unable to springboard off their Boks upset into a top-eight place.
And now, wouldn’t you know it, the mighty Springboks lie in their path again in a mouthwatering quarterfinal at Tokyo Stadium tonight (kickoff 11.15pm NZ time).
Leitch, whose popularity in his adopted country is at an alltime high, spoke about ‘‘shifting the goalposts’’ this week. That is to say, having achieved their primary objective of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the global tournament for the first time in their history, they now have to refix their sights on an even grander ambition.
‘‘This team is not satisfied,’’ Leitch told a packed media conference.
‘‘That is the biggest source of motivation. This is not the end of the story. This time we are one of the best eight teams, and to many people we would like to show we deserve to be here.
‘‘South Africa at the beginning of the week seemed rather frightening. But we understand the gameplan, we’ve thought about how to beat them and we are really excited. [As the week has gone on] the threat of our opponent has diminished and our confidence level has gone up.’’
Of course Leitch’s optimism is not without some foundation.
There can be no doubt this Japan team has come of age at this World Cup, riding the huge level of home support and playing a beautiful high-speed style of pace and space rugby.
In many ways they are the anti-Springboks, though you could imagine South Africa’s jinking wing Cheslin Kolbe slotting seamlessly into Jamie Joseph’s lineup and not missing a beat.
Where the Springboks are all about the power game, full of ferocious physicality, direct running and impact at the set piece, the rucks and the inside channels, Japan play a brand of organised chaos that suits them to a tee. They shift the point of attack at every opportunity, they use little kicks for their lightning outsides to run on to and they always embrace the need for speed. For them high-tempo has to be the norm.
It is not all helter-skelter stuff. They are well organised and committed on defence, their scrum, though on the light side, competes admirably and men like
Leitch and Pieter Labuschagne provide the direct running when it’s called for.
But for Japan to have any chance against these Boks they need the game to flow and the ball to shift. They do not want to get caught in an arm-wrestle, even though that is clearly the Boks’ intent with those six forwards on their bench.
‘‘With the match we had four years ago the world started to focus on the Japan rugby team and they were surprised and the fans in Japan struck by the match we played,’’ said Leitch. ‘‘This time around we’ll be able to show the match live to the Japan people. It’s all about which team is going to have a strong drive and being able show the match live to all our people will be good.’’
Veteran Kiwi forward Luke Thompson admitted, at 38, 16 years after he first landed in this country, the opportunity to play in a World Cup quarterfinal was something altogether special. But, like his skipper, he is not satisfied.
‘‘This is a special tournament for us as a team and we’re doing everything we can to play to our potential every week. If we play to our potential and get everything right, then we’ll have a pretty good chance to beat South Africa.’’