‘Shizuoka Stunner’ shakes up rugby’s cosy brotherhood
Miracles do strike twice. The original Hollywood blockbuster detailing the exploits of Brighton four years ago has only just premiered here in Japan to widespread interest. They will have to rush the follow-up into production straight away: The Shizuoka Stunner: The Day RWC 2019 Came Alive.
Move over Eddie Jones. Step forward Jamie Joseph, the new architect of triumph against the odds. Take a bow Michael Leitch, captain extraordinaire, the heart and soul of Japan, the man who kept the faith, a grafting, hard-nut leader, an adopted son but immersed in the ways and mores of this country. They will be making statues of him now.
One win might be considered a fluke, an aberration, a once-in-alifetime event. And two? Well, perhaps it’s time we stopped patronising Japan with gushing pieces about the valiant underdog and evaluate them as we would, say, Scotland, who now trail them in the world rankings with Japan up to an all-time high of eighth.
This was not a lucky strike against an out-of-sorts opponent, a win of the moment with no ramifications, a oneoff. The manner of the victory, all zest and cleverness, all heart and belief and harmony of intent, as much as the win itself, has sent a seismic shock of joy right through the tournament. All the ingrained reserve and reticence of the Japanese people went right out of windows up and down the country as screams of delight rent the air, strangers were hugged and millions of causal viewers rushed to find out what this funny, old, oval, ball game was really about.
Rugby World Cups always appeal to the aficionado. It takes a result like this for the rest of the sporting world to take notice. This tournament was shaping up to be a real gem, with its exoticism, openness, infrastructure, lushness, vastness, uniqueness and, now, gloriously, its rugby.
From hereon in all eyes will be on Japan, the team, for sure, but also now the tournament. But here’s the thing. Expectations have shifted. It will not just be the Brave Blossoms that excite interest.
And nor will it just be the minnows that matter. Sure, we long to see another upset — what about a Samoa against Scotland in Kobe Misaki Stadium today — an encounter now freighted with significance given that the final game in Pool A sees Scotland facing Japan with qualification for the knockout stages probably on the line. But a sit-up-and-take notice result like this puts every match to be played in the pool stages into sharper relief. The profile of the event has gone up several notches. And this is before the serious stuff begins, when there is likely to be thunder in every encounter as the lords of the manor, such as New Zealand and South Africa and England, flex their muscles. Everything now matters as the scramble for qualification heats up with the likelihood that some socalled big names might miss out. How about Japan as well as Uruguay making it through? Now, that would be something.
The cosy brotherhood in rugby has existed for too long with its privileged, Masonic order. Outsiders have gathered, begging for admission only to be reduced to staring through the frosted windows and wondering what life is like on the inside. Those protective panes are beginning to splinter. These teams deserve greater recognition, more days in the sun where their talent and ardour can be displayed on the big stage. Was this a bigger shock than Brighton 2015?
Not quite, for there was home advantage to factor in, as well as the fact that Japan have now won five of their past six games at World Cups but they have caught our attention and now they deserve our respect.