Bok defeat to be immortalised

The Springboks will never escape the fact that they became the first of rugby’s royalty to lose to Japan‚ and now that infamous day is set to be immortalised on film.

Australian filmmaker Max Mannix will start filming of Japan’s historic 34-32 win over the Springboks in Brighton at Rugby World Cup 2015 early in 2019.

According to Japan’s Kyodo News‚ Mannix will direct the movie‚ provisionally titled The Brighton Miracle. Mannix spent 14 years in Japan and is familiar with its movie scene‚ having worked on some highly acclaimed films such as Tokyo Sonata‚ which won a Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

“What Eddie Jones and his team did in 2015 was truly magnificent and worthy of being remembered‚” Mannix said.

“The story goes beyond rugby in the same way Chariots of Fire wasn’t just about running.

“That was more a film about the distinction between class‚ belief and religion.

“No one gave the Japan team a chance against SA‚ who at the time were the most successful World Cup team in history.

“What I want to do is try and show why it happened and where did the self-belief came from.”

There is no information about who will play the central characters such as Jones‚ Japan captain Michael Leitch‚ Karne Hesketh‚ who scored the winning try‚ or even then Bok coach Heyneke Meyer. –