Four years after World Cup heroics against South Africa, Japan’s players must play the game of their lives to upset Ireland
Shizuoka is best known as Japan’s biggest producer of green tea. As the Brave Blossoms prepare to take on Ireland at the Pacific coast venue on Saturday, the hosts and their supporters may not like what the matcha leaves are telling them.
Jamie Joseph’s side will have needed every day of their generous seven-day turnaround to prepare for a clash that will require a repeat of their 2015 heroics against the Springboks if they are to avoid becoming sacrificial lambs in Ireland’s unstoppable rise to the top of Pool A.
Written by Justin McCurry in Tokyo
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/sep/27/japan-can-only-dream-of-a-shizuoka-shock-to-match-the-brighton-miracle-rugby-world-cup under the title “Japan can only dream of a Shizuoka Shock to match the Brighton Miracle”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
