Recap: Japan vs South Africa LIVE | Rugby World Cup
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South Africa captain Siya Kolisi does not believe his side need to ramp up their mental state to face quarter-final opponents Japan after insisting they have been playing ‘do or die’ rugby since touching down in the Far East.
The Springboks will have to battle the Brave Blossoms – as well as the lions’ share of the sell-out 50,000-strong crowd at the Tokyo Stadium – if they are to reach the last four. But it will be no easier a challenge than the one they faced in their tournament opener, when Rassie Erasmus’ side kicked-off against reigning champions New Zealand.
A 23-13 defeat left the Boks with no margin for error but they refused to blink and took care of Namibia, Italy and Canada with minimum fuss. And Kolisi believes his men have shown they can cope under pressure, having survived three win-or-bust encounters to reach the knockout stages.
He said: “Luckily for us it’s been do-or-die since the first game, so we have been in that mindset for a couple of weeks now. Sunday is not like any other Test match. It’s play-off time now. We have all prepared for it mentally and the coaches haven’t put that kind of pressure on us. But we know what needs to be done. I don’t think anybody needs to tell us that this is a big game. If we don’t know that already then we are in the wrong place.”
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The Boks need no warning over the threat posed by the hosts, having been on the sore end of the biggest upset the sport has ever seen four years ago when Japan claimed a shock 34-32 win at the last World Cup. Kolisi started among the substitutes that day in Brighton and had been subbed on and then off again by the time Karne Hesketh wrote his name into the rugby history books as he ran in for the try that stunned the world.
Yet South Africa recovered from that loss to reach the semi-finals that year and recently went some way to exorcising the ghosts of 2015 by thrashing the Japanese 41-7 in a warm-up clash just two weeks before the current tournament got under way.
Should lightning strike twice, however, Kolisi hinted it would be no shock given the rapid improvements made by Japan, who have already toppled Ireland and Scotland on their way to the quarters. Kolisi said: “That was very tough to lose that match in England. That stuck with us until that game when we got here (before this World Cup). It’s something that we never want to go through again.
South Africa and Japan both naming strong teams for their World Cup clash on Sunday! #RSAvJPN #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/R3j0LGqmX8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2019
“But they are a much better team now. It was good to play that game before the World Cup, just to get that monkey off our back. Now it’s a different game again. We are going to have to be at our best again because they have really improved as a team. They are much better now than four years ago so we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Yutaka Nagare, meanwhile, says Japan can expect to face a hand-to-hand battle with South Africa but believes the speed and energy of the Brave Blossoms might just be enough to overcome the Springboks’ brute power. Erasmus has made clear his intention to test the hosts’ physicality levels during their quarter-final clash by naming six forwards on his bench.
Japan scrum-half Nagare knows his team do not match up to their opponents when it comes to the scales. But he insists the high-tempo game plan that has already left both Ireland and Scotland in a daze can have the same effect on the Boks. He said: “I’ll definitely lose if I go head-on (with the South Africans). I have to use my technique given I’m small.
‘Alleviating pressures is really important. It’s a hell of a complex job to create a winning, competitive environment’
– Former @AllBlacks Wayne Smith tells @JLyall93 about coaching and culture in Japan where @rugbyworldcup has captured hearts and mindshttps://t.co/Z4Qi0q8ZoI— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 19, 2019
“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. But I’ve decided to go in determined to play with pride for this team. I’ll keep my mind strong. I’ll take them on carrying both mind and technique.
“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 keep myself calm and communicate and energise the forwards. It will be real hand-to-hand combat and tough, but I’ll keep giving energy to them and the team. I’ll look to connect players through my communication and keep executing the gameplan the coaches showed me.”
WATCH: Former Australian international Matt Giteau sits down with RugbyPass in the latest episode of Rugby World Cup Memories
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
57 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
57 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
57 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
57 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
57 Go to comments