2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A: Japan v Ireland
Japan: (9) 19
Try: Fukuoka Con: Tamura Pens: Tamura 4
Ireland: (12) 12
Tries: Ringrose, R Kearney Con: Carty
Hosts Japan pulled off probably the greatest bombshell in Rugby World Cup history as they beat world number two-positioned Ireland 19-12 in Shizuoka.
Attempts from Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney saw Ireland lead at the break, albeit three Yu Tamura punishments kept the game to inside one score.
Substitution Kenki Fukuoka plunged over in the corner on 59 minutes to place the Brave Blossoms in front.
Tamura's 72nd-minute punishment fixed a momentous win.
Not since Japan's success over South Africa four years back in Brighton has rugby seen an outcome that will resonate far and wide in the manner this one will.
This was not an outcome borne of Irish indiscipline or stage alarm, yet of a genuinely shocking Japanese execution before a dissonant group that lifted their side with a dazzling clamor that welcomed each meter picked up, handle made and turnover won.
It is an outcome that will, paying little respect to what occurs in the following a month and a half of rugby, leave a heritage for a long time into the future, and will send rugby into another stratosphere of notoriety inside the nation.
Hosts remain consistent with assaulting reasoning
From the beginning, it turned out to be certain that Japan had no enthusiasm for shortening their quick paced, free-moving course of action against one of the rugby's most-regarded protections.
Just a terrible ricochet denied Kotaro Matsushima an opening attempt following four minutes as the hosts extended Ireland's protection from left to directly before Tamura's kick behind about satisfied.
It looked just as Ireland had endured an early tempest, as Ringrose and Kearney's attempts eight minutes separated hoped to have purchased the top choices some breathing space that could have quietened the Japanese dominant part inside Stadium Ecopa.
Anyway the fans, and the group, were tenacious and Japan didn't go to a Plan B.
Another extremely quick move from left to right, a smooth one-gave offload from Timothy Lafaele and a kick-in behind observed Matsushima again denied by a bobbing ball which this time favored Josh van der Flier, who did well to set up an Irish exit from under their own posts.
The presentation of Michael Leitch, Japan's now unbelievable chief whose assignment to the seat was the reason for some contention in the development, sent fervor levels in the arena to another level following 31 minutes.
Leitch reacted quickly with a shivering get out of Kearney as Japan squeezed forward, conveying the force towards half-time.
The weight was in the end remunerated as Van der Flier was pinged for fretfulness at the breakdown, permitting Tamura to limit the hole to three points at half-time.
The subsequent half carried on similarly the first had finished: Japan assault, Ireland repulse.
The recognizable signs that will in general yield up when Ireland are not working started to re-show up - missed line-outs, dropped gets and a thump on in the wake of winning a scrum inside their own 22 as the weight kept on structure.
From the scrum, Japan went left and Fukuoka was sent over in the corner.
Irish content shredded
From an Irish point of view, there was little to dread off the back of a physically predominant presentation over Scotland seven days prior.
The inclination, following a time of battling to hit the statures of 2018, was that Joe Schmidt's side were nearing at top at simply the opportune time.
Undoubtedly, even damage to long-term charm Johnny Sexton did little to end the vibe great factor in the camp.
Jack Carty, on just his subsequent universal beginning, started well and demonstrated little dread with his nerveless kicks from hand prompting the two Irish attempts.
Inside the opening 20 minutes, Rory Best was on objective with every one of the six of his line-out tosses.
Everything that needed to go to plan was going that way - however what pursued was not something that many could have anticipated.
Beside their two scores, most by far of Ireland's time was spent in safeguard in the vitality sapping evening heat.
What started as an ordinarily productive exhibition started to disentangle as blunders slipped into their the game.
Carty was liable of kicking a restart dead before the Irish pack, absolutely overwhelming six days back, were turned over without anyone else scrum as Japan smelled blood.
Ireland's front-stacked timetable implied that successes in their opening two installations would permit some senior players a rest before the plausible semi-last.
Yet at this point, the five-day turnaround before Thursday's match against Russia turns into a significantly more overwhelming assignment, and the wellness of Sexton, whose self-control and cautious robustness was seriously missed in the subsequent half, will be put under the magnifying instrument unquestionably more than it would have been had they took care of business in Shizuoka.
Match details
- This was Japan's first historically speaking triumph against Ireland in Test rugby. They had lost every one of their past seven by a normal edge of 31.
- Three of Ireland's last four pool stage routs at the Rugby World Cup have come against the host country, likewise losing to Australia in 2003 and France in 2007 (additionally v Argentina in 2007).
- Japan have won five of their last six matches at the Rugby World Cup, this subsequent to winning only one of their underlying 24 matches at the competition.
- Ireland lost to a non-Tier 1 country at the Rugby World Cup just because, having won every one of their past 15 such games.
- Japan won a Rugby World Cup coordinate in the wake of trailing at half-time for
- simply the second time in 24 endeavors.
- Burglarize Kearney has scored four attempts in his last five Rugby World Cup games. He has five attempts in the competition generally speaking, just Keith Earls (8) and Brian O'Driscoll (7) have more for Ireland.
- Garry Ringrose has scored in every one of his three Test appearances against Japan, crossing multiple times altogether, more than he's scored against some other country.
- No side has lost a match at the Rugby World Cup and proceeded to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
Groups
Japan: Yamanaka, Matsushima, Lafaele, Nakamura, Lemeki, Tamura, Nagare, Inagaki, Horie, Koo, Thompson, Moore, Himeno, Labuschagne, Mafi.
Substitutions: Fukuoka, Tanaka, Nakajima, Ai Valu, van der Walt, Leitch, Sakate, Matsuda.
Ireland: Kearney, Earls, Ringrose, Farrell, Stockdale, Carty, Murray, Healy, Best, Furlong, Henderson, J. Ryan, O'Mahony, van der Flier, Stander.
Substitutions: McGrath, Larmour, Carbery, Kilcoyne, Cronin, Porter, Beirne, Ruddock.
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