Sep 29, 2019 (NHK) - In the Rugby World Cup, host nation Japan has defeated world-ranked No.2 Ireland in front of an ecstatic home crowd. Ireland is seen as one of the favorites to win the cup.
The excitement started building a few hours before the game, as people gathered at the stadium in Shizuoka prefecture.
Thirteen minutes into the match, Ireland took the lead as Garry Ringrose dove in for the first try. Ireland expanded its lead soon afterward with another try.
But Japan closed the gap with penalty kicks until there was only a 3 point difference.
In the second half, Kenki Fukuoka scored Japan's first and only try, giving the home team the lead. Japan added three more points on a kick, beating Ireland with a final score of 19 to 12.
Japan is building a reputation for World Cup surprises.
Four years ago in England, it claimed a shock victory over South Africa.
In the current World Cup, Japan has secured two wins in a row. The country is now ranked eighth in the world ... its highest ever position.
Pieter Labuschagne of Japan's team said, "We came into this tournament with a new goal and we knew what we wanted to do and we backed ourselves going into this game and tonight we are just really happy about the result."
Rory Best of Ireland's team said, "We knew how tough it was going to be. Anyone that is utterly shocked hasn't seen how good they are. We came in with a game plan and we felt we were really prepared but give credit to that team. They played really well."
