Japan exit the Rugby World Cup at the pool stage

Oct 11, 2023 | News On Japan

Oct 11, 2023 (News On Japan) - After falling to Argentina last weekend, Japan are officially out of the Rugby World Cup at the pool stage.

After reaching the quarter-finals on home soil in 2019, this represents a blow to the Brave Blossoms. So, what went wrong? Let’s take a look.

Japan’s pool stage results in focus

A glance at the Rugby World Cup fixtures shows that Japan opened their campaign with a comprehensive victory over Chile. Although the Brave Blossoms were widely expected to win this game, they did so comprehensively and ran in six tries against their South American opponents.

Then, Japan faced England in their next game. Although many pundits felt that Japan could spring a surprise or two against an England side that had been lackluster against Argentina, Japan failed to fire. While the Brave Blossoms kept the first half close, England pulled away in the second half and ultimately won 34-12.

This made Japan’s next two fixtures hugely important. Again though, they failed to fire and fell to a 28-22 defeat against a physical Samoan side who showed too much aggression and fight.

This meant that, in order to stand any chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, Japan had to beat Argentina. Although they started well and only trailed by a single point at half time, a hat-trick from Mateo Carreras ultimately carried Argentina into a World Cup quarter-final against Wales at the expense of the Brave Blossoms.

This meant that Japan ultimately finished Pool D in third place, behind England and Argentina but ahead of Samoa and Chile. Although this finishing position wasn’t enough to qualify for the quarter-finals, it does mean that they automatically qualify for Rugby World Cup 2027.

What went wrong?

Ultimately, Japan fought valiantly throughout their Rugby World Cup campaign and they were only one positive result away from qualification. Although a quarter-final spot was technically in their hands against Argentina, many fans will point to the defeat against Samoa as a crushing blow for their chances.

However, there were many positives for Japan to take away from the tournament. The team put in several solid defensive displays and they actually made the most tackles in the pool stage (166.8 per game). Michael Leitch made the most of these with 62.

On top of this, their discipline was outstanding and they conceded the fewest penalties per game (8.0) across the tournament, with an average of only 2.5 of those conceded in attack. Plus, the side’s set pieces were strong. The stats show they had the second-best scrum success (95%) and won the most scrums per game on average (9.0).

Speaking about their shortcomings, Japan captain Kazuki Himeno said “This time, we couldn’t get to the top of Mount Everest to bloom the cherry blossoms, but our legacy, culture, goals and dreams will be carried on to the next. I believe that Japan rugby will continue to grow.”

This seems like a positive mind set after a strong yet ultimately disappointing campaign. Now it’s time to turn attention towards 2027.

Toyota to Launch Self-Driving Taxis in 2027

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

Controversial Penalty Decision Ends Tokyo High School Soccer Match

A controversial penalty shootout decision during the Tokyo qualifiers for Japan's National High School Soccer Championship on October 24 has sparked debate after a team that believed it had secured victory was forced to continue playing and eventually lost, raising questions about whether a hole in the goal net contributed to an incorrect ruling.

Japan's Pillow Wars Become Competitive Team Sport

Pillow fighting, once a familiar pastime on Japanese school trips, has evolved into a competitive team sport, with players dressed in traditional yukata competing on tatami mats under unusual rules that include a call of "The teacher is coming!" to freeze opponents for 10 seconds.

Arashifuji Earns First Promotion to Sumo's Top Division

Fukuoka-born sumo wrestler Arashifuji has earned his first promotion to the top makuuchi division ahead of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, which opens on November 8 at the Fukuoka International Center, according to the latest rankings released by the Japan Sumo Association on October 26.

Three National Anthem Mix-Ups at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games

Three national anthem mix-ups occurred on the same day at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games, with Iran's anthem mistakenly played during medal ceremonies for Chinese Taipei and Mongolia, while South Korea's anthem was played instead of China's before a women's sitting volleyball match.

Japan Sports Weekend: Baseball, Football, Golf...

Japan's sporting weekend was dominated by the completion of professional baseball's postseason, with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars securing a remarkable sweep of the Central League champions Hanshin Tigers and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks advancing from the Pacific League.

Top 5 B.League players to watch this season

Japanese basketball continues to improve year after year. Strong financial backing and steadily growing fan interest have turned the B.League into one of Asia’s most exciting competitions.

Japan Women's Soccer Team Suffers Comeback Defeat to Germany

Japan's women's national soccer team, Nadeshiko Japan, suffered a 2-1 comeback defeat to Germany in an international friendly in Bremen on October 13, despite taking an early lead through Momoko Tanikawa.

34-Time National Sumo Champion Continues to Challenge Younger Rivals

Miku Yamanaka, a 32-year-old veteran of women's sumo who has claimed 34 national titles, continues to compete against younger rivals while balancing work and training, demonstrating remarkable determination as she battles through injuries in pursuit of further success at the All-Japan Women's Sumo Championships.

< 2 3 4 5 >