Japan shock blunderBoks
Humble pie is not a dainty dish and not a tasty one either.
But that is what South Africans will be eating today – a big dish of humble pie after the Japanese outplayed them on a perfect pitch on a pleasant afternoon on Brighton on England's south coast.
It must rank as the biggest shock in the history of rugby football. Japan, who before this had had one win at the World Cup – over Zimbabwe who have not made it to another World Cup – while South Africa, heads high and chests out, had the best record of any team that had been to the World Cup.
There has been nothing like it in the 124 years of South Africa's Test match rugby.
One day a boy who had his 14th birthday on this day will tell his children's children about the match he saw in 2015 when Japan beat the Springboks and his children's children will listen in disbelief and say to him: "Grandpa, is that another of your fairy stories?"
And the old man, with wet eyes will tell a tale of the Springboks leading 32-29 as the match ran to an end.
The Japanese counterattacked off a Handre Pollard kick, attacking with eager minds and bodies. They bashed at the Springbok line and were a tiny bit short. Coenie Oosthuizen was penalised and sent to the sin bin. Japan could have kicked for goal to tie the match. Instead they had a five line-out, mauled and drove forward but were held up.
But again South Africa were penalised and by now the clock was beyond the 80 minutes, but again Japan eschewed the draw and opted for a scrum against the Springbok pack which had lost a prop. The scrum went up and the referee had a reset. The scrum went down and the referee had a reset. Japan got the ball and went through phases, close and then wide to the right where a tackle by Adriaan Strauss prevented a possible try.
Japan came back left where Amanaki Mafi handed off Jesse Kriel to create space and gave to New Zealander Karne Hesketh who dived over in the left corner as JP Pietersen tried to stop him. And that was it: Japan 34 South Africa 32.
The biggest upset in the history of the World Cup, possibly in the history of International rugby ever. An incredible result of miraculous proportions.
But it did happen, and the more deserving team was the team that won. So doff your hat or hachimaki, symbolising as it does perseverance, effort and courage in Japan, to this team of Brave Blossoms, the Bravest of the Brave.
They scored first and they scored last and for 80 minutes they outwitted their more rated opponents. They won their line-outs and, by being clever, their scrums as well. They won more turnovers than the Springboks and conceded fewer penalties. They tackled more often and more efficiently and the lightness and deceptiveness of their running was better. As they said they would, they played the game at a greater pace than their opponents.
Except in South Africa this match may just have made the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Patrick Lambie of South Africa kicked off and the Springboks did the initial attacking but Japan won turnovers when first Kriel and then Tendai Mtawarira were tackled. They won a third turnover soon afterwards and they had little Fumiaki Tanaka to clear the ball quickly and surely.
A break by fullback Ayumu Goromaru was stopped by tackle by Zane Kirchner but South Africa were penalised and Goromaru, with his black wraps and prayerful stance, goaled. 3-0 after 7 minutes. He then missed a kick as it was clear that the Japanese had the Springboks rattled.
A penalty to the Springboks made a five-metre line-out which the Springboks mauled and Francois Louw scored. 7-3 after 18 minutes and the feeling that the train was back on its tracks.
But then Japan did in like manner and they were just short when they threw to the front of the line-out. They had a chance to do it again and this time threw deeper and shifted the ball to the back where the backs joined the maul and they all drove over for a try by captain Michael Leitch. 10-7 to Japan after 30 minutes.
Then it was the Springbok turn to do the same. Their maul started slowly but gathered speed and this time Bismarck du Plessis was the one who scored. 12-10 after 34 minutes. That was the half-time score and there was an uneasy feeling amongst South Africans,but hopeful excitement amongst Japanese.
It is a game of consequences. Early in the second half Lambie kicked a drunken kick out on the full. Mtawarira was penalised and Goromaru goaled. 13-13 after 42 minutes.
Goromaru kicked downfield and Pienaar started a counterattack. From a tackle, the Springboks went left and tall Lood de Jager burst between two would-be tacklers and raced straight down the field for some 30 metres to score at the posts, the young lock showing a remarkable turn of speed. 19-13 to the Springboks after 44 minutes.
The Japanese forwards forced their way forward, Bismarck du Plessis was penalised and Goromaru goaled. 19-16 after 48 minutes. The fullback goaled again and it was 19-all after 52 minutes. But then a Lambie penalty made it 22-19 after 56 minutes.
But a horrible pass by Lambie inside his own 22 put the Springboks under fierce pressure, Siya Kolisi was penalised at tackle and Goromaru made it 22-all after 59 minutes.
In 17 minutes 22 points had been scored and there was another to come when Tanaka kicked out on the full near the half-way line and the South Africans ran in attack till suddenly, at a tackle some 25 metres out Adriaan Strauss took the De Jager route, and burst down the field, over one defender and past another before he swerved past wing Kotaro Matsushima to score at the posts, 29-22 after 65 minutes.
It seemed that the Springboks could have scored again from a five-metre line-out but, instead of mauling, they peeled around the front and Burger was bundled into touch.
Instead it was Japan that scored. Oosthuizen was penalised, Japan kicked out and Luke Thompson won the line-out. They went right, playing back to left wing Matsushima coming off his wing. He cut through had gave to Goromaru who raced over for a try, which he converted. 29-29 after 69 minutes.
The Springboks attacked. Pollard broke and seemed about to score but Matsushima brought him down. Japan was penalised and with just 8 minutes left Pollard made the score 32-29.
Then came the grandfather's memories.
And as those children in 2100 leave the room one will nudge the other and say: "Grandpa's losing it all right."
Man of the Match: Other than Lood de Jager, the candidates are Japanese, espcially Michael Leitch, substitute Amanaki Mafi, Fumiaki Tanaka and the obvious choiice, our choice, fullback Ayumu Goromaru.
Moment of the Match: That last try and the outburst of glee that followed it, the one that Karne Hesketh scored in the left corner.
Villain of the Match: Nobody .
The scorers:
For South Africa:
Tries: Louw, B du Plessis, De Jager, Strauss
Cons: Lambie 2, Pollard
Pens: Lambie, Pollard
For Japan:
Tries: Leitch, Goromaru, Hesketh
Cons: Goromaru 2
Pens: Goromaru 5
Yellow card: Coenie Oosthuizen (South Africa, 79 – repeated infringements, killing the ball at the ruck)
Teams
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Fourie du Preez, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 JP Pietersen.
Japan: 15 Ayumu Goromaru, 14 Akihito Yamada, 13 Male Sa'u, 12 Harumichi Tatekawa, 11 Kotaro Matsushima, 10 Kosei Ono, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Hendrik Tui, 7 Michael Broadhurst, 6 Michael Leitch (captain), 5 Hitoshi Ono, 4 Luke Thompson, 3 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Masataka Mikami
Replacements: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Keita Inagaki, 18 Hiroshi Yamashita, 19 Shinya Makabe, 20 Amanaki Mafi, 21 Atsushi Hiwasa, 22 Yu Tamura, 23 Karne Hesketh
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: JP Doyle (England), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
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