One Year Ago Today: Japan 28-21 Scotland
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A year ago today, Japan left Scotland standing with an electrifying performance in Yokohama that carried them through to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Playing 21st century rugby against a side that looked bereft of invention until the jig was up, Japan roared to a 28-21 victory and set up a showdown with South Africa next Sunday in Tokyo.
Four wins out of four was Japan’s record as hosts, with tries from Kotaro Matsushima, Keita Inagaki, Kenki Fukuoka propelling them to a 21-7 half-time lead, and another from Fukuoka early in the second half effectively sealing the deal.
Scotland had threatened legal action if this match did not go ahead, which was a concern after the deadly Typhoon Hagibis caused havoc in Japan.
But if there was relief in the Scottish camp that it would be played, when that announcement came earlier that Sunday, they only briefly looked capable of securing the handsome win they needed to pip their opponents to a place in the last eight.
Finn Russell darted in for a seventh-minute try, finding a gap as Japan’s defence showed early fragility, and Greig Laidlaw booted the extras.
From then on, though, Scotland were largely camped in their own half, Japan sensational in attack. Matsushima sprinted in from the left wing after an offload from fellow wing Fukuoka for Japan’s first try – his fifth of this World Cup – in the 18th minute.
William Tupou burst through a line of Scottish defence before feeding Inagaki to surge over from close range for the second try eight minutes later, and Japan were rewarded with a third on the stroke of half-time, Fukuoka collecting a perfect grubber from Timothy Lafaele.
Yu Tamura added conversions to each try. Had he not missed a pair of penalties, Scotland would have been out of the contest.
When Fukuoka wrested the ball from enemy hands and scorched through from midfield for Japan’s fourth try in the 43rd minute, the home side had a bonus point in the bag and Scotland needed the mother of all fightback.
WP Nel burrowed over for a swift Scottish response, and Zander Fagerson powered through for a third Scottish try.
It is so often the hope that kills Scottish sport fans. At 28-21 in arrears, there was hope. But as the minutes ticked by, with Japan holding firm and the Scots increasingly desperate, needing a slew of scores, so the points dried up.
