‘They may have lost but they have made history’: Japan inspire a nation | Justin McCurry

Brave Blossoms fall against South Africa but fans tell of pride for team who have proven they belong at the elite levelThe Japanese juggernaut finally came to a halt in the face of a South Africa roadblock on Sunday. The sequel to the Brighton miracle lacked the drama and romance of four years ago but this, according to their fans, was when Japan came of age against the world rugby elite.“I think South Africa looked down on Japan four years ago but today they knew they had to be at their best, and that’s a huge compliment to Japan,” said Shigeki Takagi, a company worker from Tokyo who had just…