Japan’s rugby sevens players fired up by World Cup spirit heading into Olympics showdown in Hong Kong
Brave Blossoms sevens squad hope to ride wave of euphoria as they try to qualify for 2016 Rio Games at Hong Kong Stadium this weekend
Japan showed the world just how far they had come in the game at the Rugby World Cup and the nation's sevens squad are hoping to bring the same intensity that set that tournament on fire when attention turns to the Asia Rugby Sevens Olympic qualifier this weekend.
"The World Cup was inspiring," said Japanese captain Yusaku Kuwazuru on Tuesday.
"Now it is up to us."
We’ve really got the country’s attention and now we have to hold it
The sevens squad have been able to hear of Japan's heroics first-hand from Yoshikazu Fujita.
The 22-year-old has swapped 15s for the truncated form of the game this week after being part of the Japanese squad in England, the winger memorably making his mark with a try from the maul in the 28-18 win over the United States in Japan's last group game.
That victory followed the upset of that - and any - World Cup when the Japanese rolled the South Africans 34-32.
They were hoping that success would rally the nation behind them and Japan got that support - in spades - with an estimated 25 million of their countrymen tuning in via television when they beat Samoa 26-5.