In the scrum | Rugby World Cup 2019: ‘everyone is Japanese right now’ after huge win over Ireland
- Revellers pour out into the early evening throughout Japan to celebrate another historic victory by the country’s rugby team
“Wow, just wow, I never ever saw this one coming,” said a jubilant Satoshi Takehana, as Japan’s Brave Blossoms stunned world number two Ireland in an epic World Cup match in Shizuoka.
One of the rare Japanese rugby writers based in London, Takehana was there four years ago when Japan beat powerful South Africa in a World Cup match that made a national hero out of coach Eddie Jones and is now referred to simply as the Brighton miracle.
“Of course that one was a shock, but we could see early in the match that Japan was up for it and that South Africa had seemingly taken them lightly,” he said. “It was also happening in the UK so it was late at night in Japan as well. But this one in prime time at home with most of the country watching, you just cannot imagine it.”
Two weeks ago on the eve of the Word Cup, a docudrama entitled The Brighton Miracle, starring veteran Kiwi actor Temuera Morrison as Jones, premiered in Tokyo.
Well, it’s time to roll the cameras again. Anyone for the Shizuoka Shocker? As raucous fans lingered well into the evening around Ecopa Stadium, celebrations rolled throughout the capital and most notably in Tokyo’s infamous nightlife area Roppongi. “I like rugby very much,” said a celebratory Tomoko Matsumoto at Legends Sports Bar. “Now after this, all of Japan can like rugby as well.”
However, a few hours after the match ended, the foreigners seemed to outnumber the locals, as they often do in Roppongi, and most were not ready to let go of the big win.