Luke McLaughlin’s report has landed. With that I’ll say goodbye, for now. At the wheel again for a quarterfinal next week. This was a belter. No doubt the competition is only going to get better from here.
Does this tip it in Argentina’s favour?
🚨 Squad News
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) October 7, 2023
Taulupe Faletau has been ruled out of the remainder of the Rugby World Cup with a broken arm
👊 Pob lwc for the recovery Taulupe!#WelshRugby | #ViveLeCymru pic.twitter.com/2ebpXNhgt5
Welsh fans… are you looking forward to playing Argentina? Their attack is clearly firing now though their defence needs work. If they can get it right they’ll be confident of a victory. Remember, they beat the All Blacks last year and are now comfortably (more or less) the third best side in the Rugby Championship. Don’t get swayed by their poor show against England in the opening round. They’re a serious outfit. Though the loss of Matera could be damaging.
Jamie Joseph, Japan’s coach, had this to say:
I guess as a coach you can’t ask for much more. My boys gave everything, they are behind me breaking down crying. We conceded some soft tries, that’s the hurting part but it will go away with time.
I’m just the guy who gets them all together- next man up, somebody will take care of it. In really tough and difficult circumstances, they’ve been able to get from the 2019 World Cup to a stage where they can be proud of of this World Cup.
Next up we’ll hear from Argentina’s coach, Michael Cheika:
There are always nervous moments in the coach’s box. Just when you think you’re getting ahead, everyone is playing for their lives. We gave them a few easy entries which was unfortunate. We’ll have to turn that around next week and we’ll have a chance.
As you go along you have to get better. We scored a few tries and got a few under our belt. Our defence wasn’t very good so we sort of traded one for the other. But I think what changes now is the mentality. So many Argentinians put away their savings to come here this week and next week. I think our boys felt that pressure. You can’t think about that. The crowd is happy, they’re into it. [The team] can chill out now and play some footy.
[on Matera]. No, it doesn’t look good. It’s a hamstring injury. So that could be over. But hey, it’s never over ‘til it’s over.
Want to know what Shane Williams thinks?
What a game to watch. End to end. It could have gone either way. But it was the physicality and the work rate of the Argentinians that shone through in the end.
Japan are a big part of World Cup history. I remember them from the 2015 World Cup. They’ve left a legacy but it’s time for a new generation. I feel for them today. But at times it just wasn’t good enough. They fell off too many tackles and the better team won.
[Any advice for Warren Gatland?] Match them physically. They got over the gainline a bit too easy today. They won the collisions. Wales will physically match them. But do not let Mateo Carreras get his hands on the ball.
Here’s Japan’s skipper, Kazuki Himeno:
I’m really proud of all the boys and the effort they put in today and the way they played.
I’m really disappointed with the result, but I really appreciate all the fans’ support, it ‘s been huge to us. We talked about climbing Mount Everest, we didn’t get to the summit and have the Cherry Blossoms at the top. However, our legacy and the culture of Japanese rugby will continue and believe we will improve from now on.
The Japanese players are all in a line and bowing to their fans. No matter who you support, or where you’re from, it’s hard not to feel love for the Brave Blossoms.
Just in case you haven’t seen my pick for try of the tournament:
MAGIC from Japan 🇯🇵 🪄 #RWC2023 | #JPNvARG pic.twitter.com/U3fZWL2T60
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 8, 2023
Here’s the hat-trick hero, Mateo Carreras, who has rightly been awarded the player-of-the-match award:
I want to thank everyone who was here. We know it was a long way to travel. This is for the team. We work hard during the week.
We came here to qualify for the quarterfinal. Now we have to keep working and enjoy.
We are not [yet] the team we want to be. We have to keep building.
Full-time! Japan 27-39 Argentina
Argentina are through the last eight! No time to take the penalty and so we say farewell to the Brave Blossoms who played their part in a thrilling contest. We saw some blistering tries from both teams but it was Argentina’s physicality and their aggression in the wide channels and through midfield that made the difference. It helps with a winger bags a hat-trick, as Matea Carreras did, but standout shows from fewllow winger Emliano Boffelli, Juan Cruz Mallia at full-back and Santiago Chocobares at inside centre means there was always going to be one winner.
I loved that. After South Africa-Ireland and Portugal-Georgia, that was my favourite match of the tournament. Reaction from both camps coming up.
Updated
80 mins: We’re seconds away now. Argentina win a scrum penalty. They attempted an attack from deep with Chocobares running over a tackler. Boffelli and Mallia carried well too. Will they have time to play on?
78 mins: Argentina cough it up and Argentina have the ball back. Japan opted to go to the back of the line-out, which felt like an odd choice given the circumstances, and Argentina read it well. They lifted a jumper and disrupted the ball. Japan won it back but it was never clean and eventually they knock-on as they scrambled backwards. The Pumas fans are celebrating already. They’re heading to the quarterfinals.
77 mins: Japan get a penalty after making some progress from eight phases of meaty carries. But it’s too little too late. They’ll kick to the corner. Tell you what, if they score here they’ve got a sniff. But they have to score.
Penalty! Japan 27-39 Argentina (Sanchez, 75)
That should be that. A sweet strike from Sanchez’s right boot means this is all but over as a contest.
Updated
73 mins: Japan have no choice but to run from deep. But Argentina’s line won’t be breached. So Japan eventually kick and Mallia does superbly well to wriggle past a couple of chasers. Japan then get sucked into tackling a dummy runner so there’s a penalty awarded to Argentina. Sanchez will line this up and look to put the game to bed.
71 mins: True to form, Argentina knock-on after the restart so Japan have a scrum just inside the 22. But the Pumas can sniff a win here and their defence stands firm and force a knock-on from Japan in contact.
TRY! Japan 27-36 Argentina (M Carreras, 69)
Hat-trick for Carreras and that might be the game! Poor tackling again from Japan. If this is indeed their last match they’ll rue this glaring weakness. Argentina secured the restart and attacked down the right with Boffelli running through a few defenders. The ball was recycled and Japan strayed at the breakdown. With a penalty advantage M Carrerras got his hands on it and wormed his way through the line and over to score from 15 metres out. Sanchez converts and it’s a nine-pointer yet again.
Updated
TRY! Japan 27-29 Argentina (Naikabula, 67)
OH YES! Japan get their try! And it looked so simple. A tap from Saito to Leitch who hit it up. That set them up to go down the line for Naikabula who powered over in the right corner under pressure. Matsuda nails a tough kick that started from the left and curled back through the middle. Oh my word, this is such a good game!
Updated
65 mins: Oh Japan should have scored! Why didn’t Riley pass when he had two men to his right? He should have. If he did Japan would have scored. They did well to get the move working after Argentina’s defensive maul looked to have nudged Japan’s maul out of touch. Fifita kept it alive and the ball went down the line. Riley must have spotted a gap that wasn’t there as he put his head down and went alone. Still, they have a penalty five metres out and Saito is shaping for a tap and go.
63 mins: Argentina knock-on. Japan then win the scrum penalty and rather than go for poles – remember, they’ll have to score more than a converted try – they go to the corner. They want to knock off seven points off the target now.
61 mins: That’s poor from Japan. Credit for the ambition in sending it down the line but the execution was below par. Naikabula, on for Matsushima, had too much to do there and was meakly bundled into touch.
60 mins: Now Argentina knock-on after the restart. Japan need to land a corresponding blow from this scrum.
Nine points the difference. 20 minutes to go. Can Japan hit back?
TRY! Japan 20-29 Argentina (Boffelli, 58)
Argentina strike back immediately! That is a coach killer. Just after making it a two point game, Japan knock-on from the restart. Argentina’s scrum gets a great shove on and they open up the blindside. So Bertranou attacks the space created and it’s worked to Boffelli who has the freedom to run round and dot down with a Japanese player laying a hand on him. It was lovely work from the Argentines who played a slick move involving three backs. The ball went right, popped back left, and then spiralled right again. Delicious play. Boffelli then adds two more via the left upright.
Updated
Drop-goal! Japan 20-22 Argentina (Lemeki, 56)
Now then… Japan are within touching distance yet again after a high and handsome drop goal sails over the bar. Japan had the penalty advantage so the full-back in the pocket though, ‘Why not?’ and launched one from deep.
Updated
54 mins: Boffelli plucks a wonder grab from the sunny sky and gets his team on the front foot. But another knock-on in contact means Argentina give away possession. I’ve lost track of how many times that’s happened. What will they do if they get the chance to face a more physical side (Wales) in the next round?
Just confirmed on the screen. Argentina have made 10 handling errors to Japan’s three.
Updated
Penalty! Japan 17-22 Argentina (Matsuda, 52)
As expected, the Japanese 10 kicks his team to within a converted try of winning the match.
Updated
51 mins: Another penalty for Japan. Decision time. Eight points behind so they’ll need to score more than a converted try. They make the right choice and point to the poles. Matsuda shouldn’t have any problems from here. He’s right in front.
50 mins: Ding-dong rugby. One team attacks and then another returns the favour. This back and forth period ends with Japan getting a penalty and setting a line-out in Argentina’s 22. What a game this is!
TRY! Japan 14-22 Argentina (M Carreras, 46)
Two for the Newcastle Falcon! Argentina kept hammering around the fringe and continued to suck in defenders. Once they felt confident to send it wide, and with a penalty advantage, it was spiralled left and made its way to M Carreras on the overlap. A covering tackler sprinted his way but he stepped him with ease. Boffelli converts a tricky kick and it’s an eight point game.
Updated
45 mins: Argentina just about secure the ball from the line-out and work it right. M Carreras wriggles through a couple of tacklers. Japan’s blitz defence is stifling Argentina’s progress but they are progressing. Into the 22 now. Chocobares runs over a tackler around the fringe. 10m out now.
43 mins: Japan are into the 22. Leitch played a wonderful no-look off-load. There’s almost an intercfept but Japan still have it. They’re building well. Argentina slow it down and its Montoya who wins a penalty on the ground! End to end. Fantastic defence from Argentina who had to rally after a line break earlier from Riley and Fifita on the right.
41 mins: Gonazlez charges up field. This half has started the way the first ended. It’s a frenetic pace from the men in navy. Immense speed at the ruck. Oh but Lavinini has spilled it. Riley off-loads to Fifita. Japan are coming back with pace of their own.
Back under way. Delicately poised, you might say. 40 minutes left for one of these teams. Which one will go home?
Get a load of this!
A Tony Brown Special pic.twitter.com/fupHwH81cJ
— Rugby Bits (@RugbyBits) October 8, 2023
Some half-time reading:
There’s a man who knows a thing or two about scoring slick tries:
The Brave Blossoms replies in style,brilliant try,wow this game on edge,who will get to the QF?
— Breyton Paulse (@BreytonPaulse) October 8, 2023
Half-time: Japan 14-15 Argentina
What a half! I loved that. Argentina scored early, Japan scored late and between that both teams touched down after excellent rugby. There’s just one point in it. It really feels like the knockout game that it is. If it continues like this, it might go down as an all-time classic.
Updated
TRY! Argentina 15-14 Japan (Saito, 38)
Fantastic, yet again, another glorious try! This game has delivered four outstanding scores. This one\s from Saito who finished a move that went down the line from a scrum and found a gap through a Riley burst near the left tram. That opened the space and Fifita kept running and stepped off his left foot after a little dummy. He might have gone alone but recognised the support line from Saito on his inside and played a simple pass for his mate. Matsuda’s nudge off the tee makes it a one point game.
Updated
37 mins: Mallia goes up for a high ball and knocks-on. For some reason he wasn’t happy with the call and wags a finger in the face of referee Ben O’Keefe. He continues to do so. No idea what he was complaining about. It was a knock-on.
Penalty! Argentina 15-7 Japan (Boffelli, 35)
No problem this time. He’s rediscovered his radar after two misses. Japan back to 15 men as Labuschagne returns from the naughty corner.
33 mins: Argentina, through Petti, pinch the line-out and attack with meaty carries around the fringe. They have a penalty advantage in the 22 but can’t take advantage of it. Montoya points to the sticks.
31 mins: It’s getting a little scrappy again. Been a strange game. It’s been large periods of mess peppered with brief flashes of brilliance. Japan have a scrum, lose the ball, Argentina get it and kick down field. To be fair, that was an accurate punt from S Carreras who nudges it out just beyond Japan’s 22.
TRY! Argentina 12-7 Japan (M Carreras, 28)
Another blockbuster try! Japan’s attack was getting nowhere so Matsuda shifts to the pocket and attempts a dropped-goal. Kremer charges forward and blocks it with his face. Argentina then launch a clearing kick that is brilliantly fielded by Mallia. It then shifts to Newcastle’s M Carreras who ghosts down the left tram and speeds over the line after a brilliant hand-off. Boffelli can’t convert but that felt like a pivotal moment. Japan were on the attack and are now behind on the scoreboard again.
Updated
26 mins: Argentina look bereft of ideas. It’s all crash ball around the fringe and Japan are holding firm. In fact they win a penalty after an Argentinie box kick doesn’t go anywhere and brings in a couple of off-sides players in to the game (though they should have known better than to get involved before getting on-side). So Japan can launch the ball upfield and set a line-out in the 22.
24 mins: After an age, Boffelli lines up the penalty from the right and surprisingly misses it. He can’t bring it back round after starting it outside of the upright. Matera is off injured. He doesn’t look good. Shoulder I think. Alemanno replaces him. And good new for Japan, the yellow will remain yellow.
Updated
Yellow card! Japan (Labuschagne, 23)
No doubt about it. Shoulder to the head of Gallo. It’ll go to the bunker to see if yellow morphs into red. The Pumas will look to pounce now with one of Japan’s meatiest forwards off the oark,
Updated
23 mins: Things get a little scrappy. Despite Argentina’s extra heft in the carry they still continue to cough the ball up in contact. A couple of Pumas are down and requiring medical attention. Oh, there may be a yellow card coming…
22 mins: Great steal from Argentina. Matera – who else – over the ball as Japan’s attack, after going down the blindside from the scrum, is repelled all too easily. Japan are not going to bulldoze their way through Argentina. They have to spread the ball.
20 mins: Now S Carreras kicks it too long from his own 22 and it bobbles over the dead ball area all the way on the other side of the field. Now Japan have a wonderful opportunity to set a scrum with a big open side to the left and enough of a blindside to keep things interesting.
18 mins: S Carreras drops the ball under no pressure in midfield. It wasn’t a clean pass and he had to stoop low. But that is the sort of thing the Pumas have been doing too often this World Cup. Another promising attack dissipates.
TRY! Argentina 7-7 Japan (Fakatava, 16)
TRY OF THE TOURNAMENT! Outrageous. Is he a lock forward or is he a blistering backline player? He’s wearing 5 on his back but you’d never know it. He collected the ball in the tram on the right, put on the afterburners as he held the ball with one hand, chipped over the onrushing defenders, gathered the ball after a kind bounce and cantered over the line to score. Just outrageous skill. Matsuda slots the conversion to make it all square.
Updated
14 mins: Japan spill it again in contact. They’re working it through the phases well enough and Saito is everywhere, zipping passes and stitching things together on the wraparound. But they’re trying to force it a bit. One too many off-loads under pressure. They need to show a bit more patience with ball in hand.
12 mins: Saito just played a dink kick over his head! He was facing backwards and chipped over his shoulder from the base of a ruck and Japan retain the ball inside Argentina’s 22. What a move! It was from clean ball off the line-out. Japan were building and a long pass to Leitch was bobbled and then gathered. That took the momentum out of the attack and a knock-on killed it five metres out. But that was all about Saito’s creativity. Wonderful.
10 min: Ah, big penalty win for Japan. It’s taken 10 minutes but their defence holds firm. Good pinch on the ground just as Argentina were starting to stretch the line.
9 min: Boffelli plucks a high ball from the air. What a player! He can’t get the pass away so Argentina recycle. S Carreras stabs a kick ahead and Japan mop up but Argentina win it back immediately. They’re building just outside the 22.
7 min: Boffelli makes around 30 metres with a bursting charge from a Saito box-kick. Poor tacklers fell off him as he accelerated through the middle. He’s eventually brought down and as the ball moves down the line towards it’s eventually knocked on at the back of the ruck. Japan with the scrum feed. Japan’s tackling has been diabolical. They’ve missed five already.
6 min: Monster scrum from the Japanese. They get a strong second shove and start wheeling the Pumas pack. Penalty. Fantastic work from the Blossoms’ front row. Matsuda hoofs it out on the halfway line.
5 min: Japan can’t keep the ball after a scruffy line-out and Argentina are hammering the midfield. S Carreras the hoists a high kick that challenges Fifita on the wing. But there’s a knock-on from the chasing Argentine. M Carreras I think. Japan have the scrum on the 22 all the way to the left.
3 min: There’s a spill at the restart. The early kick-off time means the sun will play a role. Expect to see a few high kicks. Argentina mop up though and exit well to get it around the halfway line.
TRY! Argentina 7-0 Japan (Chocobares, 2)
What a start for Argentina! Too easy. Off the back of a rolling maul from a line-out, the ball went to the inside centre and he burst through an tacjle and then stepped the last defender around the 22m line. So so simple. Boffelli slots the extras and Argentina are away.
Updated
Peeeeep! Argentina kick-off. Win or bust for both sides. Let’s go!!!
Almost time. Confirmed that Argentina are in their changed strip of navy with a diagonal white stripe across the chest. Think of the United States’ men’s away shirt from 2010, if that helps.
Japan in their classic white and cherry red horizontals.
Emiliano Boffelli has rightly been singled out on ITV. He was the reason Argentina beat Samoa and he’s almost certainly the most important player in the side.
If he fires they’ll be fine. If he has a quiet one, well, things might get a little dicey.
“This is maybe the most important game in our history” – Argentina’s captain, Agustin Creevy.
I’m paraphrasing slightly, but that’s the gist of what the skipper said this week.
I don’t yet know if one if the sides will be in a changed strip. My guess is that they will be. But how good is it to see two groups of fans in horizontal stripes?
Those are proper rugby jerseys. 10/10 for both of them.
既に会場の雰囲気は最高🤩🤩🤩#ラグビーワールドカップ2023#RWC2023 | #JPNvARG pic.twitter.com/Xqn5SjbAl5
— ラグビーワールドカップ™ (@rugbyworldcupjp) October 8, 2023
The last time these sides met, Argentina walloped Japan 54-20. That was back in 2016 and a lot has changed since then. Japan now know they can upset a tier-one team and they also know that Argentina have spluttered so far in France.
Japan opting for continuity
Jamie Joseph has made just one change to the starting XV from their 28-22 win over Samoa. with Siosaia Fifita replacing Jone Naikabula on the left wing. Eight of the XV have started every game at RWC 2023: Amato Fakatava, Keita Inagaki, Jiwon Gu, Jack Cornelsen, Michael Leitch, Rikiya Matsuda, Kotato Matsushima, and Ryoto Nakamura.
This is the last roll of the dice for some ageing stars who have been there throughout this golden period of Japanese rugby. They’ll be desperate to keep the lights on a little longer.
Japan: Lomano Lemeki; Kotaro Matsushima, Dylan Riley, Ryoto Nakamura, Siosaia Fifita; Rikiya Matsuda, Naoto Saito; Keita Inagaki, Shota Horie, Jiwon Gu; Jack Cornelsen, Amato Fakatava; Michael Leitch, Pieter Labuschagne, Kazuki Himeno (captain)
Replacements: Atsushi Sakate, Craig Millar, Asaeli Ai Valu, Warner Dearns, Amanaki Saumaki, Yutaka Nagare, Ryohei Yamanaka, Jone Naikabula
Here’s your Brave Blossom team to take on Argentina this Sunday in the Pool D quarter final decider 🔥#JPN v #ARG
— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) October 6, 2023
📆 Sunday, 8 October 20:00 JST
🏟️ Nantes, France
📡 NTV/Hulu /TVer
📡 JSports1/JSports On Demand #GoWithTheBrave | #JPNvARG pic.twitter.com/s73qbUcGOX
Argentina make 11 changes
The rejigged outfit is an expected one. Their last match was against Chile and some heavier hitters were rested. There’s plenty of experience in this match-day 23 with the top three, and five of Los Pumas’ top six most capped players of all-time are named in this squad: Agustín Creevy (104), Nicolas Sanchez (100), Pablo Matera (97), Julian Montoya (91) and Matias Alemanno (90).
Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallia; Emiliano Boffelli, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou; Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (captain), Francisco Gómez Kodela; Guido Petti Pagadizabal, Tomas Lavanini; Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez
Replacements: Agustín Creevy, Joel Sclavi, Eduardo Bello, Matias Alemanno, Pedro Rubiolo, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolás Sánchez, Matías Moroni
Nuestro equipo para enfrentar a Japón. ¡𝗩𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘀, 𝗣𝘂𝗺𝗮𝘀! 🇦🇷
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) October 6, 2023
📆 Domingo 8/10
⏰ 08:00 h
🆚 Japón 🇯🇵
📍 Nantes
📺 @ESPNArgentina / TV Pública #SomosLosPumas | #MásPumasQueNunca pic.twitter.com/AHDmCMlD9t
Preamble
The quarter-finals are a week away but we have our first genuine knockout match of the competition. The winner goes through to play Wales in the next round. The lose goes home. Tournament rugby at it’s most basic.
Argentina will start as favourites. And so they should. They’re one of the so-called tier-one nations and have brushed shoulders with the giants of the southern hemisphere in the Rugby Championship since 2011. They’ve won five of the six matches they’ve played against the Brave Blossoms of Japan and have won three of the last four.
But the Pumas haven’t exactly set the house on fire this tournament. They delivered absolute dross against England and were scratchy against Samoa. The Brave Blossoms will provide a stern test of their character and skills today.
However, Japan themselves have been disappointing despite showing some gumption against England in a valiant defeat. But perhaps that is unkind. This is not the same Japanese outfit that wowed the world four years ago on home soil and the fact that they’re still in with a shout of a spot in the last eight is worthy of praise considering their diminished status in the game.
If I’m sounding like a pessimist, I apologise. I assure you I’m hyped for this one. They’re two flawed teams, there is no denying that, but they have enough talent in their squads to dazzle. And with everything on the line, neither side will hold anything back.
Kick off at 12pm BST/1pm local time in Nantes.
Teams and further updates to follow.
