Jamie Joseph presented himself at a press conference after the victory of the “Brave Blossom” (the nickname of the Japanese XV) with a score of 28-22: “It was a match that we had to win to keep a chance of qualify for the quarterfinals, and that’s what we managed to do.” Before returning to the appearance of a match which was a real fight: “it was a real standoff, it was a very physical match, difficult for us compared to the type of rugby we play.” He also reflected on the progress of a very eye-catching Samoa team: “Compared to the team we played in 2019, it was a very different Samoa team with more experience and better players. » The Pacific warriors made the Japanese selection tremble until the end.
The match against Argentina will serve as the round of 16, since the winner will qualify for the quarterfinals. The Japanese are also aware that they are not favorites: “In a World Cup, there are three level 2 teams and two level 1 teams in each group. To qualify for the quarter-finals, you have to beat a level 1 team. Samoa was a difficult match, England was difficult, against Chile too but by winning tonight, we get ourselves a great opportunity and it’s really very exciting.” An exciting challenge with immense stakes.