Tokyo (AFP)
D-Day is coming: New Zealand, a two-time World Rugby World Cup winner, is serene and "very determined" in Japan, just eight days before the start, against South Africa. one of his most serious competitors for the supreme crown, with England.
New Zealanders and South Africans will not open the ball, an honor reserved for the host country of the 9th edition (20 September-2 November), opposed to Russia next Friday (19:45 local / 10:45 GMT) at Tokyo Stadium.
But the shock, the next day (18:45 / 09:45 GMT), between two of the three favorites at the Webb-Ellis Cup, which cumulate five World Cups between them (3 for the Blacks, 2 for the Boks), will offer a piece of entry choice for rugby fans.
And could, in addition to decide the first place in Pool B, give a psychological upside to the winner for possible reunion in the final, in the same International Stadium Yokohama.
The two teams left on July 27 on a draw (16-16) in Wellington during the Rugby Championship, won in the end by the South Africans.
What inspired this statement to New Zealand assistant coach Ian Foster on Wednesday: "We are going to meet a very confident South African team, but they will face a very determined All Blacks team. that South Africa will be 100% ready, we have to make sure it is as well. "
- High heat -
The Springboks have in any case arrived in Japan before them: from September 1, since they faced the 6 Japan for a final game of preparation. Result: a big victory 41 to 7, in a reissue of the meeting of World-2015 in England, won to the surprise by the "Cherry Blossoms".
To meet South Africans from the start, a complicated introduction? On the contrary, according to Foster: "We love this draw because it puts us immediately in the big bath.We will have no excuses, it will directly put a lot of intensity."
That's probably why New Zealanders surrendered their base camp north-east of Tokyo on Wednesday in Kashiwa for a sustained first training session, which was advanced early in the morning to avoid high temperatures (the thermometer soared up to 38 degrees, with high humidity). "The players were very receptive and they were very good at what they had to do," Foster said.
If the All Blacks anticipated the high temperatures, they could not do anything against the consequences of typhoon Faxai, which hit the Tokyo area in the night from Sunday to Monday and made them arrive in Kashiwa on Monday with two hours late. Japanese schoolchildren wearing Silver Fern jerseys on their backs greeted them with a "haka".
- The Rose in Miyazaki -
They were better off than the English. Arrived Monday morning in Japan after having completed, three days earlier against Italy (37-0), an almost perfect preparation during which they squirted Ireland (57-19), the men of Eddie Jones have waited five hours at Narita International Airport before flying to Kyushu Island.
The XV de la Rose, which is aiming for a second world title after 2003, has established its first neighborhoods along the Pacific, in Miyazaki. But it is all the way north, in Sapporo, that he will start competing on September 22 against Tonga.
The Australians, who will also compete in Sapporo (September 21 against Fiji), they were forced, because of typhoon Faxai, to shift their departure 24 hours. The defending world champions finally arrived Tuesday in Odawara, some 90 kilometers south of Tokyo, which was to rally Thursday the Welsh, their most serious opponent in Pool D.
Also eligible for the title, the Irish (Pool A) set foot on Thursday in Japan, which will be, in a week, the epicenter of world rugby until early November.
© 2019 AFP