Yokohama (Japan) (AFP)
Japan pocketed the final ticket for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup, thanks to its success against Scotland (28-21) on Sunday in Yokohama.
Japan, for the first time in their quarter-final history, will face South Africa next Sunday, while Ireland will face the All Blacks on Saturday. Meanwhile, England will play Australia on Saturday, and France will face Wales next Sunday.
Twenty-four hours after Typhoon Hagibis struck Japan, killing at least 26 people and causing massive damage, the Brave Blossoms won a symbolic victory.
The meeting, which was confirmed Sunday morning just hours before the kickoff, was preceded by a moment of moving silence in memory of the victims of the typhoon, and the Brave Blossoms seemed transcended by the special atmosphere. who surrounded this match.
Authors of four tries, they win with the offensive bonus at the expense of the Scots who had put pressure on World Rugby to play the game absolutely, because a cancellation, synonymous with draw (0-0), would have caused their elimination without to play.
The chief executive of the federation (SRU) said in particular: "We will not let Scotland be the collateral victim of a hasty decision", leaving the threat of recourse to the courts in the event of a death. cancellation of the match due to typhoon Hagibis.
In return, the Scots had suffered serious criticism from World Rugby but also from their opponents of the Japanese day.
© 2019 AFP