By winning the win against Fiji, Uruguay set the tone for a Rugby World Cup 2019 promised novelties. But to think that the host country could afford the scalp of the first nation in the world rankings of the IRB ... And yet, at the end of a performance of the highest order, Japan is beautiful and well imposed against Ireland (19-12), and suddenly offers the first place of a Pool A where the XV of Trefoil is now mathematically threatened by Samoa.
Convincing from the first balls traded, the Japanese missed a few opportunities from the start of the match, and it is the realist Irish who opened the score by Ringrose (0-5, 14th). Conquerors, the Brave Blossoms reapplied on three penalties Tamura (18th, 34th, 39th), tilting with three points behind at the break, the Irish having scored a second try in the first half hour by Kearney (9-12 to half-time).
Fukuoka for history
And it is after the rest that the miracle materialized. After an ultra-solid start, Fukuoka found the fault just before the hour of play (59th), allowing his family to finally take the score (16-12). Heroic defense in the next ten minutes, while Ireland finally seemed to want to assume his status, Jamie Joseph's men have even taken seven steps ahead of a penalty (19-12, 72nd).
And, driven by the incredible atmosphere of Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, they managed to hold this incredible result, four years after the first feat of their history, when they beat South Africa during the group stage of the World Cup -2015.