Hosts Japan produce huge upset to shock Ireland 19-12 at Rugby World Cup

Monday, 30 September 2019 01:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Japan’s back row Michael Leitch had an instant impact when he came on

SHIZUOKA, AFP: Kenki Fukuoka struck the killer blow as hosts Japan stunned Ireland 19-12 on Saturday to take a giant step towards the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

The replacement winger wriggled over on the hour mark to score the winning try of a frenetic Pool A clash as the Brave Blossoms pulled off a breath-taking upset.

Japan’s Brave Blossoms can now add the ‘Shizuoka Shock’ to the ‘Brighton Miracle’ after toppling South Africa at the 2015 tournament.

Ireland, who thrashed Scotland 27-3 in their opening game, had looked in control after first-half tries from Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney.

But they went off the boil as Japan grew into the match, roared on by a partisan crowd of 47,000.

Fukuoka made the difference, wriggling over on the overlap to complete a stunning team try and put the home side in front – where they stayed, leaving Ireland’s players slumped on the turf in disbelief.

Kotaro Matsushima, hat-trick hero of Japan’s 30-10 win over Russia in last week’s tournament curtain raiser, posed an early threat on as Japan edged a cagey opening.

Fly-half Yu Tamura fluffed a makeable penalty, before Ireland took the lead after 13 minutes when the rampaging Ringrose rose brilliantly to snaffle Jack Carty’s hanging kick into the corner.

Carty, stepping into for Ireland’s talismanic playmaker Johnny Sexton, produced another moment of magic seven minutes later, dinking a clever chip that he managed to tip back to full-back Kearney to crash over.

Japan refused to buckle, however, and Tamura kept them in it with three clutch penalties.

Regular captain Michael Leitch’s introduction after half an hour provided an instant impact, but Ireland survived to go into halftime up 12-9.

Tamura missed a three-pointer 14 minutes after the interval that would have tied the game.