Japan and Samoa fight for their Rugby World Cup survival

TOULOUSE – Japan and Samoa face off in the “death zone” in Toulouse on Thursday, both knowing that defeat will leave their Rugby World Cup hopes hanging by a thread and that even victory might ultimately not be enough.

Samoa are second in Pool D, nine points behind leaders England (14) and ahead of Japan on points difference, but a victory without a bonus point could allow Argentina (four), who face the group’s whipping boys Chile on Saturday, to jump to second with one round of games to go.

In the last round, Japan face Argentina and Samoa face in-form England, a team they have never beaten.

“This Samoa game is a very important one for us,” Japan captain Kazuki Himeno said on Tuesday. “But in this death zone, we knew this was coming.”

For the game on Thursday, Japan will kick off with four players who also started in victories over Samoa at the last two World Cups – hooker Shota Horie, prop Keita Inagaki, flanker Michael Leitch and winger Kotaro Matsushima.

The Brave Blossoms won 26-5 in Milton Keynes in 2015. They also beat South Africa that year, but, despite winning three games out of four, finished third in the group because they picked up no bonus points.

In 2019, they beat Samoa 38-19 on home soil, with Matsushima scoring the bonus-point try in the 80th minute.

That was bracketed by wins over Ireland and Scotland as Japan reached the quarter-finals for the first time.

“We beat Ireland such a long time ago,” said coach Jamie Joseph. “This tournament is completely different.”

Samoa’s World Cup arc has curved in the other direction.

As Western Samoa, they reached the quarter-finals in their first two World Cup appearances, in 1991 and 1995.

In 1999, Samoa thrashed Japan 43-9 in Wrexham. But they ended up second in the group on points difference to hosts Wales, who beat Japan 64-15.

With the World Cup experimenting with five groups of four for its first 20-team competition, Samoa went into a quarter-final play-off, which they lost to Scotland.

Since then, they have not advanced from the group stage, but changes to player eligibility rules encouraged optimism this time.

“I feel they have a much better squad than they did at the last World Cup,” said Joseph of his opponents, who have three former All Blacks and an ex-Wallaby in their squad.

The New Zealander knows all about the threat of Samoa, who delivered a message in Sapporo in July when they beat the Japanese 24-22.

Likewise, Samoa coach Seilala Mapusua is wary of the Brave Blossoms.

“We have seen an improvement in the Japanese team and an improvement in our own team,” he said. “So while we played each other back in July... both teams have improved, so we can’t really look too much to that game and that result.”

The players themselves have also done their homework.

Japan’s Lomano Lemeki, coming in at fullback for the injured Semisi Masirewa, said he hopes Samoa repeat the mistakes they made as they lost their last match 19-10 to Argentina.

“I think they could have won if they had kicked better. They used the forwards too much,” he said.

Samoa captain Chris Vui agreed that his team had wasted chances against Argentina.

“They just need to give me the ball!” he said. “From last week, we just need to finish our sets off.”

One positive for Japan is that Samoa will head into the clash without any of their former All Blacks in the starting line-up.

Steven Luatua moved to the bench to make way for Sa Jordan Taufua at No. 8, prop Charlie Faumuina dropped out of the match-day squad altogether and fly-half Lima Sopoaga, who missed the Pumas clash with a calf strain, was again omitted. AFP, REUTERS