All the pressure will be on Japan to win this weekend and a confident Hong Kong is hoping that will go some way to helping them pull off an historic upset when they take on the Brave Blossoms in the ARFU Asian Five Nations finale in Tokyo on Sunday.
Both teams are undefeated heading into the climactic decider in Tokyo, which also marks the start of the Rugby World Cup Trophy tour. In what promises to be a special day for Japanese sport, the iconic Webb Ellis Cup will be present at the National Stadium in Tokyo for what will be the last ever event in that iconic venue before it is redeveloped ahead of Rugby World Cup 2019 and the 2020 Olympics.
Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “This match is extremely important for both sides. Japan will want to show the world that they are a serious force ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup and, of course, as they prepare to become the first Asian nation to host the event four years later.”
“And Hong Kong will want to make history and turn the Asian Rugby order around by qualifying for their first-ever Rugby World Cup. These two teams have shown themselves to be the best in Asia and I am expecting a fast, exciting match in front of a passionate and knowledgeable crowd,” added Mr Lapasset.
Hong Kong team manager Dai Rees admitted it will be a tough trip but said that their was “an air of expectation” among his side, who enter the last game unbeaten and knowing that a victory could book them a ticket to the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
“We feel we have put Japan a little bit on the back foot with our three performances to date. No one would have expected us to have won so convincingly and our performance against Korea will have unfortunately re-focussed their [Japan’s] minds squarely on the task this weekend,” said Dai Rees, who is also the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union’s head of technical development and performance.
“It is going to be a tough ask. But the way we are performing, and if we can put them under a little bit of pressure and still be in the game by half-time, then who knows what can happen,” Rees added.
Hong Kong defeated Philippines 108-0, Sri Lanka 41-10 and South Korea 39-6 to stay level with Japan on 18 points at the top of the standings.
Japan head coach Eddie Jones admitted that Hong Kong could pose a danger and said while his side would look to play “attractive rugby” the main goal would be to win and book the automatic berth available for Asia at next year’s Rugby World Cup.
The winner will join Pool B alongside South Africa, Samoa, Scotland, and the United States. The loser will go into a first stage repechage against Uruguay.
“We are going into our last qualifying match very respectful of Hong Kong but also confident that we can play good rugby,” Jones said.
“This is the most important game of the year and we expect Hong Kong to be very physical. They have a good set piece and a good kicking stand-off and will try to play a lot of field possession and try to dominate the scrums and lineouts,” Jones added.
Japan will field their three Super Rugby representatives in the starting XV with the Melbourne Rebels duo of Shota Horie and Male Sa’u at hooker and outside centre, respectively, and Harumichi Tatekawa, who has spent the season with the Brumbies, named at inside centre.
“They have been with us for the past week and we really want to play some good rugby and to do this we have to be strong at the breakdown. While playing attractive rugby is a goal, the most important thing is to win and make sure we qualify for the World Cup,” Jones added.
Hong Kong will make one change to the starting line-up that comfortably defeated Korea 39-6 a fortnight ago running in five tries.
Hooker Tom Bolland is unavailable and will be replaced by Alex Harris who started from the bench against Korea. Lachlan Chubb comes into the squad as a replacement hooker.
There are two more changes on the bench with last year’s captain and fullback Tom McColl and scrumhalf Kenneth Hsieh coming in to replace the unavailable Nick Wheatley and the injured Jamie Hood respectively.
“There is no pressure on us because everybody expects us not to win, but there is an expectation and confidence within the players and they are excited to be going over to Japan this weekend,” Rees said. “They feel they have a real chance of upsetting the formbook, which is great from a bunch of boys from Hong Kong.”
Japan has represented Asia in each of the seven previous editions of the World Cup and is the odds-on favourites to do so again.
Jones said: “We have got three Super Rugby players with us for the second week and we really want to play some good rugby and make sure we make the best of the 80 minutes.”
The match will be streamed live at www.rugbyworldcup.com from 17:00 local time (BST +8).
In the weekend’s other match, South Korea travel to the Philippines for a crucial decider to qualify for third place overall on this year’s table.
Both South Korea and the Philippines have one win and two losses – both team’s victories coming over Sri Lanka, with the Philippines nipping the Tuskers by a single point last week in a nail-biting climax in Colombo. The standings leave this weekend’s head to head result as a crucial decider with the Philippines Volcanoes needing a straight win as South Korea have the better points differential.
The winner of this weekend’s clash in the Philippines will qualify as one of the top three teams to take part in a revamped elite competition next year amongst the top three teams in this year’s Top 5.
That competition will be played on a home and away basis in 2015. Japan and Hong Kong have already booked their spots amongst next year’s Top 3; Sri Lanka and the loser of the Philippines v South Korea match will be relegated to next year’s Division I tournament.
