Brave Blossoms have been inspirational in the past two World Cups but are still working to grow the sport’s popularity
Tetsuo Jimbo, who started following the national team long before Brighton, agreed that, post-2019, rugby has struggled to build on that. “The World Cup was a big success for Japan … they realised their dream of making the quarter-finals, and it also attracted a huge number of new rugby fans.”
The unkind time difference aside – although the following day is a public holiday – events in France face plenty of competition for the attention of Japanese sports fans. The professional baseball season is reaching its climax, while football is basking in the afterglow of the men’s andJoseph concedes that reaching the quarter-finals for a second time would be a massive challenge, but believes his side could pull off yet another surprise on the sport’s biggest stage.
Jimbo will be among the loyalists dragging themselves out of bed in the small hours of Monday in time for the 8pm kick-off in France. Sacrificing sleep will be worth it, he says. “I honestly think Japan have a good chance of beating England.”
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