Rugby: Japan stress they are looking past South Africa but Boks want redemption

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Much has been said that Japan are looking to prove miracles can happen twice when they take on South Africa on Friday night at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium. But the message from the Brave Blossoms is that at the end of the day there are far bigger games on the horizon with the Rugby World Cup kicking off in two weeks time, and that the past should be left in the past.

"We're not necessarily planning to play them, we're planning to play Russia (in their Pool A opener) and the games that follow that," Japan assistant coach Tony Brown said Thursday of the clash with the two-time world champions. As head coach Jamie Joseph said the previous day, "Russia is a must-win game, South Africa is a must-perform game."

The Springboks, on the other hand, are taking a slightly different approach, not surprising given how much the loss to Japan four years ago hurt the nation's pride. Rassie Erasmus' team open their Pool B campaign against New Zealand on Sept. 21 but the chance to get some redemption for what has been dubbed the "Brighton Miracle" has seen the South Africans concentrate solely on this game.

"We still have a memory of that game and are not looking past (this Friday)," said South Africa captain Siya Kolisi. Nine of the Springbok side took part in the 34-32 defeat in Brighton, England, and Kolisi said the team's early arrival in Japan had allowed them to focus solely on beating the host nation, in what is just the two sides' second meeting.


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