[Source: World Rugby]
Comments from Japan team manager Yuichiro Fujii and captain and flanker Michael Leitch at the team hotel in Hamamatsu on Sunday.
Yuichiro Fujii – Japan team manager
On the win over Ireland:
“We’ve been targeting this game since Jamie (Joseph (NZL), coach) took charge. I believe players and staff are all satisfied.”
On the key points in the win:
“I’ve watched the Ireland Scotland game and felt it was a team where we can impose ourselves. Our defence functioned well and we scored from a few chances we had. Tamura missed the first but his penalties should have put pressure on them too.
“We knew we could move the ball around as they leave space relatively out wide. We carried the ball well and made them run, they didn’t have the legs in the second half.”
On the coach’s reaction:
“Players and staff really believed in getting the win yesterday. He was proud like I said.”
On playing all the Tier 1 nations over the past four years;
“Including the (games with) Sunwolves, we were outplayed in many areas but also had areas where we could do what we intended. We’ve built things up and began to realise where we can and can’t cut it.”
Michael Leitch
On the win over Ireland:
“The will to win and having the confidence of if we could win was the biggest factor. We especially did well at the scrummaging, set-pieces and applying the pressure on the ball. As a whole each of us fulfilled their roles.”
On the next game against Samoa:
“Everything starts with preparation. We have to start with things like each player’s role, details and the resolve.
“The Samoa game will really be important. They are strong and, like at the last World Cup, put their physical side to the fore, so how much pressure we can apply when defending will be important. I’m not looking at the Scotland game yet, one game at a time.”
On the impact of the Ireland win compared to the one over South Africa four years ago:
“Both are fantastic wins. Last time we went in under no pressure where no one believed we could win, given the Japan team’s past record in the tournament being bad, and beating South Africa had a big impact on Japanese rugby.
“This time against Ireland, second-ranked team in the world, and under real pressure with all the expectations from those around us as hosts, that must have had a big impact. So when asked which was better I’d say there’s no such difference.”
On scrummaging:
“We’ve put the focus on ourselves for the past week, forming our best ones rather than focusing on what they’d do. We’ve prepared in the same way as against South Africa (friendly played on 6 September), eight against 10 trying to push back, which we didn’t do before the Russia game.
“The players had the best scrummaging practice. I was on the ‘Irish’ side (one of the 10 against the eight) formed by players not starting. It must have been very heavy but they focused on details and that was great practice.”
On Pieter Labuschagne, who was captain against Ireland:
“He had the experience of being the captain against Fiji (in July). He really cared (about me) after becoming the game captain but for us he is the best pick. Jamie and all of us trust him and have confidence in him.”
On the atmosphere of Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa:
“I’ve played in a few stadiums, won in Brighton against South Africa and also played in Twickenham but that was the best stadium I’ve played in in my life.
“The big stadium packed with red-and-white jerseys, there were Irish fans, too, and when I heard the Irish national anthem I felt the World Cup is wonderful.
“The Japanese fans gave us the huge cheer when we applied the pressure and also when we were under pressure and that must have put quite a pressure on Ireland. I hope we continue to get the support.”
