The rugby world marvelled at Japan’s victory over South Africa in Brighton. To demonstrate the moxie to turn down a penalty kick at goal in the final seconds and instead try to win the match outright illustrates the belief within Eddie Jones’s group.
All eyes will be trained on Kingsholm today hoping that the Brave Blossoms won’t wilt just four days on from the ferocious physical expenditure against the Springboks.
Jones has made six changes and two positional changes in a bid to maintain the energy and dynamism Japan will certainly need against Scotland.
The former Wallaby coach has said that his team has prepared assiduously for this scenario having played three Test matches within a week twice in the last two years.
Plugged into the adrenaline of the crowd, the majority of whom are likely to be cheering them on – even allowing for the fact that Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw plays for Gloucester – Japan will need to run their game by means other than pure energy.
The verbal sparring between Jones and Scotland coach Vern Cotter has added a nice sidebar to the occasion but that won't influence what happens on the pitch.
It is the Scots’ first outing and everyone expects them to be primed for action. The fact that they didn’t win a single match in the Six Nations this year shouldn’t camouflage the excellent work that Cotter has done in shaping the Scots into a better team.
It’s a work in progress but that development is there both in style and substance, as they demonstrated in a recent narrow defeat to France in Paris.
Sharp
If Japan give or kick possession away, then they might spend some time getting it back. The Scots are sharp at the breakdown, organised in the maul and boast a powerful lineout. In fullback Stuart Hogg they possess a player lethal in broken play.
Michael Leitch has led Japan superbly but there is no way of knowing precisely how much playing fuel remains. They won't lack confidence, application or innovation, but ultimately, while the heart and mind is willing, the body might take a little more convincing.
