So long then, and thank you, Japan. Bruises fade, bones heal, tears dry, and even the pain of this will give way, in time, to resounding pride at everything this team have achieved in these last few weeks, and the four consecutive victories that came before this last defeat. Because whichever of the four sides left in this tournament go on to win it, this will be remembered as Japan’s World Cup. Not just because of the job they have done of hosting it but for the way their team, representing what is, in the large part, still an amateur league, lit up the sport with their bravery, wit, and creativity.
Japanese fans have a saying, “ganbare!” It is another one of those fiddly words that people tend to split three ways when they translate it: “Do your best!”, “hang in!”, “go for it!” And that’s exactly what they did. When Faf de Klerk scored the try that decided the game, in the 66th minute, Japan were 18 points down and there were 14 minutes to play. The game had gone then, but their indomitable captain Michael Leitch pulled them all together into a circle underneath the posts and shouted at them to go again. Which they did. All the way to within arm’s reach of the South African try-line.
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