This archive report was first published on 2 October 2019.
Published on October 2, 2019, Japan's Rugby World Cup campaign is gaining momentum after their momentous victory over Ireland.
With their sights set on the quarter-finals, Japan is now focusing on their next challenge: a match against Samoa in Toyota City on Saturday.
According to Jamie Joseph, Japan's head coach, his team has been preparing for this moment for three years.
"We're focusing on what we want to do and what we want to achieve on the weekend, and hopefully we can force the other team to play in a different way," said Pieter Labuschagne, the stand-in skipper against Ireland.
Labuschagne emphasized the importance of being prepared for the different challenges each Pool A opponent presents.
Japan knows that fronting up in the scrum will be key to giving their dynamic backs the chance to cause problems against the Samoan pack, one of the heaviest at the tournament.
"They are really big and strong, so we are getting ready to push with eight of us together," said Japanese prop Jiwoon Koo.
With Pool A so finely poised, bonus points could be key, but the Japanese are focusing on the win above all else.
"We've got the abilities to score tries, so first we'll concentrate on winning games and then we'll go for it if things are going well," said winger Kotaro Matsushima, who scored a hat-trick against Russia in the opening match.
