RUGBY WORLD CUP 2023/ JAPAN-SAMOA 28-22

Japan holds its importantissime success in the race for second place!

Great operation from Japan, who won a crucial match for second place against Samoa! More sharp and supportive, the Nippons have put forward beautiful values to hold in extremis a success not easy to go get.

Well launched by a good first period, the Japanese were never caught by Samoans reduced to 14 after the exclusion of Ben Lam in the 50th minute. But they trembled at the end of the game, despite their power play, did not manage to catch the offensive bonus, and saw their opponents return less than a converted try in the last minutes.

Thanks to this victory, the Japanese are back to second place in Pool D, ahead of their opponents of the evening. They will thus be in a strong position before their last match against Argentina, which could be the final for qualification if the Pumas win against Chile on Saturday (15h).

Samoa, on the other hand, are doomed to a defeat by Argentina coupled with an exploit against XV de la Rose with the bonus on the last day to hope to see the quarters.

If they finish third, they will automatically qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Australia. This result also gives England a ticket to the quarter-finals, as they can no longer finish outside the top two.

Pascal Amstrong