Follow live updates as Japan and South Africa go head to head in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup.
Sunday’s clash in Tokyo will be the first time the two sides have met at the tournament since Japan’s famous win over the Springboks in 2015. They did, however, face off earlier this summer in a World Cup warm-up, with Rassie Erasmus’ men romping to a 41-7 victory.
Jamie Joseph’s men beat Scotland 28-21 in a thrilling encounter last weekend to secure their first-ever place in the last eight. Whereas the hosts qualified top of Pool A, having won all four of their games, South Africa finished second in Pool B, one point behind rivals New Zealand. Follow our rolling coverage below:
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71 min: Japan 3-26 South Africa (Mapimpi try)
TRY! Makazole Mapimpi dives over for the Springboks!
69 min: Japan 3-21 South Africa
Japan take the fight back to their opponents and are rewarded with a five-metre line-out. But Shota Horie’s throw is plucked out of the sky by the towering Springboks. It’s been the same story all game long.
66 min: Japan 3-21 South Africa (De Klerk try, Pollard conversion)
After the line-out, South Africa must have made 30 metres from the rolling maul. Slowly but surely it churned its way forward, the Japanese helpless to stop the Springboks in their tracks.
When the window of opportunity appeared, with the Brave Blossoms caught cold, the point of attack was switched in the blink of an eye to send Faf de Klerk crashing through the hosts’ defence and over the line.
TRY! Faf de Klerk dives over for South Africa!
65 min: Japan 3-14 South Africa
It’s a real mess off the restart.
Cheslin Kolbe collects near the touchline and is immediately swamped by Kenki Fukuoka. But in a remarkable display of strength, with the ball under his arm, he appears to lift his opposite man off the ground and hurl him over his back. At the same time, his scrum cap is snatched at by another chasing Japanese player.
It’s that which seems which seems to catch the attention of Wayne Barnes. South Africa to kick forward for the line-out.
64 min: Japan 3-14 South Africa (Pollard penalty)
The fly-half makes no mistakes this time. South Africa pull further ahead…
63 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
James Moore is pinged for catching the effervescent Faf de Klerk around the neck near Japan’s 10. It wasn’t particularly malicious but high nonetheless.
Handre Pollard to kick three points.
60 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
Even in the face of monumental pressure from the Springboks, Japan are still refusing to abandon their free-wheeling approach – regardless of where they are on the pitch.
Rikiya Matsuda is the latest example, taking play from his try line past one player before crashing into a wall of green shirts.
59 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
Handre Pollard misses his penalty kick! He pulls it across the face of the goal posts. Japan hanging in.
57 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
Destructive dominance from the Springboks. They get the penalty. For all Japan’s earlier resistance in the set-piece, it’s turning into one-way traffic. A real danger zone for the Brave Blossoms, one they need to avoid if they’re to survive this scrap.
57 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
Here we go, another scrum. Let’s see how this goes down…
56 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
Japan lose their own line-out on the 10. Not what they needed at this point…
Faf de Klerk punishes the scrambled hosts with another box-kick but the Brave Blossoms hold their nerve deep inside the 22 after that earlier misdemeanour.
54 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
Kotaro Matsushima is taken out in the air after claiming the high ball near his right flank. Makazole Mapimpi is the guilty man. South Africa need to be careful they’re not reduced to 14 men again.
After a spell of pressure from the Springboks, a welcome respite for Jamie Joseph’s men.
52 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa
More steamrolling play from the South Africans, who smother the Japanese backs near their own 10. The turnover is made – it’s relentless, unstoppable stuff – and away the Springboks go down the right.
Japan on the ropes a bit. They need to recover their earlier momentum. They’re taking a bit of a battering out there, with South Africa’s physicality being put to devastating effect.
49 min: Japan 3-11 South Africa (Pollard penalty)
South Africa turn the screw and get the penalty at the set-piece. The Springboks are flexing their muscles now. Japan were absolutely marmalised at that push.
Handre Pollard makes another kick. This is turning into a war of attrition that the men in green are gradually turning in their favour.
47 min: Japan 3-8 South Africa
Pieter-Steph du Toit crashes over in the bottom right-hand corner after his teammates had made the turnover inside Japan’s own 22 following some risky handling. (The hosts really need to stop playing out from the back…) But a forward pass in the build-up sees Wayne Barnes bring proceedings back to the 22 line for a scrum to hosts.
45 min: Japan 3-8 South Africa (Pollard penalty)
Handre Pollard makes no mistakes on the kick. South Africa extend their lead.
43 min: Japan 3-5 South Africa
Penalty advantage to South Africa as they flood forward in numbers off the scrum.
The ball is sent up, with Makazole Mapimpi and Kotaro Matsushima contesting it down in the bottom right-hand corner. Matsushima seemed to catch his opponent around the neck as he went before the Springbok was sent crashing to the deck.
Wayne Barnes doesn’t think it warrants any form of punishment, though. We go back to the original penalty.
KICK-OFF! Yu Tamura gets the second half under way, sending it high and straight down the centre.
When is it?
Japan vs South Africa kicks off at 11.15am BST (Japan Standard Time) on Sunday 20 October.
Where can I watch it?
ITV1 will be broadcasting the match, with coverage starting at 10.45am. Alternatively, you can stream it via the ITV Hub on your laptop, smartphone or laptop.