This article first appeared on SportsLook, JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports website.
Japan came within minutes of pulling off the biggest upset in its rugby history on Saturday, October 29 when the Brave Blossoms lost by a score of 38-31 against the All Blacks of New Zealand.
Jamie Joseph's side was a try away from a stunning upset in the final minutes after New Zealand's Brodie Retallick was sent off for a dangerous cleanout with 15 minutes to play at Tokyo's National Stadium.
Kazuki Himeno scored a try with just two minutes left to cut the All Blacks' lead to 35-31, but Richie Mo'unga kicked a penalty in the final minute to seal the win for the three-time Rugby World Cup winners.
The Brave Blossoms' previous best result against the All Blacks was a 38-point loss the last time these sides met in 2018.
Read the full story at SportsLook.
Author: Jim Armstrong
The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles here.
