'I feel this will be their World Cup final' - Jamie Joseph

Japan head coach Jamie Joseph has warned his team that World Cup debutants Chile will approach Sunday’s pool fixture in Toulouse as their final.

Chile qualified for their maiden World Cup with a sensational 52-51 triumph on aggregate over the United States last summer, winning the second leg 31-29 in Colorado.

While Japan have served up shock aplenty during the last two tournaments and made the quarter-finals as hosts in 2019, this time they will be the nation trying to avoid an upset.

Head coach Joseph told a press conference: “The key for us is to really focus on how we play the game of rugby and ensure we go out and start well.

“That has been a big focus of the last two weeks, the second week in Italy and then the first week in France.

“Chile are new to the World Cup but I feel this will be their World Cup final.

“It will be a game they have targeted as being the first game where their players are all available and very motivated to have a very good performance to put us under pressure.

“They will have confidence because in recent times against Italy we’ve been put under pressure in the first 20 minutes, so I am sure it will be a big focus for them. What we’ve been focusing on is ensuring that doesn’t happen.”

After defeat to Italy last month, Joseph has shuffled his pack with Kanji Shimokawa and Amato Fakatava – who were only called into Japan’s World Cup squad last week – handed starts for Sunday’s Pool D fixture.