Japan vs Argentina: Samurai time for the Brave Blossoms

Japan flanker Michael Leitch revealed his side has called on the nation’s Samurai spirit in their bid to reach the World Cup knockout stages.

Sunday’s showdown with Argentina at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes will determine who will join Pool D winners England in the tournament’s last eight.

New Zealand-born Leitch, representing Japan at his fourth World Cup, said the Brave Blossoms are determined not to run out of steam against the Pumas.

He said: “The past games, we had the tendency to be scored against in the last 20 minutes.

“Since the England game, we talked about how to fix it, and we started using the word ‘Samurai time’. It’s about controlling the game’s momentum.

“We obviously wanted to attack, but then we lost our energy, and when the impact members (substitutes) came in excited to get out there, they couldn’t leave a big impact on the game as much as they wanted to.

“So, we talked about it with the coaches, about our mentality and what’s needed in the last 20 minutes.”

Japan are bidding to reach the last eight for the second World Cup running after their 26-3 quarter-final defeat to eventual champions South Africa when the south-east Asian country hosted the tournament in 2019.

Both Japan and Argentina have registered Pool D wins over Chile and Samoa, while losing to England, with the South Americans keeping their hopes alive by beating Chile 59-5 in their last match.

Pumas assistant coach Andres Bordoy believes whoever controls the set pieces in Nantes on Sunday is likely to emerge the winner.

Bordoy said: “Now is the time to take everything we have been working on out on to the field.

“We are going to find ourselves with an opponent that really knows what it wants to do, very well structured and organised, and we have to be strong in what we do, aiming to prevail in the set-pieces, in the short game.

“We did an exhaustive analysis and we know Japan’s strengths. They have a very experienced front row, with many international matches behind them, who have evolved a lot in this formation. It will be imposing our way and not adapting to what they want to do.”