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Boks bury the ghosts of Brighton with a power-packed performance in Japan

By Online Editors

06 Sep 2019

South Africa's Makazole Mapimpi runs past Japan's Yu Tamura to score his side's first try in Kumagaya (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

A hat-trick by Makazole Mapimpi propelled South Africa to a comfortable 41-7 victory over Japan in their final World Cup warm-up match in Kumagaya on Friday.

Winger Cheslin Kolbe opened the scoring with a neat finish on seven minutes, before Mapimpi ran in two easy tries from the other flank on 24 and 31 minutes as the Springboks built a 22-0 lead at half-time.

Further tries from Mapimpi and Kolbe either side of Kotaro Matsushima’s consolation and a final flourish from Herschel Jantjies secured victory for South Africa and helped soothe the memory of Japan’s famous win at the 2015 World Cup.

Replays of that match, which finished 34-32 in Japan’s favour four years ago, were played in the Boks’ hotel foyer this week before they exacted their six tries to one revenge.

The result will leave Japan looking for a big improvement for World Cup opener against Russia on September 20, the day South Africa begin their campaign against reigning champions New Zealand.

SCORERS

Japan – Try: Matsushima. Con: Tamura.

South Africa – Tries: Kolbe 2, Mapimpi 3, Jantjies. Cons: Pollard 2, Steyn 2. Pen: Pollard.

– AAP

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Comments on RugbyPass

SO 13 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

BB a 9'5 you have to be kidding. No way was he that good you seem to have the same hero worship of BB that the coaches have with him. Rieko to the wing or out altogether he is actually a real hand brake to this team.

14 Go to comments

SadersMan 16 minutes ago

'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

A 20pt messy win is about what I expected. Lots of media & fans not reading the room imo. I think the Azzuri were hoping to ambush a 2nd string ABs & may well have done so. Eking out an ugly win is definitely a sign of growth. 2025 looks exciting.

Also, AUS has only beaten ENG of note. They need to show up v SCO & IRE to get a proper gauge. Beating WAL three times doesn't count. Also, winning one test from six in TRC is useless. So TRC2025 will be the real litmus test for AUS. That said, I'm rooting for our SH brothers for the next two tests.

10 Go to comments

JW 20 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Actually pretty happy with the 1st half performance, quality contest imo.

Roigard very good, lots of jobs being done well. Only real opinion is that the game changed when BB stopped kicking and when he ran, after about the 30min mark, he started passing at the line instead of two steps before it. This gave the runners (this team doesn't really have other playmakers outside him) just that tiny bit more space and I think they must have made 3 late breaks solely because (compared to all the previous good ball) Barrett drew a defender or two.

So wondering about the send given they must only add another try or two when you'd normally expect them to push out further?

14 Go to comments

BM 27 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

THINK SO TOO!🙃

14 Go to comments

BM 29 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Only on for Caleb and needed to push Will over LOL as an after-thought

14 Go to comments

GP 41 minutes ago

‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

Who would you have played at 10 with Richie Mo'unga gone and Fergus Burke not available till late in the season ? Scott Barrett hardly played, Sam Whitelock was overseas. There were injuries amongst the replacements. The fairy story that Robertson would have won in this situation is a exactly that a fairy story. We went within a whisker of getting in the play offs late in the season, because we had Fergus Burke, Blackadder others back. Codie Taylor made a big impact when he came back from his sabbatical. Hopefully he will be the captain next year, Codie has had a great season since returning to the Crusaders and for the All Blacks.

11 Go to comments

BM 44 minutes ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Earned a 9.5 with top game overall though Tk while Italians were allowed to crowd breakdown without penalty often. We do have Love with two tries in 4 Test 😎minutes on field!

14 Go to comments

SadersMan 57 minutes ago

All Blacks survive physical Italy scare after captain carded

Yes, at some point they'll need to develop depth & consistency.

4 Go to comments

SadersMan 58 minutes ago

‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

Sorry mate, this is mumbo jumbo. What are you on about?

11 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

Yeah right.

10 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

5min - I'm getting sick of the on field ref being overruled. He clearly sees the drop and rules no knock on but changes his call when the touchie pipes up from miles away. get out of here!

14 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

If Razor picked jaded players, where is the role of a squad? Where is the anticipated innovation from this group? The season has been a big disappointment considering the talent available (but left sitting on the sideline). Was ready for a fresh approach after the frustration of the Foster era but we only got more of the same and a timid coaching group.

10 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

All Blacks player ratings vs Italy | Autumn Nations Series

Watching the game now I get a sense of things to come. Ref puts his flag up when Patricks legs go over the line ages after he has released the ball. That is not out in touch.

Then Tele'a has a brain fade and tries to jump into touch, slapping the ball back, when he should know and be trained in running from outside touch and jumping into the field of play with it. If he had of done that simple fix of altering his approach angle there's noway anyone is getting to him to stop the try.

14 Go to comments

Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago

All Blacks survive physical Italy scare after captain carded

Underwhelming AB performance. Much like their season. Watching the Boks and Ireland put in AB-like performances only show how far this AB team has to go. Selections and game plan still based on "not losing" - not innovation.

4 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

They did. In 2020.

Would have been WC victory with Razor in charge last year! Schmidt would have been pulled in to help Rennie and these performances would have built up last year for Aussie (instead of his incfluence helping NZ) and they would have been riding a high of returning players and league signings building to the B&I Lions and a RWC at home. And then Smchidt would have been ready to take the mantel of the All Blacks this year!

Oh how it could have been so so different if Robinson had of realised the folly in the handme down appointments policy they had back then.

10 Go to comments

JW 1 hour ago

'They smelt it': Scott Robertson says Italy sensed All Blacks' vulnerability

IDK if you can say that, and as I contended before the game, I don't know if you can really call it the strongest side (selecting fatigued players) either. Which would certainly be one of many of Razor's failings this year if was the case (yet to watch). Wasn't that also the top side's last hit out before Ireland?

10 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders

Definitely as Christchurch based decline if you believe some.

11 Go to comments

JW 2 hours ago

‘Right a few wrongs’: Ex-Wales flyer’s message of intent with Crusaders