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by Our Sports Desk
AFTER their shock win against South Africa, Japan’s heroes have powered their country above Scotland in the rugby union world rankings, it was announced yesterday.
The two sides are set to meet in a Pool B clash at Gloucester’s Kingsholm ground on Wednesday and Japan coach Eddie Jones warned Scotland yesterday that his side have not peaked yet.
Two-time winners South Africa have slipped down three places, into sixth, following their dramatic 34-32 loss to the Japanese minnows in Brighton.
The Brave Blossoms have been rewarded for their battling display, rising two places into 11th, with Scotland — who are yet to play in the World Cup — pushed from 10th to 12th.
Three teams in the same World Cup group — Australia, England and Wales — now occupy the three places immediately below long-time rankings leaders New Zealand.
Ahead of the Scotland clash Jones said: “Next it’s the most important game in the World Cup.”
“We haven’t just come here to make one splash in the pond, we are here to play a World Cup and we want to make the quarter-finals.
“If the players aren’t excited after Saturday that would be a problem, they are excited. It’s a quick turnaround but we are used to that.”
Jones has made six changes to the side which stunned the Springboks, with Amanaki Lelei Mafi replacing injured number eight Hendrick Tui.
The Australian coach knows his side face an altogether different challenge against the Scots.
“Scotland are going to maul and high punt, it’s probably not going to be a pretty game,” he added.
“We have to front up physically in the set pieces and if we do that we will put ourselves in the game.”
Japan’s success has caused a stir around the rugby-loving world and also in their homeland, where the usual national sports have been knocked off the back pages.
“Apparently rugby’s on the news now, which is unusual,” smiled Jones. “It’s usually sumo and baseball but the big guys have had to move out the way now.
“It’s fantastic for the sport going forward. We want it to be a global sport, and an Asian country beating a top-tier country really makes it global.”
