Rugby World Cup 2019: Hosts Japan stun world No. 2 Ireland 19-12

Hosts Japan have pulled off one of the great Rugby World Cup shocks, beating World No. 2 Ireland. And they were great value for the win.

Japanese players celebrate after winning their Rugby World Cup Pool A game 19-12 at Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa against Ireland in Shizuoka, Japan, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)

Update: Kenki Fukuoka struck the killer blow as hosts Japan stunned Ireland 19-12 on Saturday to take a giant step towards the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.

The replacement winger wriggled over on the hour mark to score the winning try of a frenetic Pool A clash as the Brave Blossoms pulled off a breath-taking upset.

Japan can now add the “Shizuoka Shock” to the “Brighton Miracle” after they toppled South Africa 34-32 at the 2015 tournament.

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Japanese players celebrate their win over Ireland on Saturday. Picture: AP

Ireland, who thrashed Scotland 27-3 in their opening game, had looked in control after first-half tries from Garry Ringrose and Rob Kearney.

But they went off the boil as Japan grew into the match, roared on by a partisan crowd of 47,000.

Fukuoka made the difference, wriggling over on the overlap to complete a stunning team try and put the home side in front-- where they stayed, leaving Ireland’s players slumped on the turf in disbelief.

Japan players wave to supporters after the famous win. Picture: AP

Kotaro Matsushima, hat-trick hero of Japan’s 30-10 win over Russia in last week’s tournament curtain raiser, posed an early threat on as Japan edged a cagey opening.

Fly-half Yu Tamura fluffed a makeable penalty, before Ireland took the lead after 13 minutes when the rampaging Ringrose rose brilliantly to snaffle Jack Carty’s hanging kick into the corner.

A dejected Irish fan after the match. Picture: AP

Carty, stepping in for Ireland’s talismanic playmaker Johnny Sexton, produced another moment of magic seven minutes later, dinking a clever chip that he managed to tip back to full-back Kearney to crash over.

Japan refused to buckle, however, and Tamura kept them in it with three clutch penalties.

Regular captain Michael Leitch’s introduction after half an hour provided an instant impact, but Ireland survived to go intohalftime up 12-9.

Japanese winger Kenki Fukuoka dives over to score. Picture: AFP

Tamura missed a three-pointer 14 minutes after the interval that would have tied the game.

But Japan’s swarming pressure soon told, Fukuoka showing superb footwork to sneak over and give Japan the lead, triggering deafening cheers at Ecopa stadium.

Another Tamura penalty extended Japan’s advantage to 19-12 with eight minutes remaining before Fukuoka effectively sealed the result with another tremendous burst that kept the ball in Irish territory until the final gong.

Irish players after the match. Picture: Getty Images

Ireland, who came into the tournament as the world’s top-ranked team but have never won a World Cup knockout match, will look to bounce back against Russia.

Japan, whose target is a first-ever place in the last eight, know they still have no margi

JAPAN 19 (Kenki Fukuoka try Yu Tamura con 4 pens) bt IRELAND 12 (Rob Kearney, Garry Ringrose triesJack Carty con) at Shizuoka Stadium. Referee: Angus Gardner

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2019: Hosts Japan stun world No. 2 Ireland 19-12