{"id":25672,"date":"2015-10-03T11:12:54","date_gmt":"2015-10-02T22:12:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/?p=25672"},"modified":"2015-10-03T11:12:54","modified_gmt":"2015-10-02T22:12:54","slug":"rwc-2015-preview-samoa-v-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/wp\/uncategorized\/2015\/10\/rwc-2015-preview-samoa-v-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"RWC 2015 Preview: Samoa v Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Follow @RedefinedRugby<\/a><\/p>\n

\"rwc2015\"<\/a>Samoa and Japan both know they must win Saturday’s clash in Milton Keynes
\nto keep their hopes of making the quarter-finals alive.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
POOL B \u2013 Match #24 \u2013 Samoa v Japan<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0\"SAM1\"<\/a>\"jap1\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Overall Stats Samoa<\/strong><\/td>\nvs<\/strong><\/td>\nOverall Stats Japan<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Average Score : \u00a0 Samoa 34.07 vs 17.64 Japan<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Games Played<\/em><\/td>\n14<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nGames Played<\/em><\/td>\n14<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Games Won<\/em><\/td>\n11<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Games Won<\/em><\/td>\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Games Lost<\/em><\/td>\n3<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Games Lost<\/em><\/td>\n11<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Games Drawn<\/em><\/td>\n0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\nGames Drawn<\/em><\/td>\n0<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Longest.Winning.Streak<\/em><\/td>\n7<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Longest.Winning.Streak<\/em><\/td>\n1<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Longest Losing Streak<\/em><\/td>\n1<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Longest Losing Streak<\/em><\/td>\n7<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Largest Points For<\/em><\/td>\n68<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Largest Points For<\/em><\/td>\n37<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Largest Points Against<\/em><\/td>\n37<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Largest Points Against<\/em><\/td>\n68<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Largest.Winning.Margin<\/em><\/td>\n59<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Largest.Winning.Margin<\/em><\/td>\n19<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Largest Losing Margin<\/em><\/td>\n-19<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Largest Losing Margin<\/em><\/td>\n-59<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Total Points For<\/em><\/td>\n477<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Total Points For<\/em><\/td>\n247<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Avg Points For<\/em><\/td>\n34.07<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Avg Points For<\/em><\/td>\n17.64<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Total Points Against<\/em><\/td>\n247<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Total Points Against<\/em><\/td>\n477<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Avg Points Against<\/em><\/td>\n17.64<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Avg Points Against<\/em><\/td>\n34.07<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Total Points Difference<\/em><\/td>\n230<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Total Points Difference<\/em><\/td>\n-230<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*Avg Points Difference<\/em><\/td>\n16.43<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n*Avg Points Difference<\/em><\/td>\n-16.43<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
* = By Samoa<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n* = By Japan<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Past Ten Meetings<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30-May-14<\/em><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n33<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n14<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/em><\/td>\nTokyo, Japan<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17-Jun-12<\/em><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\n26<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n27<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nTokyo, Japan<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2-Jul-11<\/em><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\n15<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n34<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nTokyo, Japan<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30-Oct-10<\/em><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\n10<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n13<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nTokyo, Japan<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19-Jun-10<\/em><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/em><\/td>\n23<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n31<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nApia, Samoa<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18-Jun-09<\/em><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n34<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n15<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\nSigatoka, Fiji<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5-Jul-08<\/em><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n37<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n31<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\nApia, Samoa<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16-Jun-07<\/em><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\n3<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n13<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nMiyagi, Japan<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17-Jun-06<\/em><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n53<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n9<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\nNew Plymouth, New Zealand<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3-Jul-01<\/em><\/td>\nJapan<\/span><\/em><\/td>\n8<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n47<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nSamoa<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\nTokyo, Japan<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

POSSIBLE RR World Rankings<\/a> outcome on Result<\/strong><\/h2>\n

SAM (on 73.43 points) at a Neutral venue -vs- JPN (on 70.66 points) in a RWC match<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Possible Outcome<\/th>\nRating Point
\nExchange<\/th>\n		New SAM
\nRating<\/th>\n		New JPN
\nRating<\/th>\n		Will JPN
\novertake SAM?<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
If SAM win by 1-15 points<\/td>\n1.446<\/td>\n74.88<\/td>\n69.21<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If SAM win by more than 15<\/td>\n2.169<\/td>\n75.60<\/td>\n68.49<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If result is a draw<\/td>\n0.554<\/td>\n72.88<\/td>\n71.21<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If JPN win by 1-15 points<\/strong><\/td>\n2.554<\/strong><\/td>\n70.88<\/strong><\/td>\n73.21<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If JPN win by more than 15<\/strong><\/td>\n3.831<\/strong><\/td>\n69.60<\/strong><\/td>\n74.49<\/strong><\/td>\nYes<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Each side has one win to their name after the first two matches and both came in Brighton, with Samoa getting the better of the USA a day after Japan caused the greatest upset in Rugby World Cup history by shocking South Africa.<\/p>\n

Samoa were always expected to compete with Scotland for the runners-up spot in Pool B but Japan’s win and the Scots’ strong start with two bonus-point victories has made this group more of an open-ended proposition than we predicted.<\/p>\n

Stephen Betham’s side were blown away by the Springboks \u2013 no surprise given it was South Africa’s first game following that massive upset \u2013 in a 46-6 defeat that was unacceptable when you factor in that Samoa had a six-day rest and time to evaluate the talent in their squad.<\/p>\n

Four years ago Samoa finished within seven points of Wales and South Africa in the group stages, thrashing Pacific Island rivals Fiji, which is why now expectations now are so high.<\/p>\n

Adding in Tim Nanai-Williams at full-back gives them that extra level in attack, but combine him with the Pisi brothers and Kahn Fotuali’i’s class at scrum-half and you have the most potent of backlines.<\/p>\n

Having captain Ofisa Treviranus admit that “the boys didn’t deliver on the field” is frustrating. Fiji are giving no side in Pool A an easy ride, as we saw again on Thursday against Wales, but for years Samoa have seemed like the best bet to trouble the game’s top countries after their shock win over Australia back in 2011.<\/p>\n

Off-field issues regarding funding have crippled their development but they are turning a corner off the field while on it, a first quarter-final since 1995 would go some way to proving Samoa are the real deal.<\/p>\n

Japan on the other hand have already shattered expectations of what they can achieve with that glorious moment in Brighton \u2013 one which may prove to define this whole World Cup.<\/p>\n

Something felt wrong therefore watching them run out five days later and instantly fade away after the clock passed 50 or so minutes, exhausted mentally and physically from the unmanageable task of facing two Tier One sides within such little time.<\/p>\n

Scotland might have racked up the points on the scoreboard, but until Japan’s legs gave way and they lost outstanding number eight Amanaki Mafi to injury they were right in the hunt.<\/p>\n

Having now had ten days to recover Japan should more closely resemble the side who bruised South Africa’s pride than the one we saw last Wednesday when they take on Samoa.<\/p>\n

Mafi is crucially fit, although only takes a place on the bench, as Japan prepare for another physical challenge. They’ve been here before and succeeded.<\/p>\n

The teams:<\/b><\/p>\n