Perhaps before Brighton in 2015, there was talk too about a game against Japan being a warmup opportunity for bigger tests to come, but it is unlikely there is the same peril in doing so again ahead of Saturday’s first Springbok outing of the November Autumn Series.
The excellent scrumhalf Fourie du Preez, who later became the Bok captain in that tournament, warned his teammates about Eddie Jones’ Japan before that fateful opening game of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He knew Jones well after playing for him at Santori, he knew he’d have a plan, and in those days Jones was probably cleverer and more wily than the men in the South African dugout.
He was definitely more experienced, and would have sat with a cheeky smile on his face as the Boks came out playing at a million miles an hour trying to beat his team at their own game. It’s very different though at Wembley on Saturday - the Bok dugout has people who have been there for two World Cup wins, and last time they played Japan the approach was pitch perfect.
That was in Tokyo in the 2019 World Cup, when Japan astounded everyone by turning in a performance across their home tournament that saw them knock over both Ireland and Scotland en route to the playoffs.
Funny that, Ireland have also lost to Japan, but for some reason it is always the South African game that is remembered, with Jones understandably channeling that memorable September afternoon in England as the legacy Japan should focus on in the buildup.
There can be no doubt that Japan will come out determined, but the Boks in their two subsequent games against Japan have found the recipe. Both in the World Cup warmup game, which they won comfortably to cast aside any talk of Japan as a hoodoo team, and in the quarterfinal the Boks relied on their forwards to win it.
And that is what they should be looking for in the initial stages at Wembley - keep it tight, establish forward and physical dominance, and then watch the score mount up later in the game once the Japanese energy has been sapped.
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has chosen an experienced team, and more particularly he’s got a team of players that will know the Japan side well - Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager, and Malcolm Marx are all members of the starting team who play their club rugby in Japan, and Kurt-Lee Arendse has played there too.
Reserve flyhalf Manie Libbok is Japan based these days, although his exposure to the club game over there wouldn’t have happened as yet, and of course there’s the indefatigable Kwagga Smith.
So this team doesn’t need a Du Preez to tell them of the pitfalls of being complacent. Back then Du Preez was pretty much alone, but this team has been selected around Japan based players.
It also features several players who will be in line to play the big game against France the following week, and that is why this is really a warmup game - the Boks will be looking to get their combinations working and gelling their attacking plays and defensive organisation ahead of the visit to Paris to face the kings of Europe the following week.
Much will depend on how Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu controls the game at flyhalf. If the Boks are too loose initially it could be down to the classy pivot, who has such an array of skills that sometimes it must be really hard for him not to overplay. But he didn’t do that in his two games for the Stormers subsequent to a Rugby Championship ending where he showed good control.
There will be a lot of talk of Brighton, and of course this is the first time Japan are playing the Boks with Jones in charge since that game, but if there is anyone expecting Japan to push the Boks beyond maybe the first half they are being fanciful.
The Boks should win comfortably and, if we know Erasmus, there will be just enough elements of rust and areas to work on for the game seven days later to fit perfectly with his plan.
Perhaps the biggest focus will be on debutant tighthead Zachary Porthen, who is a rare find if he is wearing the Bok No 3 while still qualified to play under-21 rugby. He plays a position where players normally mature in their late twenties.
But he has Marx and Ox Nche with him, and RG Snyman and Lood de Jager behind him, so he should feel some degree of comfort as he makes the transition from being a player who has started just once for the Stormers into being a Springbok.
TEAMS
South Africa: Cheslin Kolbe, Ethan Hooker, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, RG Snyman, Zachary Porthen, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche. Replacements: Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, Wilco Louw, Ruan Nortje, Andre Esterhuizen, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok.
Japan: Yoshitaka Yazaki, Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Charlie Lawrence, Tomoki Asada, Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara, Michael Leitch, Kanji Shimokawa, Ben Gunter, Warner Dearns, Jack Cornelsen, Shuheil Takeuchi, Kenji Santo, Kenta Kobayashi. Replacements: Shoai Hirao, Ryosuke Iwaihara, Keijiro Tamefusa, Tyler Paul, Faulua Makisi, Kenta Fukuda, Same Greene, Tiennan Costley.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Kick-off: 6:10pm
