Japan's rugby team get heroes' welcome upon return home

Amazing effort by Japan. No matter who wins the World Cup, Japan should be considered the team of the tournament.

We bet South Afrika, the top 4 teams of the world. I hope SA wins, then we can say we bet the winner.

I remember one of Eddie's goals for the Japan Rugby team was to make it into the top 10, and this incredible goal was achieved. Truly amazing stuff!

Without a doubt, this year Eddie Jones will win Coach of the Year award.

I think few, if any, of the individual members of the Japan team would make the South African squad, yet Jones turned them into a team capable of actually pulling off such an upset. Well done to him, and all the players.

Fullback Ayumu Goromaru, whose unique stance before firing his precision kicks captivated the attention of the global rugby community as well as the non-rugby playing Japanese public

The non-rugby playing Japanese public maybe, but the global rugby community is not oblivious to the fact that many goal kickers have very individual pre-kick sequences.

But if it Goromaru's sequence gets people interested in rugby in Japan, it's OK I guess.

The bonus points rip off Japan. Why didn,t japan get bonus points for beating one of the top 4 teams. What is the use of awarding a place to Japan in the next world cup when Japan are the hosts. Like I say they should of got bonus points for that alone and for a being a minor team beating team a major (South Africa) Why should South Africa have a place in the finals when they only won 3 and Japan won 3 and beating South Africa. What a Joke. Will anyway Great Job Brave Blossoms.

I hope SA wins,

No

one thing i hope japanese people pick up on is how international the "japanese" team looks. this is how multiculturalism can benefit a society. too bad the team couldn't have gone on to the quarterfinals. the public are just starting to get a taste for rugby.

John San, bonus points are awarded for scoring lots of tries, or by losing by a narrow margin. SA lost to Japan by a narrow margin, scored many tries, and so picked up their bonus points. Japan got thrashed by Scotland and didn't score nearly so many tries; as great as it was to see Japan's performance at this WC, it would be nonsense if they advanced ahead of SA or Scotland. And if it wasn't done on bonus points, it would be done on tries scored or points difference, and Japan would still be 3rd in either case. Well done Japan - close but no cigar. Let's hope they do even better in 2019

Good point nakanoguy01, Goromaru tweeted last month that he wanted the J-media to give more air time to the foreign players in the Japan team. Fortunately captain Leitch was born overseas and speaks reasonable Japanese so they probably had no choice but to give him plenty.

If the rugby helps to dispel people's stereotypical ideas of "immigrants" it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Fantastic to see the interest that this has generated in rugby in Japan. Amazing performance to win 3 games. On their day in the past, Japan has been able to beat the likes of Samoa or USA, but to beat South Africa was extraordinary.

Fantastic achievement.

Well done to all @RugbyJapan management team for a great job well done.

great team work ,,,number 9 wow little guy but lots of guts