South Africa 26-3 Japan: Springboks through to Rugby World Cup semi-finals

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By Becky Grey
BBC Sport in Tokyo Stadium
South Africa stopped the fantasy World Cup of Japan run to get to the.
The Springboks headed after a strong streak gave a campaign to Makazole Mapimpi, but went down a player when Tendai Mtawarira had been shown a yellow card for a hint tackle.
Japan could have a Yu Tamura punishment against the man advantage, making the score.
Second-half attempts from Faf de Klerk and the Springboks are placed by Mapimpi plus Handre Pollards 11 points .
The tries put paid to any hopes of a duplicate of the 2015 World Cup win against the very same competitions of Japan and brought to the conclusion a fairytale four weeks for its hosts.
The Springboks will play Wales in the semi-final on Sunday, 27 October, with the winner.
It was an early day for Japanese rugby and the fans knew it all , posing for photos with all African fans as evidence that they were still not there.
Television audiences and media interest has improved after an remarkable group-stage performance which comprised superb wins from Scotland and Ireland.
Since the hosts qualified for a first World Cup quarter-final, Japanese rugby captured the hearts of many enthusiasts and of the country throughout the world.
The Brave Blossoms started as optimistically because they had played at the swimming pool stages, using fly-half Yu Tamura but it had been winners South Africa who played first.
The Springboks overpowered Japan in De Klerks pass to Mapimpi and a scrum found the wing with lots of space to operate through Tamura and dive over in the corner.
It would take more than this to quieten the Japanese lovers. Chants ofJapan were only interrupted when captain Michael Leitch needed the ball, where point extended cries ofLeitch spelled out rather.
A yellow card has been for prop Mtawarira for a suggestion tackle on amount Keita Inagaki.
No attempts came from the advantage, but Japan won a scrum penalty to the left of their articles and the audience exploded into cheers. The kick was landed by tamura and cut on South Africas lead to 2.
South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus had stacked his side with strength up front, naming six forward on the bench.
And when South Africa satisfied with brute force the now trademark hands of Japan, it left the Brave Blossoms than they had from the group stage, looking much less slick in attack.
A run up the wing for Kenki Fukuoka brought up Japan to the five-metre line, when a penalty was conceded by the hosts in the breakdown, but the strike came to an end.
Indiscipline had been the undoing of both all the attack at the first half of South Africa – six penalties were conceded by that the Springboks in the first 40 minutes to Japans two.
There was A 40 minutes capped off with a disallowed try for Damian de Allende. The centre clawed his way through four tackles to make it however his effort didnt count due to a double movement.
South Africa were fast to the scoreboard in the second half thanks to Pollards first penalty and seemed to have extended their lead further when Pieter-Steph du Toit cantered round the whitewash. But that you didnt count because of a forward move.
Pollard shortly added another three points following a scrum punishment along with the task facing Japan unexpectedly looked really daunting at 11-3.
Living up to their name, the Brave Blossoms continued to try and run out the ball from their 22 at every chance and refused to give in.
But a high attack on De Klerk resulted in a Pollard penalty that was successful facing the posts.
Plus it had been De Klerk who dealt the killer blow. The Sale scrum-half sprung via the hole made by a Springbok maul to Pollard and score acquired the conversion.
They had been well and truly in their stride at the conclusion of the match, although south Africas attack was frustrated by their own indiscipline at the first 40 minutes.
Mapimpi thundered down the left wing and Use an overlap. Japans Kotaro Matsushima gave chase but was too late to halt the South African scoring his second of the game.
Chants ofJapan lasted right up until the last whistle, once the players dropped to their knees and the crowd got to their feet to show their appreciation for what their team had completed.
The Japan players formed a circle on the field, tears running cheeks, as the Springboks thanked the lovers. Hearts were divided into Tokyo, but fans discovered their voice to give their group one final roar until they left the pitch.
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi:It was exactly what I expected. We knew what they were going to bring now and it took a lot from us to keep on fighting. We struggled and ground it out.
We understood how quickly they could play the game, they play a style thats daring and did not shy away from it now. We pride ourselves in hard work in defence.
Japan captain Michael Leitch:Rugby is all about creating moments and taking opportunities. We had a couple of chances to capitalise on but sadly South Africa out us.
Congratulations to the South African team, they played their A game and played it very well.
I am tremendously proud of what this group have done. Im sure they will be proud of us as well, to represent the nations and Asia. Japan is only likely to get more powerful.
Former England fly-half Paul Grayson on BBC Radio 5 Live:The fantasy was always likely to come to an end at some point. They have brought the country with them into the quarter-final phases.
They have done themselves complete credit only since they play a new rugby which maximises each and every piece of physical and mental resource theyre capable of putting on the field. They have been a joy to see.
Theyve only run into a team that were too large and too strong for them.
Former Ireland international Jamie Heaslip on Radio 5 Live:When we think back through the whole game thereve been four or three other moments where there might have been another attempt. Charge to South Africa, its 26-3, but there might easily have been another 10 or 20 points on top of this
Japan: Yamanaka; Matsushima, Lafaele, Nakamura, Fukuoka; Tamura, Nagare; Inagaki, Horie, Koo, Thompson, Moore, Leitch (c), Labuschagne, Himeno.
Replacements: Lava Lemeki, Sakate, Nakajima Van der Walt Tanaka, Matsuda.
South Africa: Le Roux: Kolbe, Am, De Allende, Mapimpi; Pollard, De Klerk, Mtawarira, Mbonambi, Malherbe, Etzebeth, De Jager, Kolisi (c), Du Toit, Vermeulen
Replacements: Marx, Kitschoff, Koch Mostert H Jantjies, Steyn
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