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Rugby World Cup 2019: Japan’s victory against Samoa breaks TV records as over 25 million tune in

The thrilling last-gasp victory peaked at 46.1% of TV audience share in the host nation

Jack de Menezes

Tokyo

Monday 07 October 2019 16:51 BST

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Fireworks in Japan after host nation's Rugby World Cup win over Ireland

Japan’s thrilling victory over Samoa on Saturday set a new record the most-watched local live event, with tens of millions tuning in to watch the Brave Blossoms take one step closer to a first ever quarter-final appearance at the Rugby World Cup.

Local reports said that the 38-19 win over Samoa received a peak TV audience share of 46.1 per cent, which is already believed to be the most-watched event of the year in Japan, surpassing Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open final victory over Petra Kvitova.

But it’s understood that the final number of viewers has also exceeded the previous all-time record for a live TV event, which coincidentally previously stood as Japan’s victory over Samoa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which attracted a viewership of more than 25m people.

Once the final number of viewers who tuned in to Nippon TV’s free-to-air broadcast of Saturday’s match at the City of Toyota Stadium, it’s expected to exceed that number considerably.

World Rugby have also confirmed that the number of fans who attend the designated match zones across the country is set for a new record, with more than 700,000 people attending the sites during the World Cup so far.

Rugby World Cup team of round three

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1/16Rugby World Cup team of round three

Rugby World Cup team of round three

Team of round three

From Scotland's demolition of Samoa to France's narrow escape against Tonga, who makes the team of round three?

AFP via Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

1. James Slipper (Australia)

Ninety-three Tests had come and gone for the Wallabies loosehead, but it was 94th-time lucky for the Queensland-born prop as he finally scored his first international try in Australia’s 45-10 victory over Uruguay.

Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

2. Mbongeni Mbonambi (South Africa)

Mbonambi was excellent at the lineout, finding his jumper on every occasion, but it was his work around the pitch that really stood out in the win over Italy as he bagged himself a try in the process.

PA

Rugby World Cup team of round three

3. Angus Ta’avao (New Zealand)

The rookie All Blacks prop was thrust into the contest against Namibia early when his team were struggling to break down the African side following Nepo Laulala’s yellow card, but not only did he settle straight into the match, he immediately bagged himself a try that convinced Steve Hansen to leave him on for the rest of the match.

Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

4. Wimpie van der Walt (Japan)

The uniquely-named lock led Japan’s defensive charge against Samoa and was dominant in the aerial battle with a 100 per cent lineout effort alongside James Moore, which was made all the more impressive as he didn’t start either of their opening matches.

AFP via Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

5. Sam Whitelock (New Zealand)

Captained New Zealand in the absence of Kieran Read and led by example. Whitelock bagged a try himself, didn’t panic when New Zealand were clawed back in the first half and contributed well with the ball in hand. His aggression in kicking for the corner early on paid off with a 71-point return.

EPA

Rugby World Cup team of round three

6. Rhys Ruddock (Ireland)

Ireland may have been criticised for a drab performance in their victory over Russia, but Ruddock proved the silver lining with a man-of-the-match display that could thrust him into the side for the big contests.

AFP via Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

7. Sam Underhill (England)

Another flanker named man of the match, Underhill was England’s defensive heartbeat against Argentina, but also an emphatic carrier who helped set up George Ford’s bonus point-clinching try.

PA

Rugby World Cup team of round three

8. Kazuki Himeno (Japan)

The Japanese No 8 was one of their top performers against Samoa, carrying well and showing a deft touch with his ability to offload from the tackle. Earmarked as a real star of Japanese rugby, he looks to have real captaincy potential.

AFP via Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

9. Frank Lomani (Fiji)

A livewire showing as the beating heart of a Flying Fijian side back at full strength and firing on all cylinders. Scored a try himself and delivered the quick ball that the Pacific Islanders crave to play their unique brand of rugby.

AP

Rugby World Cup team of round three

10. Jordie Barrett (New Zealand)

Stepped out of the shadow of older brother Beauden to play a starring role in the demolition of Namibia. Scored a try himself but it was the in which he created Anton Lienert-Brown’s score that really stood out, combining power, vision, passing ability and athletic determination to send the centre over.

Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

11. Semi Radradra (Fiji)

The star of the side this week. When Radradra is playing his best rugby he is simply unstoppable, and so he proved last week. The Bordeaux back scored twice against Georgia and led pretty much every attacking stats list as the European side failed to shackle is delightful talent.

AP

Rugby World Cup team of round three

12. Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand)

His form is keeping Sonny Bill Williams out of the Test side when New Zealand play their crunch fixtures, but on the weekend’s evidence it was easy to see why. Two tries, the first an eye-catching mazy run from halfway, secures him the No 12 shirt this week, and probably for the All Blacks in the quarter-finals.

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Rugby World Cup team of round three

13. Timothy Lafaele (Japan)

Kicked off the performance against Samoa with their first try, starring with teammate Kotaro Matsushima to tear the Pacific Islanders apart early on and pave the way to their bonus-point victory.

AFP via Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

14. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa)

How do you stop him? The answer is yet to be found, with Kolbe’s low centre of gravity, stunning footwork and Habana-like pace leaving team after team in knots – this time Italy – with two tries to kick-start his tally at this World Cup.

AFP via Getty Images

Rugby World Cup team of round three

15. Elliot Daly (England)

Possibly his best performance for England in the No 15 shirt to date, Daly linked up superbly with Jonny May – who is hard done by not to make the side this week – and Anthony Watson in what was a scintillating first half for the English back three.

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More than 150,000 fans watched Japan’s win at the weekend, some 20,000 more than the number that turned out for the Brave Blossoms’ stunning upset victory against Ireland, and it means that the existing pool stage record of 770,000 fans set at the last World Cup in England stands to be broken.

Japan clinch a thrilling late victory against Samoa (Getty) (AFP via Getty Images)

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “This remarkable Rugby World Cup continues to gather momentum and it is exciting to see that it is attracting new fans here in Japan, as reflected by the record free-to-air audience share for Japan versus Samoa and the huge Fanzone attendances.”

Japan’s final pool match could yet exceed that number even further, with their Pool A clash poised to be a winner-takes-all showdown to determine who progresses to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

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