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South Africa started bright with a quick try, courtesy of Makazole Mapimpi. Pollard couldn\u2019t convert.<\/p>\n
The Japanese didn\u2019t roll over, however, and did their best to incorporate their pace into the game early on.<\/p>\n
South African loosehead Mtawarira was binned for a dangerous tackle on Inagaki, which could have been red any other day.<\/p>\n
Japan continued its promising start, showing off some fantastic handling, common procedure for this team.<\/p>\n
They burst into the South Africa 22 and looked threatening.<\/p>\n A notable moment of the passage was cult hero Fukuoka speeding past Cheslin Kolbe.<\/p>\n However, South Africa survived the onslaught.<\/p>\n Japan maintained their pressure with an immense scrum to win a penalty.<\/p>\n Tamura coolly slotted Japan\u2019s opening points over.<\/p>\n Japan attacked consistently with blistering pace and crisp quality, playing without fear.<\/p>\n The Boks upped the tempo, but Japan kept a strong line and forced multiple penalties.<\/p>\n Boks hooker Mbonambi came off injured before half-time, replaced by Malcolm Marx.<\/p>\n The South Africans spurned another opportunity to score, Le Roux knocking on.<\/p>\n Damien De Allende looked to be through to score at the end of the first half, but referee Wayne Barnes judged him to have been held, making it double movement.<\/p>\n Matsushima avoided the bin when he collided with Makimpi while challenging for a high ball.<\/p>\n Pollard added three for an earlier penalty.<\/p>\n A strong start to the second-half for the Boks.<\/p>\n Pieter Steph du Toit could have put some breathing space between the two sides if it wasn\u2019t for the forward pass he received.<\/p>\n Pollard added more for South Africa after Japan conceded a penalty in the scrum.<\/p>\n Pollard missed one from distance, veering left from over 40 metres out.<\/p>\n Japan did their best to overcome Springbok pressure but were confined to their own half by brilliant defence and attack.<\/p>\n Pollard made up for his last miss with a kick between the posts.<\/p>\n South Africa rushed forward with a brilliant maul into the Japanese 22, with Marx and de Klerk detaching and scoring.<\/p>\n Pollard converted to dispose of the Japanese.<\/p>\n Japan didn\u2019t give up and pushed to get into the Boks\u2019 22 with a lineout.<\/p>\n Pieter Steph du Toit made sure they couldn\u2019t get anything from it.<\/p>\n Mapimpi confirmed a semi-final spot for South Africa, finishing off a breakaway from Handre Pollard.<\/p>\n Pollard couldn\u2019t curl his conversion between the posts.<\/p>\n The game died down a bit towards the end, South Africa maintaining possession but unable to add more.<\/p>\n Japan should be incredibly proud of themselves, making the quarter-finals for the first time ever and possibly breaking into Tier 1.<\/p>\n They were probably the most entertaining team at this RWC.<\/p>\n South Africa face Wales in the second semi-final after this comprehensive victory.<\/p>\n A very tough fixture awaits them, and its unclear who\u2019ll come out on top.<\/p>\n Fair play to the Japanese, who proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with going forward, and their fairytale run to the quarter-finals will be one for the history books.<\/p>\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.newshub.co.nz\/dam\/form-uploaded-images-ordered\/2019\/10\/21\/GettyImages-1182221288-1120-japan.jpg\")
\nThe Boks looked to be in after they pounced on a loose ball, but a better pass was needed for Mapimpi to run through.<\/p>\n
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