Japan's Rugby World Cup success breaks world TV viewing record

A record 25 million Japanese stayed up late to watch their team demolish Samoa in their third game of the Rugby World Cup, in the latest demonstration of the country’s newfound love of the sport.

The Brave Blossoms’ 26-5 victory in Milton Keynes on Saturday means Japan – rank outsiders at the start of the tournament – are still in with a chance of making the quarterfinals for the first time in World Cup history.

Japan must beat the USA on Sunday and hope that other results in Pool B go their way, namely a Samoan victory over Scotland this Saturday.

Japan’s match against Samoa was watched by around a fifth of Japan’s entire population of 128 million, and garnered an audience share of 64 percent – making it the biggest national viewing audience in rugby history.

The previous record of 20.7 million was set in 2007, when the French broadcaster TF1 showed England defeat France in Paris in the semi-final of the World Cup.

“This is a significant result for the game in Japan. It shows that the general population there appreciate the sport and the amazing performances of their national team over the past few weeks,” said World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper.

“Their style of play has really caught the imagination of rugby fans around the world and, as these broadcast numbers indicate, in Japan.”

The boost in interest could not have been better times, as Japan will become the first country outside of the “rugby heartlands” to host the next tournament, in 2019, Gosper added. “It really has given the event a major shot in the arm.”

The team’s surprise victory over South Africa in the opening weekend of the tournament – the biggest upset in the sport’s history – was greeted with disbelief in Japan. That quickly gave way to optimism that the side could make it to the knockout stages.

While rugby’s popularity in Japan has never matched that of baseball and football, the country’s media are finally giving the sport the coverage that fans say it has long deserved.

Japan had only ever won one match at the Rugby World Cup – against Zimbabwe in 1991 – before its 34-32 win over South Africa on 18 September. The Japanese lost their next game to Scotland, but victory over Samoa kept their World Cup fairytale alive.

Their Australian coach, Eddie Jones, described Saturday’s record viewing figures as “incredible, absolutely incredible”.

“That’s just more fantastic impetus as we head to 2019,” Jones said in an interview with Kyodo News. “The team moving forward is important but in terms of achieving a legacy it will hopefully inspire younger players to play and encourage coaches to coach. Hopefully the (Japan Rugby Football Union) will grasp this opportunity with both hands.”

While Japan quickly became every neutral’s favourite team, expat and Japanese traveling fans have won praise for their devotion as they followed their compatriots to Brighton, Gloucester and Milton Keynes, with a second trip to Gloucester this weekend.

The desire to be part of one of the game’s defining moments saw Japanese fans close down an official rugby World Cup merchandise shop after they emptied it of team merchandise.

Gosper said the store in Oxford Street had been unable to cope with the sheer number of Japanese fans snapping up mementoes. He tweeted: “We had to close #RWC2015 official merchandise store on Oxford St yesterday due to overwhelming merchandise demand from the Japanese public.”

Back in Japan, daytime TV presenters marked Japan’s appearance on the world rugby stage dressed in team’s famous cherry-and-white shirt. Ayumu Goromaru, the fullback who contributed 24 of Japan’s 34 points against the Springboks, has been hailed as a national hero, with one website offering parents tips on how to rear a future “Goro”.

Kazue Hattori, a recent convert to the sport, has watched both Japan’s matches since their famous victory over the Springboks. “I went to a rugby sevens tournament once but it didn’t do much for me,” she said. “This has all been a real surprise. I really hope they can progress – it can only be good for the sport in Japan.”

Lori Henderson, the Scottish executive director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan, said: “I really hope this will lead to a groundswell in grassroots involvement in rugby. It’s also good to see Japan incorporating foreign-born players into the team. There’s a lesson in that for Japan as it prepares for 2019 … homegrown and foreign players working together to create such great results on the pitch.”