‘Organised chaos’ will only get spirited Japanese so far

The hosts caused a sensation four years ago by ambushing South Africa, but they remain makeweights at the highest level

The starting point has to be Michael Leitch weighing up the odds on September 19, 2015. This was Brighton’s Amex Stadium, with 80 minutes on the clock, and Japan 29-32 South Africa on the scoreboard. But it wasn’t the 66/1 price on a Japanese victory that their team captain was calculating, but rather the possibility that he and his team were on the brink of something magical.

Way up in the stands, Eddie ...