How Japan's creative attack 'shocked the world'
Jun 25, 2021The British and Irish Lions expect Japan to provide a thorough defensive examination on Saturday at Murrayfield as they begin their summer against a nation that has “shocked the rugby world” in recent years.
Ahead of their tour of South Africa and what promises to be a ferocious Test series against the Springboks, the Lions could not have hand-picked a more contrasting assignment.
Coached by Jamie Joseph and former New Zealand fly-half Tony Brown, one of sport’s more inventive thinkers, Japan will be expected to maintain possession and impart the intricate, fast-paced phase-play that has helped them overturn South Africa, Ireland and Scotland at the last two Rugby World Cups.
![2020 10 13 Michael Scotland](https://dcdeb7qm850z0.cloudfront.net/blog/_1280x800_crop_center-center_61_line/1205/2020-10-13-michael-scotland.jpg)
At blindside flanker, though, superb skipper Michael Leitch remains. Iain Henderson recalls him “causing a lot of problems” for Ireland.
As he did at Twickenham in 2018, to devastating effect, Leitch will likely hold width close to the touchlines.