(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
South Africa to Face Japan at Wembley in November Rugby Showdown
South Africa will kick off their November European tour against Japan at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London. This marks the first international rugby match at the stadium since 2016, when the Springboks drew 31-31 with the Barbarians.
Originally, the fixture had been considered for Brighton, the site of Japan’s famous 34-32 World Cup win over South Africa in 2015, known as the “Miracle of Brighton.” With a large South African expat community in London, the Springboks can expect strong support.
South Africa’s Recent London Success
The two-time defending Rugby World Cup champions are no strangers to London victories, having recently beaten Wales 41-13 at Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, and recording wins over England (29-20) and New Zealand (35-7) in the capital.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus expressed his excitement:
“We are delighted to start our Northern Hemisphere tour with Japan at Wembley, ahead of a challenging series that continues with France in Paris. Our fans in the UK have been fantastic over the years, and we expect the same support at one of the world’s most famous venues.”
Japan Eyes Another Upset
This will be only the fourth meeting between South Africa and Japan, with the Springboks winning the last two clashes in 2019. Japan’s historic 2015 World Cup victory over South Africa remains one of the sport’s greatest upsets.
Japan head coach Eddie Jones, who led the Brave Blossoms in that famous 2015 match, is looking forward to the showdown:
“The game in Brighton transformed rugby in Japan. Playing against the Boks is the dream of every young Japanese player.”
Wembley’s Rugby Legacy
Since reopening in 2007, Wembley Stadium has hosted four international rugby fixtures, including two Rugby World Cup matches in 2015, both drawing near-capacity crowds of around 90,000.
Tickets for the Springboks vs Japan clash go on general sale at 11am on 22 August via Ticketmaster.co.uk, starting from £55 for adults and £27.50 for under-16s.
