One of rugby’s most underrated rivalries will reignite this Saturday at the 24,000-seat Kumagaya Rugby Stadium when Japan's Brave Blossoms face the USA Eagles in the Asahi Pacific Nations Cup.

Both teams remain undefeated in Pool B, setting up a clash of styles and strategies at 7pm local time (11am BST).

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For Japan, this match is a crucial milestone as Eddie Jones seeks to restore his team to the prominence they enjoyed in the late 2010s. Jones has revived an uptempo, offensive game plan for Japan, reminiscent of his successful first tenure as head coach. His philosophy focuses on relentless pressure, speed, and attacking precision. As the Brave Blossoms progress through this rebuilding phase, Saturday’s game is a key test of their development. Jones knows a win would further solidify Japan’s resurgence, but the USA Eagles stand as a formidable obstacle.

On the other side, the Eagles, led by head coach Scott Lawrence, emphasise a methodical and physical approach to the game. Lawrence, who understands American rugby intimately, is crafting a playing style that reflects both American strength and a calculated ambition to strike when opportunities arise. The Eagles are in the early stages of a new coaching regime, but they have laid solid foundations with recent victories, particularly against Canada.

Quotes From The Camp

Reflecting on the Canada game, Lawrence said that his team's focus was on building continuity and maintaining discipline. “We were able to do that in the early parts of the game, which put a little more pressure on the Canadians than we’ve been able to apply to opponents in the last couple of test matches,” Lawrence noted. His team saw a 50% reduction in penalties compared to their previous match in July, and he is keen to continue this trend against Japan.

Eagles captain Greg Peterson shared his satisfaction with the team’s preparation and execution against Canada. “We trained hard for two weeks on a lot of things...continuity and focusing on ourselves and being able to implement that in a game situation was key,” Peterson said. The lessons learned in their July tests against Romania and Scotland have been vital to the Eagles’ development, and Peterson sees this match against Japan as another opportunity to demonstrate their growth.

One of the Eagles' key strengths has been their territorial control, with 66% of their possession in the Canadian half during their last match. This deliberate style allowed them to build a substantial lead and manage the game effectively. Lawrence explained that converting territorial advantage into points requires nuanced decision-making. “You’re always looking to strike and to score when you can off the first phase,” he said, emphasizing the importance of timing and execution.

Against Japan, however, the Eagles will need more than just control and precision. They must adjust their game plan to counter Japan’s speed and creativity. “We’ll do some different things against Japan in terms of how we’ll move their backfield around,” Lawrence hinted, acknowledging the need for tactical flexibility.

Both teams will be tested in terms of skill and their ability to manage the flow of the game. Peterson emphasised the importance of setting the pace in the match's opening and closing stages. “I think it will be the first twenty minutes and the last twenty minutes of the game that will be the decider,” he said.

Prediction

Japan enters the match as the rightful favourites, given the two teams' rankings and how their respective open fixtures played out.

The opportunity to enter the match is perhaps a blessing in disguise for Lawrence's men, given the heightened expectations following their strong performance against Canada.

Ultimately, this is the first real acid test for both sides and as Peterson notes, it will likely be decided in the opening and closing stanzas. Considering Japan’s ability to come out of the blocks hot, should the Eagles weather the storm and stay in the fight until the final twenty, there is a real chance they can pull off the upset.

One thing that certainly works in the hosts' favour is the travel factor, given that the Eagles only arrived in Japan this week, whereas the hosts have had two weeks back home. This leads one to believe that in those final twenty minutes, the Brave Blossoms may just hold the edge in terms of their freshness.

In an intriguing matchup, the home side will take this one but expect the Eagles to continue their improvement. Japan by ten.

Saturday’s match will be the 25th encounter between the sides – and first for five years – and although USA lead the head-to-head 13-10 (with one draw), Japan have held the upper hand for the last 16 years.

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