Japan gave themselves a miraculous boost in their bid to save their place as a core team on the HSBC Sevens World Series by reaching the Cup quarter-finals in the Tokyo Sevens, their first time in the top eight of an event since 2000.
Japan became Asia’s first core side by winning last year’s qualifier in Hong Kong, but have been bottom of the 15 core sides throughout the 2014/15 series, picking up the minimal one point at each of the first five legs.
A week before the Tokyo Sevens, Japan picked up two points in Hong Kong, but only courtesy of a victory over lowly Belgium, a non-core side invited to take up the 16th and final spot in the World Series event.
However, in front of their home crowd on Saturday, Japan opened with a 14-14 draw with Argentina before pulling off one of the season’s shocks by beating once-mighty Samoa 26-12, with Chihito Matsui scoring two tries. Although Japan lost 24-19 to France, the hosts edged Samoa into second place in Pool D on point difference and booked a surprise place in the Cup quarter-finals.
On Sunday, Japan were overrun 41-5 by defending champions Fiji in the Cup quarter-finals and lost 14-5 to Scotland in the Plate semi-finals, but still secured 10 points to move to 17 overall, just eight points short of 14th-placed Portugal with two events to go. Portugal won the fourth-tier Shield to earn three points in Tokyo, moving them to 25.
The bottom-placed side among the 15 core teams after London (May 16-17) will be relegated and replaced next season by Russia, who qualified in Hong Kong.
Japan will next seek to make up the difference on Portugal in Glasgow (May 9-10), where they will again face Argentina in Pool D, along with Canada and USA.
As Tokyo champions, England head Pool A and will face France, Australia and Russia, South Africa will meet New Zealand, Samoa and Kenya in Pool B, while Fiji are joined by Scotland, Wales and Portugal in Pool C.
HSBC Sevens World Series 2014/15: Standings
1. South Africa 129 (15, 22, 22, 17, 17, 17, 19)
2. Fiji 125 (22, 17, 12, 13, 22, 22, 17)
3. New Zealand 120 (13, 15, 19, 22, 19, 19, 13)
4. England 100 (17, 10, 10, 19, 12, 10, 22)
5. Australia 91 (10, 19, 17, 12, 13, 13, 7)
6. USA 71 (8, 5, 13, 10, 15, 12, 8)
7. Scotland 67 (5, 12, 10, 15, 5, 8, 12)
8. Argentina 66 (12, 13, 15, 7, 7, 10, 2)
9. Samoa 56 (19, 8, 2, 2, 5, 15, 5)
10. France 54 (7, 7, 5, 8, 10, 7, 10)
11. Canada 47 (3, 3, 8, 3, 10, 5, 15)
12. Wales 42 (10, 10, 5, 5, 2, 5, 5)
13. Kenya 33 (2, 2, 7, 10, 8, 3, 1)
14. Portugal 25 (5, 5, 3, 5, 3, 1, 3)
15. Japan 17 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 10)
Note: Showing core teams only; Points for each leg in brackets
