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When the speculation of the Japan Brave Blossoms Test against the Springboks in England was floated back in July, it was one for the rugby romantics as it would mark a decade since the Japanese toppled the giants of rugby 34-32 in one of the biggest upsets in the sport. But the actual announcement to stage the game at Wembley has killed off the romanticism as the teams look to monetise the spectacle at the much larger venue.
Am I being too harsh? We know it's a professional sport that is struggling financially, but the original idea to mark the decade anniversary in Brighton got hearts fluttering.
To be honest, it was made clear some time ago that the match could not be played in Brighton on 1 November as the football side already had a Premier League match scheduled, so the final decision to have it in London was maybe a no-brainer, especially when the accountants cast their eye over the fixture. But man oh man, it's a what if…..
The game is being promoted and organised by Pitch International, a London-based sports marketing agency, and its Chief Commercial Officer is Andy Marinos.
Yes, the Marinos, who was formerly CEO of SANZAAR, and chief executive officer of Rugby Australia. They were also responsible for bringing the Qatar Airways Cup to South Africa as they faced the Barbarians for the first time in South Africa, and were a partner for the British & Irish Lions tour of Australia.
Pitch International said they are delivering the event in London end-to-end - “from venue operations, match protocol and ticketing to hospitality, media rights sales, and live global distribution.” They will also manage team logistical arrangements, hotel bookings, access to training facilities, and full matchday coordination.
Marinos said: “Bringing South Africa and Japan together at Wembley Stadium, one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world, is a fantastic milestone for Pitch International. Hosting two proud rugby nations on such a historic stage is a testament to our commitment to showcasing world-class rugby events globally.
For both sides, the match will be the first of their end-of-year November series, and London’s iconic Wembley Stadium will be awash with green, red and white, with a fair spattering of neutral fans to fill the stadium.
It is the first rugby event to be held at the ground since 2016, when the Springboks and the Barbarians played out a 31-31 draw and only the fourth meeting between South Africa and Japan. The Springboks won the last two encounters before and during the RWC 2019 in Japan.
The world champions have previously played neutral teams in London in June 2024, when they beat Wales 41-13, at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, and New Zealand by a record 35-7 win in the build-up to the Rugby World Cup 2023 in France. They will also face Argentina in the final round of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship at Allianz Stadium on 4 October this year. For the Japanese, it will be a debut run-out at the famous ground.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus said of the occasion, “We are delighted to be starting off our tour of the Northern Hemisphere with a match against Japan at the iconic Wembley Stadium.
The Brave Blossoms are renowned for playing fast, attacking, high-tempo rugby, which has been prevalent in our last two encounters, before and during the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019.”
The South Africans will face France in Paris the following weekend before taking on Italy, Ireland and Wales.
Japan coach Eddie Jones, who won the RWC in 2007 as a technical advisor to the Springboks, was recently coy about the prospect of the game taking place, but now with the match confirmed, he said, “The game in Brighton 10 years ago changed rugby in Japan from being a minor sport to a boom sport. Playing against the Boks is the dream of every young Japanese player.”
Following the Wembley match, the Brave Blossoms play Ireland, Wales and Georgia on consecutive weekends.
Since the London stadium was rebuilt and reopened in 2007, the only four rugby fixtures to have been played there include two Rugby World Cup matches in 2015, which both drew capacity crowds of just under 90,000 people.
A Wembley Stadium spokesperson said: “After nine years away, international rugby returns to Wembley Stadium. We are thrilled to be hosting back-to-back World Cup winners South Africa and a very exciting Japan side. It promises to be another spectacular sporting fixture under the arch, and fans can expect an incredible atmosphere at the world’s most famous stadium.”
Japan will come into the fixture following the Pacific Nations Cup and after hosting Australia at home in Tokyo in a one-off Test the week before the Wembley clash.
With the Brave Blossoms set to play Wembley for the first time, Masato Tsuchida, President of JRFU, said, “Ten years since the Miracle of Brighton, it’s a great honour to once again play South Africa on English soil. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in making this game happen. Our victory over the Springboks at the Rugby World Cup 2015 was a historic match that redefined the history of Japanese rugby and marked the beginning of a new era for the JRFU.
No matter what happens at Wembley or the result, with a 90,000+ capacity, at least it might be one of those games where every person you meet who claims to have been in attendance was there, unlike that famous day in Brighton where the 30,000 crowd capacity seems to have been filled ten times over when you consider how many fans lay claim to have witnessed history.