Sunday 29 September 2019 14:14, UK
Sky Sports News reporter Gail Davis reveals how Japan's unlikely win over Ireland captured the emotions of the host nation at the Rugby World Cup, and analyses how it will grow the sport in the country.
"It's a miracle"
"Japan Ireland breaks"
"Proof of the evolution of Japan Rugby"
These were some of the headlines on the front pages of Japan's national newspapers on Sunday morning following their historic 19-12 victory over Ireland in Shizuoka.
There have been a few in Japan that did not know there was a World Cup happening on their doorstep, there really is no escaping it anymore.
Sequels tend not to be as good as originals but at the foot of Mount Fuji with a stadium of home fans roaring them on, Japan produced an absolute blockbuster.
Organisers estimated 40m people tuned in to watch the second half on Japanese TV and thousands of people flocked to fan zones across the country.
The scenes at the final whistle were pure joy, this World Cup party is now in full swing.
There were rumours before Saturday that Japanese rugby shirts were running out in shops, if you want one, it sounds like you had better be quick.
Four years ago during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Japan fell hook line and sinker for rugby.
Eddie Jones, head coach at the time, described how there were people shedding tears of joy as they watched the drama unfold, the players were on giant billboards across the country, the man of the match had a lion named after him.
Baseball was knocked off the back pages and he and his captain Michael Leitch could not even have a coffee without 200 people turning up for photos.
Relationships are sometimes tough to maintain and after a nervous opener against Russia, the Japan fans perhaps needed to remember why they first fell in love with the game. Boy did they get one.
Sunday's headlines say "it's a miracle". This was a very different upset than four years ago when they beat South Africa.
No doubt the 'Miracle in Brighton' gave Japan the belief they could go and shake up Pool A but this has been meticulously planned.
Yes, anyone who has spent any time with Jones would know all about that.
Jones set them on their way, taught them how to win and not just compete and Jamie Joseph has taken this team on again.
When I was in Japan at their training camp a year ago, Joseph had set his side a quarter-final target. This group has been preparing together for a long time, they're fit, tenacious, quick and very well-coached.
Joseph has tapped into the expertise of Jones and Steve Borthwick (Joseph spent a week at England's camp earlier this year) who was part of Japan's coaching set up four years ago and now they sit top of their Pool with the chance to make history by reaching the knock out stages.
Just as they did with the victory over South Africa in Brighton, Japan have ignited this tournament bringing its unique sense of drama, passion and excitement. No one, bar maybe Ireland fans on Saturday, wants predictability.
Even before this tournament kicked off it was being billed as the most open - I'm not sure too many truly believed it, but in a week when the part-timers from Uruguay beat Fiji and Japan beat the second-best side in the world, I bet a few more do now.
