Japanese women’s captain Saki Minami was conducting her pre-match press conference through an interpreter on Friday but understood enough of the question to start smiling midway through.
“We saw Japan’s men’s team beat South Africa in 2015, do you think you can pull off a similar upset here … tomorrow?”
Minami replied: “Challenge shimasu”
The translator followed up: “We will challenge”.
Whether North Sydney Oval becomes another Brighton Community Stadium on Friday night remains to be seen but one thing is certain: there’ll be no shortage of effort from Japan.
The world no.16 side will have an uphill task in the second Test against strong favourites Australia, after the Wallaroos ran over the top of the Sakura team 34-5 in Newcastle in the first Test last weekend.
But as 100-1 outsiders, no-one expected Japan’s Cherry Blossoms to beat the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup either.
"It is a first tour for this squad and it has been a very great experience so far,” Minami said.
"In Japan we don’t get much opportunity for people to come and watch women’s sport, women’s rugby, that much. So we have been enjoying having a big crowd for our game.”
The Japanese were better than the final scoreline indicates, too, after their low-set game - in set-piece, attack and defence - stifled the Australians in the first half and saw a scoreline of only 12-0 at the break.
They’ll keep that up pressure at North Sydney Oval and try to challenge the Wallaroos more with ball-in-hand, Minami said.
"Our coaches like us to to be low on attack and defence and we will try to keep being low, and having a low set-up in the scrum,” Minami said.
"The first half we had more opportunity in attack and the second half it was more defence so we would like to create more opportunities in attack in this game.”
But while the Springboks might have not seen Eddie Jones’ ambush coming four years ago, Wallaroos captain Grace Hamilton said her side were awake to the challenge and would be looking to significantly improve on their first Test effort - which was an emotional first ever win on home soil.
"We have to back it up and that’s the hardest thing to do,” Hamilton said.
"I know it was really special not only for us but for girls who have been in the Wallaroos squad for a number of years. So it was good to get the win, first on home soil, but we hope to get another one on Friday.
"That first half was really tough and they put a lot of pressure on us. But we absorbed that really well so for us to get out there, hopefully we won’t have so many handling errors, but we can get out there and do what we want to do and spread it wide, but also take it forward like we did.”
Hamilton said she’d been ribbed by Wallabies players Nick Phipps and Ned Hanigan at a lunch on Wednesday about the tears on her face, and many of her teammates, during the national anthem.
"They were like 'everyone was a bit emotional'. It is a bit different for them,” Hamilton said.
"They were like: “Grace you’re supposed to fire people up, not make everyone cry”. It was a funny moment we had.”
Hamilton was outstanding in her first game as captain, running for over 160 metres in 25 carries and making double-digit tackles as well.
It wasn’t a consciously pursued captain’s knock, though.
"I just try and play like that every time I get on that field. It doesn’t matter if I am a captain or not, I just do what I need to do for the best of the team when I get on the field,” she said.
The Wallaroos are hopeful they can draw a strong crowd at North Sydney Oval for their second stand alone Test match. There were almost 4000 fans in Newcastle.
They’ll play double-headers against New Zealand in Perth and Auckland, and Hamilton said she likes the idea of continuing to play both styles of fixtures.
"It's great, but I think it’s great for us to do double headers and be involved in that environment as well,” she said.
"It means collaboration, we have a one club environment with the boys as well. So double headers are great but standalone are also great. The more Tests we can play the better it is for rugby.”
The Wallaroos take on Japan in the second Test at North Sydney Oval, Friday, at 7pm. The match will be broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS and Kayo as well as LIVE on RUGBY.com.au Radio.
