Japan's historic upset win over two-time Rugby World Cup champion South Africa has had a significant knock-on effect, with the 25 million people who turned in for the Brave Blossoms' follow up win over Samoa setting a record for a national TV audience for the sport.
World Rugby announced Monday that the 25 million in Japan who watched the 26-5 win over Samoa at Milton Keynes in a Pool B on Saturday beat the previous mark of 20.7 million for a national TV audience set in France in 2007, when the French lost to England in the World Cup semifinal in Paris.
World Rugby said the record represented a TV audience share in excess of 64 per cent and "is another strong indicator that the awareness and popularity of rugby is growing there as it prepares to host Rugby World Cup 2019."
Japan had only ever won one match at the Rugby World Cup before its stunning 34-32 win over the Springboks at Brighton on Sept. 18. The Japanese lost their next game to Scotland, but moved back into quarterfinal contention with the win over Samoa.
"This is a significant result for the game in Japan," World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper said of the TV figures. "It shows that the general population there appreciate the sport and the amazing performances of their national team over the past few weeks.
"Japan have set this entire tournament alight with how they have performed in all their games — their style of play has really caught the imagination of rugby fans around the world."
Japan is still in with a chance of reaching the knockout stages ahead of its last group stage match against the United States on Sunday.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.