In 2015, Japan’s Rugby Union team pulled off one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time, when they beat South Africa in their opening match of the World Cup in England. The Brave Blossoms’ win over one of the giants of world rugby would have been unimaginable before the team’s remarkable transformation under its captain Michael Leitch and head coach Eddie Jones. Michael Leitch spoke to Theo Whyte about the match, and how a last minute decision changed Japanese rugby forever. This is a Whistledown production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Karne Hesketh of Japan scores the winning try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Japan at the Brighton Community Stadium on September 19th 2015. Credit: Getty Images)

In 2015, Japan’s Rugby Union team pulled off one of the greatest sporting upsets of all time, when they beat South Africa in their opening match of the World Cup in England. The Brave Blossoms’ win over one of the giants of world rugby would have been unimaginable before the team’s remarkable transformation under its captain Michael Leitch and head coach Eddie Jones. Michael Leitch spoke to Theo Whyte about the match, and how a last minute decision changed Japanese rugby forever. This is a Whistledown production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Karne Hesketh of Japan scores the winning try during the 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Japan at the Brighton Community Stadium on September 19th 2015. Credit: Getty Images)

Rugby's greatest upset

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

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Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You’ll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded. Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women’s World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football’s biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who’ve had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.

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Rugby's greatest upset

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