Read about the New Zealand vs Japan game 1995
The Japan National Rugby Team, nicknamed ‘Brave Blossoms’, has appeared at every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987 and, having proven themselves one of the strongest ‘Tier 2’ countries over the decades, were recently promoted to ‘Tier 1’ status by World Rugby. However, on June 4, 1995, at Free State Stadium, a.k.a. Toyota Stadium, in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Japan suffered an embarrassing 145-17 defeat at the hands of New Zealand (neighbours of the aussies, home of sun, sea, surf sand and australia online casino), which remains the highest points tally in the history of the Rugby World Cup.
Fresh from a spirited, but ultimately losing, encounter with Ireland at the same venue, Japan faced a second-string All Blacks side, without first-choice wing Jonah Lomu – who still holds the record, albeit jointly, for the most tries scored in the Rugby World Cup – to name but one. Nevertheless, even with a so-called ‘B’ team, the All Blacks set about dismantling their lightweight opponents in a display of ruthless professionalism. Winger Eric Rush opened the scoring with the first of his three tries after just two minutes and, by half-time, New Zealand were already out of sight, leading 84-3, with the only Japanese points coming from the boot of fly-half Keiji Hirose.
All told, the All Blacks scored 21 tries, of which outside centre Marc Ellis contributed six, which is still a world record. Fly-half Simon Culhane, deputising for the rested Andrew Mehrtens, was successful with all bar one of his conversions attempts and also scored a try, for an individual points total of 45, the highest in the history of the Rugby World Cup. If I could translate that success rate to new online casinos, I’d be quids in!
Officially, in the first semi-final of the men’s 400 metres at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona Derek Redmond did not finish, having torn his hamstring and collapsed to the track, clutching his leg, down the back straight. However, what happened next would make Redmond an inspiration to millions, like someone winning big on usa casinos online.
Redmond had been forced to withdraw with from the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul with an Achilles tendon injury but, despite a series of operations, arrived in Barcelona injury-free and in peak form. Having run 45.03 seconds and 45.02 seconds when winning his heat and quarter-final, respectively, he was, in his own words, ‘running for a medal, no doubt about that.’ However, after just 100 metres or so of the semi-final, Redmond heard a popping sound, felt excrutiating pain and fell to the ground. He rose and hobbled another 50 metres or so but, by that point, all chance of qualifying for the final had gone.
Nevertheless, Redmond resolved to finish the race on his own terms and, despite being barely able to walk, ignored the attention of doctors and officials as he continued his gradual, faltering progress towards the finishing line. About 100 metres from the finish, Redmond was joined by his father, Jim, to whom he famously said, ‘Dad, I want to finish, get me back in the semi-final.’ Finish he did, albeit a long way last, held up by his father, to create one of the most memorable moments in Olympic history. Iconic moments in time like this can never be predicted. Much like a spin of an online casino roulette wheel, the outcome is an unknown.
