Japan's Brave Blossoms reaching the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup on home soil and "Smiling Cinderalla" Hinako Shibuno's sensational win at the Women's British Open were among the big stories in Japanese sports in 2019.Tournament hosts Japan reached the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup for the first time. The Brave Blossoms beat Russia, Pool A favorites Ireland, Samoa and Scotland to finish the first round with a perfect 4-0 record. Their magical run ended in the last eight with defeat to South Africa's Springboks, who went on to win the title for a third time by beating England.…READ FULL ARTICLE
