The Brighton Miracle is a sports drama film directed by Max Mannix, and released in 2019. The film tells the true story of the Japanese national rugby team's incredible upset victory over South Africa in the opening game of the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The victory was seen as one of the biggest upsets in the history of the sport and was dubbed "the Brighton Miracle".
The film stars Temuera Morrison as Eddie Jones, the Australian-born coach who was tasked with leading the Japanese team to the World Cup. Jones is depicted as a maverick coach who challenges the traditional methods of Japanese rugby and uses his knowledge of the New Zealand rugby system to craft a game plan that would allow Japan to compete with the top teams in the world.
The film follows Jones as he struggles to convince the Japanese rugby officials to back his methods, and as he works to build a team that can compete with the best. The team of mostly amateur players, some of whom had never played in a World Cup before, train tirelessly and push their bodies to the limit in order to achieve the impossible.
Despite being written off as massive underdogs, the Japanese team, led by captain Michael Leitch (played by Lasarus Ratuere), go on to defy all expectations and secure a historic win over the heavily favored South African team. The film culminates with scenes of jubilation as the Japanese players, coaches and fans celebrate their victory.
Overall, The Brighton Miracle offers an inspiring tale of perseverance and triumph against the odds. The film is a celebration of the power of sport and a reminder that anything is possible with hard work and determination.