Rugby World Cup
Japan—or at least its coach—likes the team’s chances at the upcoming tourney

Nataliela Oto makes a break against the Asian Barbarians

©2007, JRFU Photo by H. Nagaoka

John Kirwan sounds optimistic: “We are going to the World Cup to win every game.” Such confidence would be understandable if the 42-year-old former All Black was at the helm of the squad of his native New Zealand. But as coach of Japan, Kirwan—who played for New Zealand when they captured the first World Cup back in 1987—leads a nation that has won just one of the last 16 games at the sport’s flagship tournament.

Being brought up as an All Black has meant that Kirwan never goes onto the field thinking he is going to lose, and this is a trait he is trying to instill in his players.
“The team has no idea how good it is,” he said.

The recent Pacific Cup campaign saw glimpses of potential, but a lack of endurance meant that games Japan should have won against Fiji and Samoa ended in defeat. “We have to learn to play for the full 80 minutes,” Kirwan said following Japan’s farewell game on home soil—a 69-10 victory over the Asian Barbarians all-star team. “And we have to cut down on our errors. The World Cup is the best of the best. If we make that many errors, we will get heavily beaten.”

Not for the first time, the New Zealander was upset by the way the International Rugby Board, the game’s governing body, had seemed to favor the big boys. In addition to having the eligibility requests denied for three foreign-born players, Kirwan was also miffed with the draw Japan has been given.

The Brave Blossoms’ first game is against Australia on September 8. They then travel from Lyon to Toulouse that night in order to face Fiji—one of the two matches the Japan Rugby Football Union has targeted as a must-win game—on September12.

The Japan players then will travel to Cardiff to take on Wales on September 20, before returning to France to play Canada—the second targeted game—on September 25 in Bordeaux.

As Kirwan points out, it doesn’t matter who you are or who you are playing, test match rugby is tough and players feel like they have been in a car wreck.

The lack of time between the opening two games has forced Japan to play their second-string team against the Wallabies so that the top guys can remain fresh for the Fijians. Japan did the same thing this year with the reserve team at the end of a 71-10 hiding from Australia A, before the first team only just lost to Samoa.

Takuro Miuchi will lead the Brave Blossoms for the second straight World Cup, and the number eight will be ably supported by a number of Kiwis. Phil O’Reilly will be key to winning quick ball, and with Glen Marsh ruled ineligible, Hare Makiri will likely join O’Reilly and Miuchi in the back row.

Luke Thompson was, along with Kosuke Endo, Japan’s standout player in the spring test matches and the lock will be the go-to man in the line outs, while Bryce Robins will start at fullback.

The last World Cup saw Japan defy the critics and put in some battling performances that gave Scotland and France some major worries. With two wins in France, Kirwan’s prediction that rugby is ready to explode in Japan may yet come true.

The Rugby World Cup takes place Sep 7-Oct 20 in France and England.