Japan feels the cold

Japan has had a taste of the wet and cold conditions likely to greet teams at the World Cup and many of its players aren’t impressed.

The Japanese team trained at Auckland’s Silverdale club on Friday in heavy rain and temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius.

Coach John Kirwan, a native Aucklander, felt at home but some of his players, coming from a Japanese summer, felt the chill.

Kirwan told reporters said after some of his players took shelter from the weather: “I had to ask them if they want to be selected if it’s raining and cold.”

Hooker Hiroshi Yuhara said” “It was so cold out on the field. The rain came down so hard it hurt.”

Japan plays France in its opening match on September 10.

SAPA-AP