Japan target Canada and Tonga
Coach John Kirwan is looking beyond Japan’s tough opening matches and ahead to Tonga and Canada to define the Asian champions’ World Cup in New Zealand.
The Brave Blossoms have only won once in six previous World Cup campaigns and have drawn world number four France and tournament favourites New Zealand in their opening games in Pool A.
Kirwan is realistic about Japan’s chances at this year’s tournament and has targeted the group matches against the Tongans and Canadians if they are to be judged as an emerging force in world rugby.
“We play the fourth and first ranked teams in the world and for us it’s about being competitive and Tonga and Canada are the games that are really important for us,” Kirwan told reporters on Tuesday.
“We’ve had a great lead-in and a great preparation, but it means nothing and we are judged by the World Cup.”
Former All Black wing great Kirwan knows that the credibility of Japanese rugby is on the line in the coming years as Japan prepares to host the 2019 World Cup.
“At the end of the tournament we want people to say that Japanese rugby is the most improved rugby in the world,” he said of his 13th-ranked outfit.
“We have a World Cup in 2019 and in 2015 we want to make the play-offs and in 2011 we want to win two games so that we can automatically qualify for 2015.
“We would then like the IRB to free up another team out of Asia because we think that Asia is the future and we represent Asia.”
After the steep tournament introduction against France and the All Blacks, the Japanese tackle 12th-ranked Tonga in Whangarei on September 21 and finish their pool against number 14 Canada in Napier six days later.
Japan have won their last five encounters with Tonga and their last two against Canada.
“It’s important we get through to the Tongan game in good shape physically and mentally,” Kirwan said.
He is intending to select his strongest line-up for the opener against this season’s Six-Nations runners-up France at North Harbour on Saturday, but will reassess his team’s situation after this weekend.
“They are difficult decisions but as a management group we’ve planned for all of those and then we’ll reassess after Saturday night,” he said.
“We would like to be competitive against France. We want to show the world how much our game has improved so for us it’s about playing our style of game and doing all the things around rugby well.
“So good set-piece, good at ruck, get our defensive line set, put the French under pressure if we can and when we’ve got the ball in hand to be really positive and enjoy it.
“This is the greatest time of their lives and important that they get out there and enjoy the occasion.”
Since the last World Cup in 2007, Japan have won all four editions of the Asian Five Nations and are yet to lose a game.
In July, they secured their first-ever Pacific Nations Cup title with a dramatic victory over the 15th-ranked Fiji.
The performances have boosted optimism that Japan can add to their sole win at the World Cup after their 52-8 success against lowly Zimbabwe in 1991.
AFP
