Samurai swords out for Kirwan?
Japan coach John Kirwan has set an ambitious course for Japanese rugby, but his side’s winless exit from the World Cup has left a question mark on the future and his job on the line.
“A draw means no progress,” the Sports Hochi headlined Tuesday the day after Japan drew 23-23 with Canada and and extended their winless World Cup streak to 18 matches over 20 years.
The daily urged the country’s rugby chiefs to take a “drastic reform” and avoid severe embarrassment when they host the 2019 World Cup.
But Kirwan, an All Blacks legend who had targeted two wins in New Zealand, insisted they can compete at the next level if they regularly play against high-ranked sides.
“Rugby at the second tier is a journey,” said the 46-year-old, who previously coached Italy. “What you see is only the tip of the iceberg. You cannot prepare for World Cup pressure.”
“We need to keep playing at the next level. We need to play the likes of Scotland and Ireland – teams that will put us under pressure.
“We need to learn how to win in those situations,” added Kirwan, who hopes to see Japan become a top-eight team by 2019, according to the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) website.
Japan finished at the bottom of Pool A, having earlier lost to France 47-21, Tonga 31-18 and hosts New Zealand 83-7. They also drew 12-12 with Canada in the last 2007 edition in France, months after Kirwan took over as coach of the Brave Blossoms.
The team’s general manager Osamu Ota admitted: “We wanted to move one step forward but we were stagnant.”
“We have no choice but to review our development system,” he told Japanese media in Napier, adding that team leaders, including himself, “have no choice but to take responsibility.”
The team’s coaching structure is expected to be reviewed when the JRFU holds a board meeting on October 29.
JRFU chairman Tatsuzo Yabe said he personally felt Kirwan had failed in his goal to have the Blossoms move “faster” in open play and go “lower” into the contact.
Still he acknowledged the fruit of Kirwan’s four years in Japan, currently ranked 15th in the world. “It is certain that we are moving upwards. He has helped raise our level.”
But he feared that the poor World Cup showing would make it still harder to arrange Test matches against top teams.
After the 2007 World Cup, Japan won all four editions of the Asian Five Nations without losing a game. In July, they secured their first ever Pacific Nations Cup title with a dramatic victory over Fiji.
“I don’t think we’re that far away from joining the elite teams,” said flank Michael Leitch, one of the 10 foreign-born players in Kirwan’s squad.
“But we need more games against the likes of Italy. We lost games that we could have won. We were so close to shocking France,” said the 22-year-old from New Zealand.
“It’s disappointing that we came up short,” Japan captain Takashi Kikutani said. “We need to pass on the experience to the next generation so they can achieve what we weren’t able to achieve.”
“Under the great coach, John Kirwan, the Japanese national team have grown in four years,” said the 31-year-old. “I believe we have been a wonderful team.”
AFP
