The world's rugby powerhouses have assembled to engage in physically tough contests against each other at the sport's pinnacle event. Fans are looking forward to watching top-class players give powerful performances on the field.
Japan will host the first Rugby World Cup to be held in Asia. The 44-day tournament kicks off Friday and will feature many exciting matches.
The opening game will be between Japan, which is ranked 10th in the world, and 20th-ranked Russia. Twenty teams are participating at the Rugby World Cup, and this first match will be crucial for Japan if it is to achieve its goal of reaching the quarterfinals for the first time. Chalking up a win in the opening game would give the Brave Blossoms momentum for the rest of the tournament.
Japan has competed at all eight previous World Cups. However, it has frequently been swept aside by the formidable challenge presented by traditionally strong rugby nations from Europe and the Southern Hemisphere.
After the seventh World Cup, Japan's overall record stood at one win, 21 losses and two draws. At the tournament's third edition, in 1995, Japan even suffered a humiliating 17-145 defeat to New Zealand.
But at the last World Cup in 2015, Japan made a remarkable leap forward. The uncompromising guidance of then-head coach Eddie Jones brought about a massive change.
Japan, which mastered a more organized style of play and carefully analyzed its opponents, defeated South Africa in what has been called the biggest upset in rugby history. Japan finished the pool stage with an impressive record of three wins and one loss.
Land of the rising expectations
Japan's team for the 2019 World Cup includes several big names who played in the 2015 tournament, including captain Michael Leitch and Shota Horie, who will be a vital cog in the scrums. The squad has improved its teamwork and its decision-making ability for dealing flexibly with whatever unfolds in front of them on the field.
In addition to intricate passing that makes the most of the Japanese players' agility, the team has expanded its range of tactics, including the frequent use of kicks when on attack.
There are growing expectations Japan could progress past the pool stage and reach the knockout rounds for the first time.
Japan's pool includes Ireland and Scotland, which are both strong teams. Hopefully Japan can somehow find a way to beat them.
Several teams are widely considered to have a decent shot at winning the title, a situation that will bring excitement to the tournament. The main contenders are New Zealand, which is aiming for a third straight world crown, and previous champions South Africa, Australia and England. Ireland and Wales also have been widely tipped in the buildup to the tournament. Rugby fans will be unable to take their eyes off the matches between these talented teams.
The World Cup is a prime opportunity for people who are unfamiliar with rugby to learn more about the sport. They might enjoy watching matches after picking up such information as explanations about the rules provided by newspapers and on television.
During the tournament, organizing committee staffers and about 13,000 official volunteers will be on hand at the 12 venues across Japan to help the event run smoothly. It will be important to treat kindly rugby fans from around the world who come to Japan, so they can spend a comfortable time here and interact with each other.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Sept. 19, 2019)
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