Fixtures
Sat 19 Sept South Africa v Japan, Falmer Stadium, 4.45pm BST
Wed 23 Sept Scotland v Japan, Kingsholm Stadium, 2.30pm BST
Sat 3 Oct Samoa v Japan, Stadium MK, 2.30pm BST
Sun 11 Oct USA v Japan, Kingsholm Stadium, 8pm BST
Odds to win World Cup
2,000-1
Coach
Eddie Jones
Captain
Michael Leitch
“We want to make the final eight at the World Cup and be remembered as the team of the tournament,” said Japan’s head coach, Eddie Jones – who guided Australia to the Tri-Nations in 2001 and the World Cup final in 2003 – upon selecting his 31-man squad for this year’s tournament.
At least you cannot fault Japan and Jones for their ambition. While it’s improbable that the Asian nation will realise Jones’s goals and progress from a Pool B also containing South Africa, Scotland, Samoa and the USA, it’s not impossible: they comfortably beat Samoa 33-14 last year and have defeated the USA in five of the last six encounters. But for a team that have won only one World Cup match in their history, 24 years ago – despite participating in every World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1987 – it might be a more realistic aim for Japan to focus on breaking their barren run. Twice they have come close to securing that elusive victory but have had to settle for draws with Canada at each of the last two World Cups.
Jones, whose mother is Japanese and who will step down after the tournament, was appointed in 2012 and has overseen a more open style of play, despite suffering a stroke in 2013. Now fully recovered, he has made the unusual selection of only two scrum-halves in his 31-man squad, with a split of 17 forwards and 14 backs. During his tenure, Japan have managed wins against Italy and Wales, while Michael Leitch (Chiefs), Fumiaki Tanaka (Highlanders), and Hendrik Tui (Queensland Reds) have signed for Super Rugby franchises, something that had never been achieved before.It is these three players who form the backbone of the team – particularly Leitch, Jones’s captain, who was born to Fijian parents but moved to Japan at the age of 15. At 6ft 3in, the flanker is ever present at the breakdown and one of the side’s most important ball carriers.
Other key players include the experienced Ayumu Goromaru, the team’s designated kicker who was the most prolific points scorer in international rugby last year (a feat skewed slightly by the walkovers Japan often enjoy over their Asian opponents – Japan won all eight of their World Cup qualifiers, scoring a total of 658 points and conceding only 41).
At the ripe old age of 37, the veteran Hitoshi Ono has more Test appearances than any Japanese player in history and is the second oldest player at this World Cup behind South Africa’s Victor Matfield. Ono brings a wealth of experience to a lineout that is often perceived to be one of Japan’s weaknesses; indeed the reliance on the 6ft 3in lock is either a testament to his endurance or a lack of depth in quality – the truth is probably somewhere in between.
The Brave Blossoms – surely, along with the Calypso Warriors (Trinidad and Tobago), the best team nickname in international rugby – are ranked 13th in the world, above Italy and the USA, but a lack of regular competition against tier one nations means it is hard to judge the progress they have made since 2011. Their two most recent results – two comprehensive victories over Uruguay last month, the first a 40-0 thrashing – suggests they are hitting form at the right time.
Whatever happens in 2015, Japan’s place at the 2019 World Cup is assured as they are hosts. Or at least they should be. The prospective Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, which was to be the centrepiece of the 2020 Games and was to stage the 2019 tournament opener and final, was scrapped in July over rising costs and a backlash against the design by the Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid. Subsequently, there have been serious reservations about Japan as a legitimate host. World Rugby has called for “formal reassurances” on venues and budgets, giving the hosts until the end of September to get their act together, with South Africa and Australia reportedly lined up as potential replacements.
More encouragingly, Japan will have its own Super Rugby franchise in next year’s competition. Or at least they should have. There’s a trend emerging here. The team remains unnamed and have recruited only two players with the start of the season a few months away. Jones, who was expected to take the head coach role, has distanced himself from the position.
Japan may not progress past the pool stage but among all the external turmoil surrounding the future of Japanese rugby, this tournament – with an experienced head coach and their leading players in their prime – is their best chance to prove the critics wrong. Or at least achieve that long‑awaited World Cup victory.
Japan’s 31-man World Cup squad
Props Kensuke Hatakeyama (Suntory), Hiroshi Yamashita (Kobelco), Keita Inagaki (Melbourne Rebels), Masataka Mikami (Toshiba Brave).
Hookers Shota Horie (no club contract), Takeshi Kizu (Kobelco), Hiroki Yuhara (Toshiba Brave).
Locks Luke Thompson (Kintetsu), Hitoshi Ono (Toshiba Brave), Shoji Ito (Kobelco), Shinya Makabe (Suntory).
Back-rows Justin Ives (Canon Eagles), Ryu Koliniasi Holani (Panasonic Wild Knights), Michael Broadhurst (Ricoh Black Rams), Hendrik Tui (Queensland), Michael Leitch (Chiefs), Amanaki Lelei Mafi (NTT Shining Arcs).
Scrum-halves Fumiaki Tanaka (Highlanders), Atsushi Hiwasa (Suntory).
Fly-halves Kosei Ono (Suntory), Yu Tamura (NEC Green Rockets).
Centres Harumichi Tatekawa (Kubota), Craig Wing (Kobelco), Male Sa’u (Melbourne Rebels).
Wings Akihito Yamada (Western Force), Yoshikazu Fujita (Crusaders), Kenki Fukuoka (no club contract), Karne Hesketh (Fukuoka), Kotaro Matsushima (Waratahs), Toshiaki Hirose, (Toshiba Brave).
Full-backs Ayumu Goromaru (Yamaha Jubilo).
