Japan Rugby World Cup 2023 Spotlight

Japan Rugby World Cup: We continue our countdown to RWC 2023 with Japan the newest nation under the spotlight for their story.

It’s fair to say that Japan took its time to make a big imprint on the Rugby World Cup stage. But, in the last two tournaments, they have arguably been the main achievement story outside of actually lifting the Webb Ellis Cup.

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Japan Rugby World Cup

After 24 years without a Rugby World Cup victory and a competition record 145-17 loss along the way, Japan dragged off the biggest shock in the competition’s history in beating South Africa in 2015, before going on to make the last eight for the first time when they held in 2019.

The Brave Blossoms’ brand of thrilling rugby makes them a pleasure to watch, but perhaps a team to avoid in the draw.

We take a look at Japan’s Rugby World Cup floor.

RWC debut: 24 May 1987 – v USA at Ballymore, Brisbane

RWC appearances: Played 33 – Won 8 Draw 2 Lost 23 – Points for 644 Points against 1,347 – Win ratio 24 percent

Most RWC appearances: Luke Thompson, 14

Most RWC tries: Kotaro Matsushima, 6

Best finish: Quarter-finalists (2019)

Qualification for RWC 2023: Quarter-finalists in 2019

Most memorable match: It can’t anything other than the ‘Miracle of Brighton’, Japan’s ground-contravention, odds-defying 34-32 win at Rugby World Cup 2015. Without an RWC win for 24 years and only one victory to their name in the same number of competitions, against Zimbabwe, the Brave Blossoms weren’t given a prayer of hurtful the mighty Springboks. But Japan’s brand of high-tempo rugby caused South Africa no end of difficulties and they became victims of the biggest tremor in Rugby World Cup history.

Iconic moment: On-field – the sheer enjoyment on the faces of Japan’s players and fans as Karne Hesketh scored the match-winning try against the Springboks in 2015. Off-field – the instant it was announced the colossal clear-up effort in the wake of Typhoon Hagibis had not been in vain and Japan’s crucial pool competition with Scotland would go ahead.

Low point: Conceding a record 145 opinions to the All Blacks in 1995.

Iconic player: Japan’s ‘Captain Fantastic’ Michael Leitch. Led Japan a record-totaling seven times at Rugby World Cup from the blindside, with an imposing win ratio of 71 percent   during his spell in charge. Born in New Zealand but stared by the Japanese as one of their own. In 2019, a national poll named him the second most recognizable person in Japan, behindhand only the Prime Minister.

Record-breaker: Goal-kicking full-back Ayumu Goromaru became the picture boy for Japanese rugby after his exploits at England in 2015. Goromaru scored a try in a record 24-point influence in the win over South Africa and over the tournament with 58 points from four appearances.

Did you know? In 2015, Japan became the first team to win three competitions in the pool stages of a Rugby World Cup yet still fail to qualify for the wow stages. They made sure of their important place in the quarter-finals as hosts in 2019, topping Pool A with conquests against Russia, Samoa, Ireland and Scotland. To know more about Japan Vs Samoa Tickets click here.

Quote: “Looking back, since 2011 this team has grown so much, it’s scary ... we’ve now made history but what’s ahead of us is significant. This (a quarter-final) is not the goal. Winning the next game is the goal. Win the next, then the next. What’s significant is winning the game in front of us. We want to make even more history for Japan.” – Michael Leitch on Japan not being content with a first-ever RWC quarter-final but hungry for more success

Ardie Savea to play in Japan after the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Japan Rugby World Cup: All Blacks lose forward Ardie Savea has publicized he will take an offshore sabbatical in 2024 in Japan, before returning to rugby in New Zealand.

The 67-Test All Black will transfer to Japanese side Kobelco Kobe Steelers at the end of 2023 following the Rugby World Cup and will reappearance in New Zealand in June 2024.

"Although it's far away, it's nice to have clarity in what I'm doing and I think this change, for a short period of time, will do me and my family good," Savea said.

“Playing in Japan is going to be an awesome experience and I’m ready to embrace their beautiful culture. I can’t wait to meet all the Kobe fans at the games and connect with everyone.”

Savea will be immediately eligible for All Black’s choice upon his return and is contracted for the Hurricanes for the 2025 period.

'That gap was massive': Where Japan needs to make up ground on NZ and Australia

Cast your eyes finished last year’s All Blacks and Wallabies team and while there are many players incoming the twilight of their careers, you’ll see plenty of new players in their early 20s who are already making the step up to test rugby.

Men like Ethan de Groot, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa’i, Hoskins Sotutu , and Quinn Tupaea are all still 23 years or under while the Wallabies called upon aptitudes such as Angus Bell, Rob Valetini, Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia who are of a like age.

 In fact, the All Blacks and Wallabies designated 14 players each who would still be eligible for an Under 25s competition, if such a thing existed. With a few exclusions, those men have also all had ample chances to prove their talents at the Super Rugby level and, in some cases, are well into their international careers.

In difference, consider Japan’s national squad from last year’s Autumn Nations Series where the Brave Blossoms fell to overthrows at the hands of Australia, Ireland, and Scotland. While 10 players on the team are still 25 or under, the bulk of those men were into their first campaign in 2022 and have only recently started playing specialized rugby.

Rugby World Cup

Because unlike in New Zealand and Australia, the vast mainstream of Japan’s youth prospects isn’t thrust stringent into an expert side. In Japan, education comes first and young players, regardless of their talents, tend to head to college full-time, with rugby just a side gig during their early 20s. That means while the likes of Noah Lolesio and Will Jordan have been hitting the paddock for the Brumbies and Crusaders, their counterparts in Japan have been drumming the books.

Kazuki Himeno, one of the stars of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, followed that very same path, implementation his studies at the prestigious Teikyo University before making his expert rugby debut for Toyota Verblitz when he turned 22.

Four years later – and still in the determinative years of his professional career – Himeno headed to New Zealand for a season of Super Rugby with the Highlanders and abruptly found himself playing alongside and against a slew of younger players who were at a similar stage in their rugby growth.

RWC 2023

“When I went to the Highlanders, I was 26. Playing rugby at 26 in Japan is considered quite young still. When I went to New Zealand, I found out 26 is not so young,” Himeno, speaking via a translator, told the media this week.

“That really helped me understand and realize the depth of players in New Zealand where players actually had the opportunity to be successful in the rugby industry when they’re 19 to 20. Because in Japan, ultimately after you graduate uni, you’re about 22 and that’s when you actually start your career as a rugby player. So I felt that gap was massive, it’s really big. To know more about Japan Vs Chile Tickets click here.

“For the Kiwis to be able to play a high-level standard of rugby when they’re 19 to 20, that’s a gap that we can’t quite [makeup between] New Zealand and Japan.”

While Japan’s system is excellent at making players for life after rugby, it’s one which won’t necessarily fast-track top young talent into the professional schemes where they can develop into top-tier players.

It can also throw out unusual circumstances for coaches in Japan’s Rugby League One competition.

“It’s definitely a very different beast over here,” said Verblitz head coach Simon Cron, who is heading to the Western Force at the end of the season.

Even when you’re looking at things like the recruitment of your Japanese Rugby World Cup players

“Even when you’re looking at things like recruitment of your Japanese players, the recruitment you do, they might be second-year University so you don’t see them for another two years minimum until they finish. Even while I’ve been here, the recruitment has come from the coaches previous to you being here and that’s quite complicated because the coach who was here previously was South African and the team didn’t pass the ball that much, so you’re looking at a different type of player. And some of the players we’ve recruited will come after I’ve gone.

“So it’s definitely a different system and it’s been ingrained here for quite a long time. And I think that the university qualification’s really important but I see potentially it is an area that will evolve over the coming two, three years as professionalism continues to grow.”

While young players in New Zealand and Australia are often fortified to study or undertake external training

While in their determinative years of professional rugby, it’s in addition to on behalf of their Super Rugby clubs and means that players will rarely finish up their careers without having somewhat else in the bag for the future,

but they’ll be able to get over a period of professional rugby under their belts, injuries permitting. When they hit their physical peaks, they’re often at their cerebral rugby peak also, whereas those mountains might not be quite so well aligned in Japan.

To Himeno’s praise, however, his relative lack of experience didn’t affect his performances on the field for the Highlanders with the Brave Blossoms illustrating one of the top players in last year’s Super Rugby competition.

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