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Japan have been left behind since last World Cup warns Jamie Joseph
By Rugby365
The pandemic has stunted Japan’s rugby development and the 2019 quarterfinalists are now “clearly behind” in their preparations for next year’s World Cup, head coach Jamie Joseph warned on Tuesday.
Japan played no games in 2020 because of coronavirus restrictions, denying them the chance to build on their historic run to the last eight in the previous year’s World Cup on home soil.
They managed seven matches in 2021 but Joseph fears his team have lost ground against the world’s best, as they look towards next year’s World Cup in France.
“One of the biggest challenges that I’ve faced since the World Cup in 2019, like a lot of other people around the world in sporting teams, is the pandemic,” said former All Black Joseph, announcing his squad for four home Test matches, against Uruguay and France.
“The first year we had no rugby, last year we played seven games, and so we are clearly behind in terms of our development.”
Japan have been drawn in a World Cup group with England and Argentina, both of whom have seen regular action in the Six Nations and Rugby Championship throughout the pandemic.
Joseph said the games against Uruguay and Six Nations champions France would give Japan a chance to “test new players” and “grow depth in all positions”.
The New Zealander on Tuesday picked two squads – a full Test-match squad and a development squad – in a bid to run the rule over as many players as possible.
South African-born duo Pieter Labuschagné and Gerhard van den Heever are in the Test-match squad, while Wimpie van der Walt and Shane Gates are in the development squad.
Meanwhile, there are a few Australian-born players in the Test squad as well.
They are Jack Cornelsen, Ben Gunter and Dylan Riley.
The development squad will face a team of Japan-based Tongan players in a charity match in Tokyo on June 11.
Joseph said the decision to axe the Japan-based Sunwolves from the Super Rugby club competition in 2020 has made it “very difficult to find matches of substance that really prepares players for Test matches”.
“You sort of roll with the punches as a coach and what I’ve tried to do to be able to counteract that is to pick two teams and create more games as best we can,” he said.
-Rugby365
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Latest Comments
No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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