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Sleeping giant have 'Everest to climb' to be ready for Pool A in Rugby World Cup

Russia in 2011 in New Zealand (Getty Images)

Former Wales flanker Lyn Jones admits he has an “Everest to climb” to make Russia competitive at next year’s Rugby World Cup where they will open the tournament against hosts Japan.

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The two teams meet in the less glamorous surroundings of Gloucester’s Kingsholm stadium on Saturday, 10 month before the eyes of the rugby world will be on them at the 50,000 seat Tokyo Stadium on September 20. The Japan team are coming off a 35-15 loss to England which saw them grab a 15-10 half time lead before Eddie Jones’s men moved up the gears for a comfortable win at Twickenham.

Now Jones, whose Russian team finished fourth in the European Nations Cup but moved up to second after the controversial demotion of Romania and Spain for fielding ineligible players, are preparing for Cup fixtures in Pool A against Ireland, Scotland, Samoa and Japan.

“My appointment was going to be for the long term, but since that we’ve been handed an opportunity to play in the World Cup which gives me a bit of an Everest in front of me,” Jones told BBC Sport Wales. “We’ve landed a hot-spot in the Rugby World Cup by default, so we’ve got a mountain to climb.

Pocock on the charge versus Russia in 2011 (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

“We’re excited, the players are delighted and it’s going to be the most exciting year of their rugby career. They’re focused, and Russian boys work hard, they’re disciplined and they’re proud.”

Russia have two players with experience of the English Premiership in Sale lock Andrei Ostrikov and former Northampton back Vasily Artemyev, while their top club sides have been given European exposure in the Challenge Cup. Jones is convinced Russia is a “sleeping giant” and knows the World Cup could be a significant moment in the country’s rugby life.

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“We have the hosts on day one, then we play Samoa four days after, and as poor as they are for three years, for the World Cup year they can be very tasty with all their big hitters back,” added Jones who coached the Ospreys and Dragons in Wales. “Then there’s the small matter of taking on Ireland and the ‘Scottish Barbarians’, so it’s a great challenge.

“We saw huge performances from Japan and Namibia in the last World Cup, so anything can happen on the day. I went in with my eyes wide open, in tier two nations there’s a huge (sporting) political system. But there’s a lot of good rugby players in Russia, and it’s a sleeping giant.

“There are lots of plans for the long-term development of the game; at the moment it’s about the short term, but there’s lots of good things going on.”

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Soliloquin 10 minutes ago
Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Hastoy was a good prospect before the 2023 RWC, he was the fly-half who led La Rochelle to the victory in the Champions Cup final in Dublin against Leinster.

But he made it to the squad only because Ntamack got his ACL.

He played against Uruguay, which a terribly poor game by the French side, and since then he declined a bit, alongside his club.

Under the pressure of Reus and West at 10, he regained some credit at the end of the season (among all a drop at the 81st minute of a game).

He’s quite good everywhere, but not outstanding.

He doesn’t have the nerves, the defense and the tactical brain of Ntamack, the leadership and the creativity of Ramos or the exceptional attacking skills of Jalibert.


I really hope that:

-Ntamack will get his knee back. The surgery went well. He wasn’t the most elusive player in the world, but he was capable of amazing rushes like the one against NZ in 2021 or the Brennus-winning try in 2023.

-Jalibert will continue to improve his defense. He started working hard since March (after his defensive disaster against England) with a XIII specialist, and I’ve seen great moments, especially against Ntamack in the SF of the Champions Cup. It’s never too late. And it would be a great signal for Galthié.

-Hastoy will build up his partnership with Le Garrec, that La Rochelle will start a new phase with them and Niniashvili, Alldritt, Atonio, Boudehent, Jegou, Bosmorin, Bourgarit, Nowell, Wardi, Daunivucu, Kaddouri, Pacôme…

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