The lesson learned by Japan during their four appearances at the Rugby World Cup has been painfully obvious — size does matter.
How to compete against physically bigger sides has been an eternal conundrum for Japan, with 1995’s 145-17 record loss to New Zealand fresh in the memory.
Partly as a response to that walloping, the worst to date in the finals of a World Cup, Japan flirted with wholesale importation of players in 1999.
The policy was quickly abandoned after the tournament, however, when the end result proved the same — three matches, three defeats.
Japan’s only victory in the World Cup came against Zimbabwe in 1991, and with France, Scotland, Fiji and the United States facing them in Pool B the chances of them adding to that lone victory look remote.
Head coach Shogo Mukai says his team’s chances will hinge on getting enough ball to a speedy back division including wing Daisuke Ohata and Hirotoki Onozawa, with loose forward Yuya Saito providing support.
”I expect Ohata, Onozawa and Saito to perform well,” Mukai said.
”They are speedy. The other players’ job is get the ball to those three.
”There’s no easy match in the World Cup. France, the first team we play against, are really strong.
”I expect Scotland to get better by the time of the World Cup. We must organise our team firmly against Fiji, because it is difficult to anticipate their movement,” added Mukai.
If Japan fail to improve their World Cup record, the odds are on Mukai being hastily removed from his post. Bitter infighting has marked his time in charge of the Cherry Blossoms, and results this season have been poor this year.
After defeating South Korea comfortably in Seoul to clinch the Asian qualifying spot, Japan looked towards the finals with confidence.
But any hopes of scoring a surprise win over Fiji or even Scotland evaporated in a dismal summer campaign.
Mukai’s side were torn to shreds 69-27 by the US, and then suffered the ignominy of a 43-34 loss to Russia.
Further heavy defeats by England A and Australia A deepened the gloom for Japan, who must produce something remarkable if they are not to finish at the bottom of their pool. — Sapa-AFP