ITALY: RUGBY UNION - Japanese National coach John Kirwan says rugby in Japan is getting stronger

Record ID: 755731

  • Title: ITALY: RUGBY UNION - Japanese National coach John Kirwan says rugby in Japan is getting stronger
  • Date: 14th August 2011
  • Summary: CESENA, ITALY (AUGUST 12, 2011) (REUTERS) JAPAN TRAINING INSIDE STADIUM CAMERAS INSIDE STADIUM VARIOUS OF JAPAN TEAM TRAINING JAPAN COACH, FORMER ALL BLACK JOHN KIRWAN AND CAPTAIN TAKASHI KIKUTANI HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTER WRITING/ ACCREDITATION BADGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAPAN COACH, FORMER ALL BLACK JOHN KIRWAN, SAYING: "We have short-term goals and long term goals in mind. I think a long term-goal is to make the top eight in 2015 and then to make our own finals in 2019. As of 2012, 2013, we will start playing against European sides. As you know European scrum and set piece is very different to how we play in the southern hemisphere, so for us it's about coming up and playing against a very good scrum and a very good Italian side" PLAYERS TRAINING KIRWAN DIRECTING TRAINING MORE PLAYERS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) JAPAN COACH JOHN KIRWAN SAYING: "We're probably not as popular as we were 20 or 25 years ago, when we used to get 60,000-70,000 people at some university finals. Soccer came in the '80s and did a very good job in getting the young people across to watch the game and they also invented a professional league. After the '92 (EDITORS: actually 2002) soccer World Cup, the popularity of rugby went probably backwards a bit, but it's something that the Japanese Rugby Union is addressing and we're coming back and getting stronger" PHOTOGRAPHER NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM VARIOUS of JAPAN TEAM TRAINING FORMER JAPAN PRIME MINISTER AND CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE JAPAN RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION YOSHIRO MORI (FIRST FROM LEFT) WATCHING JAPAN TEAM TRAINING OFFICIAL RUGBY BALLS FOR THE 2011 RUGBY WORLD CUP
  • Embargoed: 29th August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy, Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA93UGUH47MGWFGL84PRH06C6L4
  • Story Text: Japan coach John Kirwan said on Friday (August 12) that the upcoming Rubgy World Cup is the first step for his team to reach the long-term of being among the top eight world teams by 2015.
    "We have short-term goals and long term goals in mind, I think a long term-goal is to make the top eight in 2015 and then to make our own finals in 2019", former All Black Kirwan told a news conference in the Italian city of Cesena, where the 'Brave Blossoms' will face Italy in a world cup warm-up on Saturday (August 13).
    "As of 2012, 2013, we will start playing against European sides, as you know European scrum and set piece is very different to how we play in the southern hemisphere, so for us it's about coming up and play against a very good scrum and a very good Italian side", said Kirwan, who coached Italy for three years before signing with Japan in 2007.
    In July, Japan won the Pacific Nations Cup for the first time, sparking hope that they might be able to improve their World Cup performance from the 2007 edition, when they lost three group matches and drew one. They are currently ranked 12th in the IRB rankings, one position below Italy, with a chance to climb above the Italian side in case of a win in Saturday's match.
    Japan is set to host the 2019 edition of the Rugby World Cup and Koirwan said the sport's popularity is improving.
    "We're probably not as popular as we were 20 or 25 years ago, when we used to get 60,000-70,000 people at some university finals. Soccer came in the '80s and did a very good job in getting the young people across to watch the game and they also invented a professional league. After the '92 (EDITORS: actually 2002) soccer World Cup, the popularity of rugby went probably backwards a bit, but it's something that the Japanese Rugby Union is addressing and we're coming back and getting stronger."
    Italy have won the previous four matches against the Japanese.
    Japan have lost outside half Ryohei Yamanaka, who has been banned for two years after testing positive for a steroid which he said came from a cream used to aid the growth of his moustache.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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