Monday May 28, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Canada rallies to draw 23-23 with Japan; Italy beats U.S.

Sports Sep. 27, 2011 - 05:46PM JST ( 25 )

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25 Comments

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GWSep. 27, 2011 - 03:02PM JST

Japan shud have been able to win with Cda turning the ball over with stupid penalties & a missed easy kick for goal.

But good on the Canucks for steaming back at the end! Next NZ!
-1

RossBardJapanSep. 27, 2011 - 03:14PM JST

It's official: John Kirwan is overrated.Great player does not automatically mean great coach.
0

smithinjapanSep. 27, 2011 - 03:19PM JST

Good comeback at the end, by the sounds of it. Last I read Canada was behind 17-7. So, I guess Japan finishes last in their group, but at least they can say they didn't lose one game. Bye-bye Kirwin! I hope the Canucks can upset one last team in their final game.
1

BurakuminDesSep. 27, 2011 - 03:38PM JST

I hope the Canucks can upset one last team in their final game.

Me too - but beating even the Kiwi second team would be the upset of the century! Well done to Canucks for qualifying for 2015. They have some good players and deserve their place ahead of Tonga and Japan. Wouldnt surprise me if Kirwan goes anyway of his own accord - possibly to Europe.
1

OsakaTSep. 27, 2011 - 03:40PM JST

Japan gave it a good go, good on them. It's not JK's fault, he's an excellent coach as told to me by my cousin, who was coached under him when JK coached Italy.

Nevertheless, all teams will go under the boots of the mighty New Zealand All Blacks!!! Nothing and nobody can stop their rampaging crusade of destruction!!!

GO THE ABs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-2

OsakaTSep. 27, 2011 - 03:47PM JST

I can see the score already. New Zealand 80, Canada 0. Nobody can beat the mighty, blessed by the gods, ordained by the highest kings and queens in the land, NEW ZEALAND ALL BLACKS!!!
0

smithinjapanSep. 27, 2011 - 04:16PM JST

BurakuminDes: "...but beating even the Kiwi second team would be the upset of the century! Well done to Canucks for qualifying for 2015."

All the more fun it would be as an upset, no? Don't get me wrong; I don't think it will happen, just saying it would be nice if it did, as both teams have already qualified.

OsakaT: "It's not JK's fault..."

Really? Well, maybe so... but he seemed to like playing with the order of those who fielded as though it were a game of hot potato. Would they have been so badly slaughtered by the Kiwis if he didn't choose second string? Why couldn't he blame the second string excuse in the loss against France and Tonga? What did his two changes for the Canada match improve?

"I can see the score already. New Zealand 80, Canada 0."

I can admire support for one's (favoured) team, and good on you. I doubt it'll be quite that bad, though. I just hope Canada puts up a good fight. They've done well in all their games so far, upsetting Tonga and coming back to tie Japan, so let's see if they can't keep the All Black's to a minimum.
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ExportExpertSep. 27, 2011 - 04:44PM JST

Dreaming if you think canada can upset the AB's however would be great if they can then NZ may slip into the favoured side of the draw for the next round, bring on england hahaha.

Japan dont know how to close out a game yet. they sure had the wood on canada in the first 60 minutes but couldnt finish the game, damn shame.
1

smithinjapanSep. 27, 2011 - 05:02PM JST

ExportExpert: "Dreaming if you think canada can upset the AB's..."

Like I said, I don't think it's possible, just that 'it would be nice'.

"Japan dont know how to close out a game yet."

Obviously. Nor how to start one in other cases.

"they sure had the wood on canada in the first 60 minutes"

That they did. Sadly, for Japan at any rate, that doesn't count in terms of end result. Like I also said, though, at least they didn't lose. I thought they would actually win after the first half, to be honest, as Japan often does a good job at doing the job when it counts (like with soccer... they've won some critical games by a margin, and tied other games, but never actually 'lost', hence the constant "14 games with no loss" update -- with of course the number changing). But oh well. They can practice changing first and second string around and see if it does them better while Canada plays in 2015!
-1

multitaskerSep. 27, 2011 - 05:16PM JST

Woo Hoo! Never has a tie felt so good! 4 years ago, Canada wuz robbed and tying Japan (thus finishing LAST) was a huge slap in the face. 4 years later, coming back late (as they did vs. Tonga) to level the score was a miracle!! (oh, and having lots of extra rest than J didnt hurt...) I was watching in a HUB in Tokyo, and in Japanese. i thought Pritchard went off, and thought we were effed without him and his boot. So I was surprised to see him back, but without him kicking. Ill agree C was lucky to come back, but BUT Monro was awful and C should have had some easy kicks that he missed. Anyway, cheers to both teams for an entertaining if sloppy game and a great way to avoid working on a Tuesday afternoon!! MY WC is over, so the rest of the teams, like NZ SA and OZ, can go play with themselves! LOL...
1

lucabrasiSep. 27, 2011 - 05:22PM JST

@Burakumin

Canada just played the Kiwi second team, remember? They drew 23-23.
-1

multitaskerSep. 27, 2011 - 05:31PM JST

Haha!! Good one.... Or, as I said to my friend, "our gaijin were better than Japan`s gaijin." Thank you DTH whatever your name is!
0

BurakuminDesSep. 27, 2011 - 05:32PM JST

Canada just played the Kiwi second team, remember? They drew 23-23.

ha ha! Those Kiwi-born lads in the Japan team have all my respect - they are honest, hard-working toilers and they mostly did Japan proud - but they'd never get close to even an All-Blacks 10th choice team.
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multitaskerSep. 27, 2011 - 05:52PM JST

Right you are, BKD! BTW, you wrote earlier Canadas halves are good. Sorry, what does half mean? 6 and 7? 12 and 13? Anyway, whats the future of Kirwin? Does he quit, get fired, or live off his former glory until he retires to his villa in Italy? And if he is finished, does Japan replace him with Eddie Jones? What you reckon. anyone?
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BurakuminDesSep. 27, 2011 - 06:01PM JST

Multitasker - the "halves" in rugby union are numbers 9 (half-back - the scrum-feeder) and 10 (fly-half). Hope that's correct, I'm a rugby-league man myself! I would stick with JK - his side hasn't met their aims here - they wanted 3rd place - but he has done OK over the past few years with the cattle he has to work with. Eddie Jones would be great too (if he wanted the job), he is half-Japanese, knows the culture and set-up of Japan Rugby very well.
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BurakuminDesSep. 27, 2011 - 06:18PM JST

Sorry, what does half mean?

Multitasker - No. 9 Half-back (scrum-feeder), No. 10 Fly-half . The blonde-haired Canuck seemed pretty good to me, as did the bearded forward - he is awesome! I reckon JK should stay on.
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calm downSep. 27, 2011 - 06:31PM JST

So that's it now for the players to earn a welcome few weeks off before the Japanese domestic season starts up..time for detailed analysis and evaluation of this campaign and future targets by the admin. and coaching staff..really cant see how stacking the side full of B-grade foreign players is beneficial to the long term good of the sport..doesnt matter who the coach is if you don't have the cattle to work with..structures have to be put in place yesterday,to facilitate youth development... to somehow steal the talent from soccer,american football and athletics,this is stating the obvious I know,but whats being done ??
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ExportExpertSep. 27, 2011 - 06:44PM JST

Eddie Jones would probably be a good choice for japan he did well with the aussie team also assisted SA in winning a world cup with smith, as some one said he is also part japanese so a near perfect fit.

Development needs to be more involved here to get the game to another level, for a start they need school boy rugby but a lack of grass fields to play on hinders that.

University rugby is too late to develop the instinctual aspect of the game we get from playing in NZ from the age of 5 years old.

There needs to be more than just university and company rugby before any forward progress can be made with the game here.
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BurakuminDesSep. 27, 2011 - 08:32PM JST

University rugby is too late to develop the instinctual aspect of the game we get from playing in NZ from the age of 5 years old.

Excellent point there. Same in Aussie with "mini-league", for example. Once kids are into their teenage years and have not played rugby, you can't imagine many wanting/being capable of scrummaging, kicking/throwing a Gilbert around, line-outs, rucking etc. By then they have already honed skills in baseball or soccer. Get the kids early with some type of mini-rugby comps in Japan! Will it happen? Probably not.
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multitaskerSep. 27, 2011 - 09:23PM JST

Thanks, BKM! Ya, 6 and 13 for Canada were awesome. 9 and 10 were pretty good. Monro (10) had a bad day missing some kickable penalties, but he did score the final 8 points, so shouldn`t complain, ne! Next up: Georgia and Romania....
-1

herefornowSep. 27, 2011 - 10:09PM JST

"Brave" or not, they are still winless in 20 years and finished last in their group once again. Time for serious evaluation and exploring new directions, not just more hype and clever names.
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billyshearsSep. 27, 2011 - 10:10PM JST

University rugby is too late to develop the instinctual aspect of the game we get from playing in NZ from the age of 5 years old.

Japan has a very famous high school rugby tournament that culminates in the new year at Hanazono. It's the rugby equivalent of baseball's Koshien high school tournament.
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hoserfellaSep. 27, 2011 - 11:00PM JST

billyshears- to say the Japan high school rugby in Hanazono is "very famous" is a real stretch. Its a peripheral sport in Japan played by few high schools. The only thing I'd say was famous about the tournament is the waterworks. They cry when they lose, cry when they win, cry when they draw, cry getting off the bus..
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multitaskerSep. 27, 2011 - 11:51PM JST

... and cry when they draw against Canada AGAIN, thereby prolonging their winless streak to 24 years... at least. Oh well, maybe they will be in the same pool with Namibia in 2019 to give local supporters some hope!)) Oh, and maybe Kirwin or Jones can just exclude ALL JAPANESE players from the national team. Sorry for the sarcasm...
1

jforceSep. 28, 2011 - 06:16PM JST

Canada has rugby development from a devoted gym-teacher base only. Some school systems have the JHS start, some have leagues, but for the most part it is hard to get into the sport unless you have a family member familiar with it, or the devoted coach/teacher in your nearby system. Remember this is a huge country with different curriculums from county to county which dictates what sports are covered. Canada has done well and will need dropkicks at every touch to compete with the Kiwis. Ironically, Canada is famous for professional wresting and they are good at dropkicks. Japan needs help on many levels to succeed, but never count anyone out.