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RUGBY UNION

Japan's winless exit from Rugby World Cup raises concerns about hosting 2019 event

By Shigemi Sato

Sports Oct. 29, 2011 - 05:50AM JST ( 18 )

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18 Comments

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LunchboxOct. 29, 2011 - 08:20AM JST

This article reads like a high school homework project. Basically just a collection of almost random facts and quotes, with slight hints at relating to the title.

Lots of really interesting articles have been in both Japanese and English newspapers in the last few weeks, offering different ideas about the reasons for Rugby's lack of success. Most of them miss the obvious. JRFU has failed to attract big sponsors. Japan's failure is not because of it's National team and it's coaches or the size of the players, or it's Top League system. The problem is that the JRFU has failed to bring the amateur era into the professional.

As the article above mentions, rugby's popularity peak in Japan was in the 80's and early 90's. At that time, rugby was still amateur. Japan however was semi professional. Big companies had their own rugby teams, Kobe Steel, Toyota, IBM etc. Rugby players were given a job with the companies, with a namecard and a desk and came to the office for a couple of hours everyday to do a bit of paperwork. And at lunchtime they left work and went to rugby practice. They were offered good money, and Japan attracted some decent gaijin talent. Rugby was cool, company presidents went to dinner parties in Roppongi and talked about their rugby and soccer teams, like they were Ferraris and Lamborghinis. When players retired from playing, they just stopped going to practice and hung around the company until they retired, doing a few odd jobs, but basically having a free ride till retirement. The companies had money to spare so it didn't matter.

Then the early 90's came, and the rest of the world turned pro, and the JRFU didn't make any big changes. Meanwhile the Japanese economy collapsed, the professional teams are still company teams, half of them have gone because the companies don't have money waste anymore. J League took over as the 2nd most popular sport behind baseball, and Rugby bosses were still talking about the good old days.

And now we've got the world cup in 2019, and rugby 7's in the Olympics. A great chance for the JRFU to make some serious changes. They don't even have to be creative, just copy the J league model. Professional sport requires money. Money controls everything a team, or a sports union wants to do, it is the same as a business. JRFU is failing to attract sponsors. Look at the sponsors Rugby has. Toyota, NEC, Panosonic, Toshiba, etc. Big old companies. Now look at the companies that have bought baseball teams in the last 10 years. Rakuten, Yahoo, Softbank, and this week Mobage bought Yokohama Bay Stars. New companies that are cool. How can we do that? Is the big question that JRFU has to ask itself at the next board meeting. Unfortunately, the board meeting is probably held at the same sushi bar in Roppongi that they've been going to since the 80's.
2

Nicky WashidaOct. 29, 2011 - 09:32AM JST

Lunchbox - all valid points but I am interested in the even more base question of why do they feel they cant host it even if they are not a top team?

I always thought you gotta be in it to win it, not you gotta win it to be in it.

They may not be the best team but they play with incredible heart and the Rugby fans planning to come here with their dollars and pounds and Euros (and condoms!) are not going to care. Only the crusties in management and a couple of tabloid sports reporters are getting their knickers in a twist and calling it "shameful" because they arent the All Blacks. So they arent the Springbok "dream team" of 95. Get over it, and focus on HOSTING a blinding world cup, rather than winning it and forcing the team to commit harakiri if they dont.
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BurakuminDesOct. 29, 2011 - 10:27AM JST

Will they become the first nation in WC history to host the event and not make the quarter finals at least? I hope they make the semis or quarters at least - but there will have to be big changes and rugby will have to be developed and played in many, many more schools than now. The only other option would be to purchase a lot more Polynesians, preferably in their teens - all the rich Japanese companies have plenty of cash for that - however I don't know if Japanese can really relate tho this. I tried to discuss the rugby world cup with a few Japanese people, and they all seemed bemused that "so many foreigners are in the team"!

Then again - South Africa is pretty awful at soccer yet hosted a decent Soccer World Cup!
0

ExportExpertOct. 29, 2011 - 10:36AM JST

They have 8 years to build towards it, time to start is now and they dont have any work to do on infastructure so its just a matter of player development, get going JRFU stop muddling around and worrying, start working on player development, Japan could host an absolute fantastic tournament if it got it's shit together.
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smithinjapanOct. 29, 2011 - 11:02AM JST

“Isn’t it shameful for Japan to host the 2019 Rugby World Cup?” asked a sports columnist in the popular local tabloid Yukan Fuji when the Brave Blossoms returned home after three defeats and one draw in New Zealand."

What's more shameful than anything is their name, which is probably why they cannot play well. How do you keep your chin up and make eye-contact when you are called a 'brave blossom'?

That said, MANY nations are in this situation before hosting a major event, be it the Olympics, WC, or rugby event. And then when the event is actually held they do very well. HOWEVER, in this case it is rather disconcerting that Japan has won but ONE match in 20 or so years. If it were a dry spell that's one thing, but it seems they've never hit a wet one. Lunchbox's reasons are very well informed and very well spelled out, but it doesn't change the facts. And Nicky raises a valid question: why do they feel they are capable of hosting when they clearly cannot play worth a squirt? Aside from the fact that Japan wants to host EVERY world event at the same time, what's the rationale?
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WeaselOct. 29, 2011 - 11:25AM JST

More like the reaction of a six year old boy loosing at a game of kick ball.
- ModeratorOct. 29, 2011 - 11:31AM JST
  
  Please note the difference between "losing" and "loosing."
0

Darren BrannanOct. 29, 2011 - 11:53AM JST

How about Argentina? Rich culture and plenty to see.
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nec123aOct. 29, 2011 - 11:56AM JST

It certainly puts into perspective all the whining that was on these boards and elsewhere when NZ was awarded the 2011 World Cup. I am sure hindsight is 20/20 for those who whined and ranted the loudest. But I said then that would enjoy saying, 'I told you so' when the NZ World Cup was finished and so I do...

Still I will make plans to be living in Japan around 2019 - and hope that Japan can be successful. But yes, as I and many rugby commentators are saying... significant changes to the competition (e.g. significant games for Uni students, better funding of the Top League), and advances in the appalling level of refereeing in Japan will go a long way to helping Japan.

As for foreigners in the team, well, it has been good enough for England, Oz, France, SA, Ireland, Scotland, and Italy to all have Kiwis (and lets be frank that's who you want) in their teams - relax on the imports and let them help.
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smithinjapanOct. 29, 2011 - 12:50PM JST

Mods: "Please note the difference between "losing" and "loosing."

Thank you. I'm sick of this as well, and cannot fathom why people don't know the difference. But maybe the poster meant that some players were loosing arrows or something?

nec123a: "It certainly puts into perspective all the whining that was on these boards and elsewhere when NZ was awarded the 2011 World Cup."

I sense some bias. :) Anyway, how does this put any whining in perspective (save whining about the 'Brave Blossoms')? As with you I DO hope Japan improves, and agree with you and Lunchbox that a myriad of problems need to be remedied first, but until then I don't see how they can do it.
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HategoboOct. 29, 2011 - 01:13PM JST

Quatar are hosting the FIFA World cup. I cannot remember the Quatari team ever setting the wold of soccer alight. Japan should host the Rugby World cup and generate interest at home. One word of advice though, change the name from Brave Blossoms, that name conjures up visions of handbag waving female impersonaters in the English speaking world. Dont you have any Mighty Bears or Crazy Cranes even Savage Swordfish would do at a pinch. :)
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wanderlustOct. 29, 2011 - 05:00PM JST

*Don't you have any Mighty Bears or Crazy Cranes even Savage Swordfish would do at a pinch. *

I've always liked, 'The Sushi Boys'...
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LunchboxOct. 29, 2011 - 05:07PM JST

@ExportExpert

they dont have any work to do on infastructure

All they have to do is develop players? Wrong. Japan has the stadiums, the rest will take a lot of work. You would know, you were in NZ to see the world cup first hand. There is a lot of work to do between now and 2019, and it's a bigger task for Japan than other host nations because they only reason they have been given the cup is so they can pull off something amazing that will help grow it's popularity here and in Asia.
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ExportExpertOct. 29, 2011 - 07:00PM JST

No Lunchbox I was inTokyo the whole time NZ had the cup, so I would'nt know.
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multitaskerOct. 29, 2011 - 11:12PM JST

I dont have a problem with a team hosting the WC evenif they arent a world power, especially if the sport needs to expand into new markets. (Think football WCs in USA and SA.) But listening to all the media/Kirwin build up and raised expectations was nauseating, not to mention the Japanese media calling it shameful, and players crying after drawing Canada. Cmon, people, Japan just isnt THAT good, and becoming top 10, not to mention top 8 or 4, cant be done quickly by spending money and loading your team with 2nd rate islanders and 3rd rate Kiwis! (Well, maybe Im wrong there....) Anyway, as Japan`s economy and self-importance continues to shrink, I hope China tries to host some world sporting events (and buy talent) so I can watch them in a time zone close to Japan. All Hail China!
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multitaskerOct. 29, 2011 - 11:21PM JST

why do they feel they cant host it even if they are not a top team? Good Q. It`s part of the superiority/inferiority complex we all know and love!
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ExportExpertOct. 29, 2011 - 11:26PM JST

Anyway why would a nation need to be a super power in a particular sport to hold the event?

The whole idea with Japan getting to host the world cup is to get exposure for the sport and help to grow the game. It is ridiculous to believe a country must be great at sports to hold the event, if that was the case England wouldn't be hosting the Olympics .

I cannot for the life of me see anything wrong with Japan hosting the 2019 world cup and think it will do a great job, (look at when they hosted the Footbal World Cup) it has all the infastructure and once people realise their country is hosting it I think many more people will be interseted & engaged if the JRFU & the IRB promote it properly.

I think it's great and the fact I'll be able to attend some of the games will keep me very much interested and I'll be doing my best to make sure those here i know are aware their is a tournament being held at their local stadiums.

The Japanese rugby team will do better too they have come a fair way since the early days.
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calm downOct. 30, 2011 - 08:38AM JST

Its not the admin. whose asking the question,it's one disappointed and frustrated sports columnist venting.Doubt that they will continue to sit on their hands,they know we are now in the emergency room for the code and if the team doesnt get the necessary triple bypasses the sport will flatline here and probably in all Asia.