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'It feels like they have fallen away': Concern for Japan after 'emphatic' loss
The Brave Blossoms have provided some of recent rugby history’s most memorable World Cup moments, claiming historic upset wins over South Africa and Ireland in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, respectively. The team’s ascension has been a feel-good story enjoyed the world over but has recently hit some road bumps.
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A winless Autumn Nations Series in 2022 provided some moments of promise against some of the World’s top talent, Japan posted respectable scores against the All Blacks and France along with a hefty loss to England.
2023 however has not started well for the Brave Blossoms, or the Japan XV. Before the team kicks off their Pacific Nations Cup campaign on Saturday evening – where they have replaced Australia A in the competition and will face Fiji, Tonga and Samoa – they faced the All Blacks XV in Kumamoto and fell to a disappointing defeat.
After New Zealand’s second team outdueled Japan’s equivalent side 38-6, Japan’s top side awaited the following week. While hoping to kick their World Cup year off with a win, Jamie Joseph’s men were beaten to the punch by an explosive All Blacks XV outfit.
“I’m concerned for the way that they were emphatically beaten,” Former All Black Justin Marshall said on The Breakdown. “Yes, it’s a very good All Blacks XV team but (Japan) were super competitive last World Cup and equally, they were competitive against the All Blacks when the All Blacks played them over there (last year).
“It feels like they have fallen away, I wonder whether or not it was mental, whether they’re seeing that as the All Blacks XV and not the All Blacks or not Australia and they’ve kind of mentally not got their head around how good of a side they were up against.
“Maybe when it gets to a proper Test match, an international, Jamie (Joseph) gets that fire in the belly and they get a little bit better mentally and they’re a better side because at the moment they’re way off.”
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Japan currently sit tenth in the World Rugby rankings and are in a highly competitive Pool C in the Rugby World Cup, facing England, Argentina, Chile and Samoa. The latter of which happens to be their first opponents in the Pacific Nations Cup.
A win against a Samoa side boosted by the addition of former Wallaby Christian Leali’iafano and former All Black Charlie Faumuina would help the team’s confidence get back on track but the three Pacifika nations won’t make life easy for the Brave Blossoms.
“I think for Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown, their coaches, I believe in some of the great things they have done,” Jeff Wilson added.
“They’ll learn a lot very, very quickly Japan and they’ll need to. They’ll need to be better than what they’ve shown in these two games.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Great to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
1 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
10 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
10 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
10 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
3 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
3 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
3 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
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