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Rugby World Cup 2007 - Prepare Yourself.

The Japanese Rugby World Cup 07 Squad.

July 25th 2007 14:44
Please read corresponding post on Rucks and Rolls for further information on:



Japan (Brave Blossoms) v Australia A during the Pacific Nations Cup, in Townsville (image courtesy of Rugby Heaven)
Japan v Australia A, during the Pacific Nations Cup, in Townsville




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from Fiji Live

Japan coach John Kirwan* has named a 36-man squad to battle for the Land of the Rising Sun in France this September.

Kirwan has named veteran No. 8 Takuro Miuchi to lead the squad which will be reduced to 30 after the Brave Blossoms' final game in Japan against the Asian Barbarians on Aug. 10..


Takuro Miuchi (#8) Captain of the Japanese Rugby World Cup Squad 07 (image courtesy of Getty Images)
Takuro Miuchi (#8) in action v the Classic All Blacks, during their 'international friendly' in Tokyo, 12/05/07



"This is it, There is no more time to try things. We now need to implement." Kirwan told reporters in Japan.

The squad has been injected with experience with seven players from the 2003 World Cup campaign
However most of the squad is the make up of primarily the players that featured in the Pacific Nations Cup** this season

....although, two uncapped players were included, in prop Yuta Inose and scrumhalf Kim Chul-won.

Kim, Inose and prop Takahiro Sugiura are all part of the Advance to the Quarterfinal Programme (Japan's high performance academy) and Kirwan explained that their inclusion was an investment in the future.

"We must think about the future, while making sure we have a strong team,"

Also making the squad were James Arlidge, Daisuke Ohata, Phil O'Reilly, Nataniela Oto and Luatangi Samurai Vatuvei - none of whom played in the Nations Cup.

Japan (Brave Blossoms) about to face Italy in Tokyo 11/06/06 (image courtesy of Getty Images)
Japan about to face Italy for the Lipoviton D Challenge in Tokyo, 11/06/06


- please note that this is not an image of the current Japanese Rugby World Cup squad

excerpt from Fiji Live

"We need players who can play the style of rugby we want to play," said Kirwan. "And we want to play a Japanese style." He said

Japan has been pooled alongside the Flying Fijians, the Wallabies, Canada and Wales.

Japan plays the Asian Barbarians on August 10, then flies out to a pre-World Cup camp in Italy two days later.
The team will then play warm-up games against Italy on August 18th and Portugal a week later, before arriving at its World Cup camp in Toulouse on September 2nd.

Japan play Fiji four days after they take on the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup in September.

In response to the injuries that some of Japan's star players are suffering;
"O'Reilly (abductor injury) is in better condition and I am very confident that Ohata (Achilles) will be available," Kirwan said. "I had to hold him back last week at training.

"It's important I give them every opportunity because of their quality and experience. It's not ideal but their quality means it is worth taking the risk."

Kirwan admitted that the short turnaround between games had affected the make-up of the squad.

"Everyone in our squad will play in the World Cup. There are not a lot of other nations that can say that."


The Japanese Rugby World Cup 07 Squad:


Forwards:
Yamamura, Ma.Yamamoto, Soma, Nishiura, Sugiura, Inose; Matsubara, Mi.Yamamoto, Inokuchi; H. Ono, Kumagae; Samurai Vatuvei, Thompson; Miuchi, Watanabe, Kiso, Makiri, O'Reilly, Sasaki, Marsh.

Backs:
Yatomi, Yoshida, Kim; Ando, K. Ono, Arlidge; Onishi, Oto, Imamura, Taira, Robins; Ohata, Onozawa, Endo, Loamanu; Aruga.



*John Kirwan - former All Black's legendary winger

** Pacific Nations Cup - an international Rugby Union competition, started in 2006 and originally known as the IRB Pacific 5 Nations until Australia A joined the party.
Teams:
Australia A, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and the Junior All Blacks (New Zealand's second XV).



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Japanese Readers, for further Rugby Union and Wallabies information, please visit:


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info courtesy of JRFU and Fiji Live
images courtesy of Getty Images and Rugby Heaven





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