M/ SUNNY
Japan’s national rugby team will play any match in 2020, the Japan Rugby Union announced Monday, following movement restrictions due to plans sabotaged by the COVID-19 pandemic to compete in an eight-team tournament in Europe this fall.
Nearly a year after Japan began hosting the first Rugby World Cup in Asia, JRFU President Kensuke Iwabuchi said the Brave Blossoms had been forced to refuse an invitation to register for the Six Nations and Fiji in the Autumn Nations Cup in November and December, because the team and coaches had not been able to prepare enough for the tournament.
Scheduled house trial matches against Wales and England in June and July this year have also been cancelled, the Brave Blossoms have not played a match since they lost in the World Cup quarter-finals to South Africa on 20 October last year.
Head coach Jamie Joseph said “nothing has been left out” to find a way for the team to meet at home or before the year is out, but the demands of foreign rugby have made it highly unlikely that reach the European ill prepared. tournament.
“I’m very disappointed that we couldn’t play rugby this year,” said Joseph, who signed a new contract after the World Cup. “I feel the players first and foremos say. Our players worked very the scenes to make sure they were in the right situations to start our education camps, so I’m really disappointed by all their efforts. I am also disappointed by the fans, because after the efforts and effects of last year’s World Cup, it would have been wonderful to follow our path to rugby. »
Japan made history by fitting in the first Asian team to triumph in the knockout stages of last year’s World Cup, beating Russia, Ireland, Samoa and Scotland on the organizational level before, despite everything flying off in the quarterfinals against South Africa.
JrFU hoped to build on that momentum in 2020, but instead, the pandemic ended the National Higher League season in February after only six rounds and the national team was unable to reunite for a singles education session.
Georgia will take Japan’s position in the Autumn Nations Cup, which will see the 8 divided into two groups of 4 in a circular format, before taking the position of the team that finished in the corresponding position in the other group.
“It would have been a glorious tournament to participate,” Joseph said. ” Not only this year, but also for the future. It’s only because we play quality groups at quality festivals in quality stadiums, which gives our players we want to expand our game and slow it down in front of some of the most productive groups in the world. Although it’s disappointing, it’s not frustrating for me because it’s out of control. COVID is anything no one in the world expected.
Japan originally had to play Wales, England, Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand in 2020, and Iwabuchi said JRFU spoke to other unions to see if they postpone matches next year.
“We hope we can have some exciting games next year and keep our hands crossed for that,” Iwabuchi said. “We need to rekindle the feeling we had and that enthusiasts had the World Cup, so JRFU’s team, staff and total is really positive to verify that this happens What we can say now is that there is no express plan right now, but we look forward to playing in June or July next year , or at least start education in combination as soon as possible. “
Since the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, the Japan Times has provided free access to very important data on the effect of the new coronavirus, as well as practical data on how to deal with the pandemic. today so that we can continue to provide you with up-to-date and detailed data on Japan.
The Japan Times LTD. All rights are reserved.