‘Brave Blossoms’ prove Japan deserves World Cup: ambassador

Finishing top of Pool A and avoiding New Zealand in the semi-finals is Australia’s main objective, insists Wallabies scrum-half Will Genia.

Former NRL star Craig Wing will make his Rugby World Cup debut in Japan’s crunch Pool B clash against the United States on Sunday.

“The fearless Blossoms proved Japan is really worthy of hosting the World Cup”, said Hayashi, speaking at the opening of the Japan Pavilion to promote the country’s hosting of the the tournament in four years. The five-week ban on the winger increased Samoa’s sense of injustice, but it can not have helped their concentration this week as they prepared for today’s final fling against Scotland at St James’ Park.

They were brought back down to earth last weekend as South Africa claimed a 34-16 win, and now they are playing for second spot with the Springboks having already sealed top spot. With a plethora of seven-a-side style players on USA’s squad, coach Mike Tolken looked as if he wanted to keep the tempo of the game high for their competitor, the men emblazoned with the thistle of Scotland.

The Australian is right.

No matter the result of either game, the Super League victor lifting the trophy at the moment when England start their final World Cup group game will be an unmissable sporting occasion. In 1987, Fiji managed only one win in their pool and still got through.

“It’s extremely simple, we need to win the game”.

Assistant coach Alama Ieremia said the team owed it to themselves and their supporters to give it everything in their final match. Most, I suspect, would opt for Wales, but one excellent and experienced judge suggested to me the other day that we might beat Australia because they will be – perhaps – the least physical of the quarter-finalists, and both Fiji and England made line-breaks against them.

“America are an emotional team”. Nowadays, players tend to move from the league to the more lucrative Rugby Union; World Cup winners Jason Robinson and Sonny Bill Williams being the most successful converts this way. “You can tell they are fired up by watching them sing the national anthem”, said Japan captain Michael Leitch. For most cities, hosting a World Cup match involving the host nation would be enough of an occasion.

“They put us under a lot of pressure”, captain Kieran Read said after the game.

“I am not surprised by Japan”, he added.

They are going home, knocked out at the pool stage, but it is a case of mission accomplished for Georgian rugby.

“It was massively disappointing for the football team last night and it highlights that little things matter”, Hodge said on Friday.

Scotland began the tournament with a roar, winning their first two matches against the United States and Samoa. Japan and Canada have shown that it is still possible for hookers to strike and win quick ball – Rory Best was actually doing that too for Ireland against Italy last week.