rugby union

Japan rugby coach Kirwan wants time to consider future role

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Well said, JK.

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If New Zealand should lose in the WRC final or the semis or once again be ingloriously knocked out on their sorry backsides in the quarterfinals, the argument could be made that Kirwan should remain coach of the Blossoms.

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Kirwan was a great player and one of the great wingers in the games history, he is also a good coach as shown, japan rugby has improved under him immensley.

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Japan rugby has come a long way under JK. It's still quite a new sport here, but it's getting more and more popular all the time. JK is the best and by buying another famous player ( or All Black, as all the best players wore the glorious black jersey) to coach the Blossoms, it won't help. Like JK said, 4 years ago they "stole" a draw from Canada, now they're upset to get one.

Go the All Blacks. Stick it to them all, but especially to the Wallabies!!!

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or All Black, as all the best players wore the glorious black jersey

That's funny, OsakaT - I never saw Campo, Eales, Gregan or Ella wearing a Black shirt - they all looked like the Gold of Champions (2 times I may add...!)

I agree Kirwan is a legend of the game - and in his interviews he has shown he has a deep understanding of the game and has a vision for Japanese rugby. Getting Japan into the top 8 is no quick fix. Japan needs to start from the grassroots and build up. At the end of the day, the bloke does not have much cattle to work with. I really couldnt imagine any better candidate for the job.

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Japanese media reports after the match quoted Japan Rugby general manager Osamu Ota as saying it was time to look for new leadership.

Well Mr. Ota, your as high up as the leadership goes, so how about you put your money where your mouth is and quit, so Japanese rugby can concentrate on the hardest task facing us now which is to somehow convince Kirwin to stay, because anyone that has any real interest in Japan's national rugby team can see how much the Blossoms have improved in the last 4 years.

And Ota, take the J media with you because they have no idea about rugby. Today they were even calling for Kikutani's head. Ummmm, who else do the think could captain? Only reason the J newspapers can get away with printing so much rubbish is because most of the population here knows nothing about rugby.

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ExportExport,

Nice one!

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@OsakaT doesn't matter whether they stole one or upset to get one-the bottom line is the same- a draw and still bottom of the pool!! 7 foreigners in the starting line up tells a sorry tale of limited homegrown player development and a comment suggesting he wants to continue down the road of importing players has to be discouraging for the native juniors or would be's if they could be's..21 years and not a solitary win..sorry but patience has run out,dont want another 4 years of mediocrity and grading success on a draw with Canada(of all countries!)...new blood please

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Like JK said, 4 years ago they "stole" a draw from Canada, now they're upset to get one.

calm down -- you beat me to it. This quote is one of the best rationalizations I've read in quite a while. The record for both tournaments will show Japan with NO WINS and last in their group -- again. Supposed progress and moral victories are not enough to consider his reign a success. If he used those words in NZ to describe their team, he'd be laughed out of the country. I know Japan is a process-driven country, but results are what ultimately matter.

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Calm down, Kirwin's long term plan to improve Japanese rugby, is to bring in more foreign players to play in the national team, and the Top League so that the Japanese players of the future can learn from them. He then want the foreign players to be slowly decreased and the Japanese to take over playing and coaching. He has been open about that philosophy from the start, and the Japanese Rugby union backed him on that. Japan has improved it's world ranking from 16-17, to 12-13. So the plan is working, why pull out now. Your philosophy seems to be: We didn't win any games in the world cup, so new coach please. And alos get rid of the foreign players? Have you really thought that out?

Herefornow, You are missing the point of that quote. What it means is look at how much we have improved since the last world cup, don't focus solely on the result of the last 2 games. Japan's long term goal is not to win a game in the world cup, it is to improve so that can be competitive enough to win games against consistently against teams that at the moment it only has a fluke chances of winning against.

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I see what you are saying Lunchbox and don't doubt Kirwan's coaching ability.My point is all about his direction for development and giving the game back to the Japanese.Cant see how kids are going to be inspired to take up the game if there are pathways (seemingly)blocked by imports,this is the future of the sport in Japan...there must be more done for youth programs here to spot and realize the potential gun players...these are the guys who are going to win us the games you refer to-not B grade imports,who can teach them just as well at club level.

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There are a ton of Kiwi and other foreigners here playing, coaching, training and supporting rugby here, some big names too, there is a process, even though sometimes those in the stands cant see it unfolding.

Give it time the japanese will improve with all the help they are getting from those who really know their stuff.

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Calm down,

I agree with you about more programs for youth. But I dissagree with your opinion of pathways blocked by imports putting kids off playing. Japan's priorities at the moment should be in this order: Make the game of Rugby more popular here in Japan. Put money into developing the next generation of players.

So the questions then become, How can we make it more popular. Kirwin's strategy is to Bring in imports (which are not all B grade imports, next year we have Ali Williams, Muliaina, a few years ago we had Gregan, Larkham, Tony Brown. Alridge and leitch would probably make a Super 14 team) and make Japan stronger so that people become interested in the watching the games because A. They actually win games, and B. because they have star players that fans can start to like. Suddenly they bring in money, and the money gets spent on the development of the J players.

Japanese people have to much pride to let import players stop them from playing sport, look at baseball. If anything it will make them try harder. Every japanese rugby fan that I've talked to about the import players absolutely love them.

It will be interesting to see if Rugby Sevens takes off in the next few years here. With Tokyo now on the circuit, and it being in the Olympics and all, Sevens could really be the tool that the JRFU needs to make Rugby more popular here with young people and females. Japan could do well at Sevens, look at some of the backs they've produced.

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Great post there Lunchbox and totally agree, 7's start here next year i believe.

There was going to be a 7's comp in march this year but the quake and nuclear disaster put a stop to that unfortunately.

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I hope you are right Lunchbox because I've got a feeling the sport wont survive another winless campaign in this country, I appreciate the fact that success wont come overnight but realistically the knives seem to be out for Kirwan.patience is waning and Eddie J. is ready to slip straight in.

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