Japan names Rugby World Cup squad

Wow! So many Japanese players. A few more and they could actually start doing the team meetings in Japanese!

Japan might squeak past Samoa but only a serious optimist would have them beating Scotland and as for Ireland I would say almost zero chance. All in all somewhere between a 1 and 2% chance of reaching the quarter finals.

The World Cup needs to have a "B" competition where the 3rd teams in each group play semi finals and a final with the prize automatic qualification for the next World Cup

well - good luck to them. They are a better team now (and with a better coach) than they were in 2015. But even then they are more likely to finish 4th than 2nd in their pool. 3rd place according to rankings. They will need either Ireland or Scotland to have a bad day and they will need one of those convenient Ref controversies that have plagued rugby since the last world cup.

Not impossible - and it would be amazing...and even with half a team of foreigners... it's still unlikely.

In this way the games between Japan and Samoa, Italy and Canada and between Fiji and Georgia would have real meaning and the "Qualifier" semi finals and final could be played on the final 2 Wednesdays of the tournament which would fill in the long gaps and maintain interest. Argentina or France will almost certainly come out on top and grab the qualifying spot but it would really improve the tournament

Mark my words, japan will qualify,

Scotland will beat ireland too by the looks of it.

Does anyone here not remember japan beating an off form south Africa?

Or the time they had a draw v France?

Or the time they racked up 30 points against new Zealand ?

Or how's about the time they just beat everyone in the Pacific nations cup.

Oh and one more thing

Japan are playing home in the world cup so they are uses to the humid weather and have all the fans behind them.....

And ye don't think they have any chance of qualifying?

LOL

@michaelqtodd - call me a serious optimist. I never would have given them a chance of beating the Springboks before the last RWC and I had to eat my words after that game. Odds are against it for sure but they've been in pretty good form recently so I don't think they'll be easy beats for Scotland.

30 points aganst a second string NZ in a festival match... you shouldn't confuse that with a RWC match @luke

You may beat Russia. But you are definitely not beating Ireland or Scotland haha.