Unlikely inspiration behind 2019 Rugby World Cup
TOKYO: As Japan celebrates the one-year countdown to the Rugby World Cup on Thursday, few will be familiar with the curious case of the “Japanese John Travolta” who inspired the idea.
On the pitch, the usual suspects must look for weaknesses in the armour of the mighty All Blacks as New Zealand chase a hat-trick of titles at the 2019 tournament, the first to be held in Asia.
Hosts Japan will be aiming to prove their breakthrough World Cup of 2015 was no fluke after the “Brave Blossoms” won three pool matches, including a stunning 3432 victory over two-time champions South Africa.
But the history of just how the tournament came to Japan can be traced back more than 40 years.
It’s a story woven with romance and inextricably linked to the wanderlust of a rugby fanatic who fell in love with the magical Welsh team of the 1970s.
Koji Tokumasu, senior director of the World Cup organising committee and former Asia Rugby boss, had watched Wales play in Osaka and, bewitched by their swashbuckling style, decided to visit the country in 1977 to “discover their secret” – financing his trip by delivering frozen seafood by van.
“I was so overwhelmed by the Welsh performance,” Tokumasu told AFP.
“They had Gareth Edwards and JPR Williams, they were passing the bal l from number one to number 15.
“In Japan you sacrifice yourself for the good of the team, but in Wales they embrace individuality. I wanted to see Wales with my own eyes.”
Tokumasu, who first raised the prospect of Japan hosting a World Cup back in 2003, spent two years in Cardiff in his mid-twenties, lugging a fold-up bed from house to house as he sought accommodation and working as a cleaner and children’s tutor to make ends meet.
He was also nicknamed the “Japanese John Travolta” by fellow college students for dancing on tables at the weekly disco.
After returning to Japan to teach, loaded with information about grassroots rugby, Tokumasu coached his school team to a national title.
He subsequently took roles with the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) and is widely considered the driving force behind the country’s World Cup bid, following their success co- hosting the football World Cup with South Korea in 2002.
“I remember (former) chairman Nobby Mashimo wanted to say something ‘ big’ at a New Year’s speech in 2003,” said Tokumasu.
“I suggested he say Japan wants to host the World Cup,” added the 66-year- old.
“None of the JRFU board members had heard about it, so I called ( former International Rugby Board chief executive) Mike Miller and asked what he thought. He said, ‘It’s not impossible’ – and it sort of went from there.”
As Japan marks a year to the opening game between the host side and Russia, Tokumasu admitted there would be pressure on the Brave Blossoms to put together a strong run after making such a splash at the last World Cup under Eddie Jones.
“Eddie gave confidence to the team in 2015,” he said.
“I was in the stadium in Brighton (against South Africa) and after five minutes I said to myself ‘Jesus, the players are trying to win this game!’
“If that atmosphere can be created again, they can reach the quarter- finals,” insisted Tokumasu.
“After the pool games, 12 teams go home. Only eight teams stay for the quarter-finals – that’s the real World Cup.
“If Japan aren’t still in the tournament, it makes a big difference. It will be very difficult to maintain excitement, I have to say.”
Current Japan coach Jamie Joseph has led his team to big wins over Tonga, Italy and Georgia in recent months – and a 23-23 draw with France in Paris last November underlined their potential to fell giants.
“I have every confidence that we have the quality of players and coaching staff to make it to the knockout phase,” World Cup organising committee chief executive Akira Shimazu told AFP.
TOKYO:
With one year to go before the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, we take a look at five defining moments in Japanese rugby history:
Welcome to the World Cup
• Japan have appeared at every World Cup since the tournament began in 1987 but after marking their debut with a narrow 21-18 defeat by the United States, there was a taste of things to come when they shipped 60 points to England. Fragile egos were given a timely boost at the next World Cup in 1991 when Japan thumped lowly Zimbabwe 52- 8, but it proved a false dawn. Things would get worse for the Asian champions four years later – much, much worse.
All Blacks rack up record 145 points
• It was a case of third time unlucky for Japan at the World Cup in 1995 when they conceded a half- century of points against both Wales and Ireland before running into the mighty All Blacks in Bloemfontein. With the top rugby nations preparing to turn professional, New Zealand pulverised Japan 145-17 as they ran in an eye- popping 21 tries in a record victory to underline the gulf in class. Future coach Eddie Jones slammed that team as a “joke” – a tag the Australian would himself tear up 20 years later.
Kirwan flop
• Already confirmed as future World Cup hosts, Japan coach John Kirwan was ordered to go and win two matches at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand. But the Brave Blossoms choked after being smashed 83-7 by the host nation, losing to Tonga and only managing a draw against Canada. It marked the end of Kirwan’s bold experiment to bring a more fluent, attacking style to Japan, but arguably laid the foundation for Jones to build on after he replaced the All Black great the following year.
Bok that! Miracle of Brighton
• Despite going into the 2015 World Cup struggling for form, Japan coach Jones continued to tell anyone who would listen that the perennial whipping boys could reach the quarter-finals and a shock 34-32 victory over two-time champions South Africa in their opening game truly silenced his critics. It also shook world rugby to its core and the Brave Blossoms went on to record further wins over Samoa and the United States, narrowly missing out on a place in the knockout stages but underlining the progress the team had made under Jones, who turned them into a top-10 side.
Sunwolves bare teeth
• Jones was always going to be a tough act to follow and former All Black Jamie Joseph told AFP his predecessor had left nothing in the way of notes or data for him to work from when he took up the job in 2016. But after Joseph also took on the role of coaching the Tokyo- based Sunwolves, who had suffered a nightmare first two seasons in Super Rugby, the results were instant – Japan drew 23-23 with France in Paris last November in a game they should have won, before beating both Italy and Georgia this summer. — AFP
In Japan you sacrifice yourself for the good of the team, but in Wales they embrace individuality. I wanted to see Wales with my own eyes. Koji Tokumasu, senior director of the World Cup organising committee and former Asia Rugby boss