Kazuki Himeno to lead Japan at Rugby World Cup

TOKYO – Back-row forward Kazuki Himeno was on Tuesday named Japan captain for the Rugby World Cup as the Brave Blossoms seek to replicate their impressive performances on home soil in 2019.

“Considering my age, this may be my last Rugby World Cup, so I will give it my all without regrets,” Himeno, 29, said in a news release.

In 2019, hosts Japan beat Ireland and Scotland en route to becoming the first Asian team to make the quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual champions South Africa.

Himeno, fullback Kotaro Matsushima and veteran former skipper Michael Leitch were among 30 players named in Japan’s Rugby World Cup squad, ahead of the Sept 8-Oct 28 tournament in France.

Himeno starred for Otago Highlanders in Super Rugby in 2021. Matsushima played two seasons for Clermont in France’s Top 14 and scored five tries at the last World Cup.

Japan coach Jamie Joseph said he was “not in a position” yet to name the whole 33-man squad due to injuries suffered by some players. The deadline is next Monday.

The three additional players are likely to include at least a couple of locks, with Australian-born James Moore and Jack Cornelsen the only specialist second-row forwards in the squad named on Tuesday.

Pieter Labuschagne was not selected after being handed a three-match ban for a dangerous tackle in Japan’s 35-12 loss to Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup in Tokyo on Aug 5.

The suspension ruled the South-African born flanker out of Japan’s World Cup opener against Chile in Toulouse on Sept 10, although he would be free to face England in a crunch Pool D fixture a week later in Nice.

“The strength of the team is speed, skill and fitness, but getting it coordinated is our immediate goal,” Joseph said, adding that the team had made too many uncharacteristic mistakes of late.

“Recently we’ve had some tough results, with a couple of red cards and some serious injuries to some senior players that have really affected the team. But, at the same time, it’s given us great preparation for the World Cup.

“Red and yellow cards will become an increasing feature of the modern game and every week, in every Test match, players have to be able to adjust to these moments.”

Of the 30 players announced, 13 featured in the 2019 squad.

Prop Sione Halasili and scrum-half Kenta Fukuda were the only two uncapped players, alongside another nine players with fewer than 10 Test caps.

Japan are in Pool D with England, Argentina, Samoa and Chile.

Joseph said it would be a “massive challenge” to repeat the success of 2019 but “it’s our chance to do that again in 2023”.

“All of us have a goal to go out there and win the World Cup, just like every other team in the world,” said the New Zealander. “We got to the top eight last time and surprised the world... We got a lot of confidence from what we achieved in 2019.

“Going to France is a different challenge but our goals are exactly the same. If you can get yourself to the quarter-finals, then anything can happen.”

Japan will play Italy away in a final warm-up game on Aug 26.

Wales, meanwhile, have got a boost with the return of Alex Cuthbert and Johnny Williams from injury, with both available for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up Test against South Africa, officials said on Monday.

Cuthbert and Williams missed Wales’ back-to-back clashes with England but the two backline players have been passed fit and in contention to start against the Springboks as they bid for a place in the final squad.

But there are concerns over the availability of new captain Dewi Lake and new loose forward Taine Plumtree, both of whom were injured during last Saturday’s friendly defeat by England.

Wales are in Pool C with Australia, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal.
AFP, REUTERS