Still finding feet, Japan unwavering in World Cup preparation
Kumamoto – While Japan remain winless in its Rugby World Cup preparations with plenty of mistakes to be fixed, head coach Jamie Joseph and his players remain focused on stepping up and delivering when things really matter at the tournament in France.
On Saturday, the mood around Kumamoto’s Egao Kenko Stadium was somewhat lifted late on after an attacking spell, during which Semisi Masirewa went over twice to make the score look respectable at 41-27 against the All Blacks XV. The result followed a more one-sided 38-6 loss to the touring team by a Japan XV a week earlier in Tokyo.
The latest contest had been all but sealed with just under half an hour to play and Japan trailing 41-13 following a plethora of errors — including knock-ons from established players Shota Horie and first-time captain Kazuki Himeno.
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