Japan's Tatsuzo Yabe criticises John Kirwan's team selection for 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign
Tatsuzo Yabe was harsh of John Kirwan's team selection as the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) participants are currently reviewing their team’s performance in the recently concluded global event.
New Zealand was host of the 2011 RWC and ended as the eventual winners of the title, after a lapse of 24 years.
The governing body of Rugby Union in Japan, Japanese Rugby Football (JFRU), is conducting the review of their team’s performance in the 2011 RWC tournament. JFRU’s Chairman, Tatsuzo Yabe,
has heavily criticized the squad selection by the team’s head coach, John Kirwan.
Yabe confirmed that the issue of playing foreign-born players was discussed in the meeting. He said, “Some argued that we had too many foreigners. There were various topics.” Yabe added that
the members deliberated on the results the team achieved irrespective of playing a large number of foreign-born players.
Yabe termed their outgoing coach's selection as the main reason for their poor performance in the Rugby Union’s premier tournament. Providing further details regarding the meeting, he said,
“We talked about how our scrum went or how our breakdown went. We also talked about our mental side. We noted the good things JK (Kirwan) has done. But the results are what matter.”
Earlier, Kirwan named ten foreign-born players in Japan’s 30-man squad for the tournament. Japan finished their 2011 RWC campaign without a win. They were placed in Pool A of the tournament,
which includes the hosts, All Blacks, France, Tonga and Canada.
Japan finished on the bottom of the table at the end of their pool matches. They lost three of their four pool matches and played a draw game against Canada, which earned them their two points
in the tournament.
In comparison to Japan, Canada managed to register a win and finished the tournament with 6 points.
Yabe added that in 2007 RWC we used seven foreign born players. Japan was winless in the 2007 RWC tournament also and played a draw against the Canada. Japan’s winless streak in the RWC tournament
has extended to 20 years. They lost won a match in RWC competition against Zimbabwe during 1991 RWC tournament.
Yabe further confirmed that a committee has been set up to recruit and select the new coach for the national teams. He added, "JK (John Kirwan) said he would keep watching Japanese rugby beyond
December. We will appreciate that.”
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