Rarely has a “test match” earned its name so well for Japan's national rugby team.
One year before the World Cup, the Brave Blossoms will play for the first time against the XV of France this Saturday (8 a.m. French time) in Toyota (central Japan), a second the following week in Tokyo.
A real trial by fire as the questions hang over her.
“
Between the World Cup match in October 2019 against South Africa and the match against Australia in October 2021, Japanese players have not played a single international match
,” recalls Tokyo-based rugby consultant Abby Hall. .
“
We are very behind in terms of test matches.
In addition, some of our main players are injured.
The only solution is to hang on
, ”explained Jamie Joseph Thursday at a press conference.
Read alsoJapan-France: watch out for the heat stroke for the Blues
The national team had emerged as the big winners of the 2019 World Cup. Four years after the "divine surprise" against South Africa (34-32), Japan had transformed the test on their soil by successively beating Russia, Ireland, Samoa and Scotland.
Three years later, what fruits have the Brave Blossoms drawn from it?
We don't know yet.
The main reason: the horse therapy applied to Covid-19 by Japanese institutions.
Without aiming for “zero cases” in Chinese style, Japanese society has been striving for two years to collectively eradicate the virus, casting shame on any behavior deemed “
irresponsible
”: superfluous contacts, trips abroad… This until 'outdated health prompted the Brave Blossoms to cancel their participation in the Autumn Cup of Nations in November 2020.
Japanese rugby lived in a bubble for two years
More generally, Japanese rugby has lived in a bubble for two years: training behind closed doors for weeks without contact with the outside world (neither fans, nor even relatives), matches with audience gauge (but individually separated in the stands, without alcohol, without cries of encouragement)... The national team was divided into distinct groups, with separate training sessions.
Without international matches for two years.
Tenth in the world rankings, the Brave Blossoms are certainly done with their old demons.
The Japanese are now physically at the level of their opponents.
“
They are 14th in the world in terms of weight.
Their game is collective and fast
,” says Abby Hall.
This team has an asset rarely underlined: its ability to recharge its batteries and avoid injuries outside matches, which gives it a relative freshness on the field until late in a tournament.
Read alsoTest-match: Japan without Horie but with Leitch against the Blues
“
They follow a very strict training ethic.
They are very conscientious
, ”observes Robbie Deans, ex-All Black and coach since 2014 of the Panasonic Wild Knights, winner of the last two national championships.
This physical drive will be invaluable against France, as the matches are expected to be played in sweltering heat in Japan.
“Jamie Joseph played the old guard in the first game, and the new generation in the second.
It wasn't perfect, but it was effective.
»
Robbie Deans, ex-All Black and coach of the Panasonic Wild Knights
So, what to expect on Saturday?
Two victorious matches against Uruguay (34-15, then 43-7), in mid-June, had reassured and given some leads, cleared for Le Figaro by the legendary Robbie Deans: "
Jamie Joseph brought the old guard into play in the first game, and the new generation in the second.
It wasn't perfect, but it was effective.
Many players experienced their first international meeting on this occasion
.
On Thursday, the coach substituted six players out of the 15 in the last match, three of them because they tested positive for covid-19, according to local press (very valuable hooker, Shota Horie, is not on the team sheet ).
“
We are still on the starting line
,” explained Jamie Joseph on Thursday.
One thing is certain: the Brave Blossoms should still amaze us.
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