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Kirwan looking to negotiate final hurdle

Written by Ramaz Mitaishvili
Saturday, 25 August 2007
With the World Cup only 14 days away, Japan coach John Kirwan is hoping to use their final match before the tournament gets underway – against Portugal in Venice on Saturday – to make his final adjustments and avoid any last minute injuries Kirwan’s focus is understandably on the World Cup rather than the individual match and the prospect of ending Japan’s 10-match losing streak on the biggest stage of all when they tackle Australia, Wales, Canada and Fiji in Pool B in France. “I am going to go and meet the Portugal coach,” Kirwan told Total Rugby Radio. “The work we want to try and do is to play a couple of teams, play 15 in the first half and then 15 in the second half. It is our last preparation match before the World Cup. “I am not really worried about the match, and hopefully the Portugal coach will get into the same mentality as me – let’s think about the World Cup, let’s make our last adjustments and then hopefully get out of there without any injuries. Then we are into it.” Japan will be looking to build on their performance against Kirwan’s former side Italy in St Vincent last weekend, when they lost 36-12 having fought back from 22-0 down in the opening quarter to trail 22-12 before two late Italian tries. “I think that the important thing for us was not to worry about Italy, it was to keep concentrating on the World Cup and I guess that was a bigger challenge for me than anyone else because I wanted obviously the boys to go well,” Kirwan added. Final adjustments “All in all we had a pretty positive game. I think the first 15 minutes they were a little bit shell shocked and they were making too many errors and it was a big ugly, but then we sort of found a bit of form and got the defensive line right and I think the rest of the game was pretty good.” Kirwan will not be the only national coach hoping to make final adjustments this weekend ahead of Rugby World Cup 2007 with the likes of Ireland, Italy, Wales, France, Argentina, Canada, USA, Scotland, Tonga and South Africa also in action. Ireland will be led by second row Paul O’Connell against Italy at Ravenhill on Friday evening with regular captain Brian O’Driscoll sidelined by the fractured sinus he suffered after being punched in a friendly with French club Bayonne last week. Peter Stringer has been named in the starting line up, although the scrum half has been troubled this week by a back spasm and was due to have a run out on Thursday evening to see whether he would play or Isaac Boss would take his place. Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has rung the changes from the victory over Japan with Roland de Marigny, Matteo Pratichetti and Fabio Ongaro among the players given their chance to impress against Ireland. South Africa coach Jake White has named a strong side to face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday with Victor Matfield captaining the Springboks in the absence of John Smit, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in the Tri Nations. Welcome return Talented youngster Francois Steyn will start a Test at inside centre for the first time, while White will be pleased to see Bryan Habana return to the left wing after a knee injury as South Africa look to build on an 18-3 defeat of Irish province Connacht. Scotland have named largely the same side that beat Ireland 31-21 at Murrayfield a fortnight ago, although forwards Gavin Kerr, Kelly Brown and David Callam, together with wing Nikki Walker, come into that starting line up to face the Springboks. Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has also resisted making too many changes from his team that hung on to beat Argentina 27-20 last weekend ahead of the visit of Rugby World Cup 2007 hosts France to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. The return of wing Shane Williams to the starting line up after elbow and shoulder surgery will be a boost, particularly with fly half Stephen Jones still troubled by the groin problem that has prevented him playing any of Wales’ three Tests this month. France, though, will be looking to make it three wins in August, having already beaten defending champions England twice. They will have to do so without their experienced prop Sylvain Marconnet, who was ruled out of the World Cup earlier this week. This weekend also sees friendly matches for Argentina against a Belgium XV in Brussels, while Samoa tackle former English champions Sale Sharks, Canada face Newfoundland Rock, Fiji play French club Albi, Tonga are in Scotland to face Edinburgh and the USA entertain Irish province Munster. !
Last Updated ( Saturday, 25 August 2007 )