Boots and all | Japan’s ‘Generation 2019’ show Hong Kong the way forward

Japan clinching the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT) last Saturday was welcome news for Hong Kong on a number of fronts.

Firstly, it has shown us that anything is possible and that Hong Kong, too, can aspire to play in this competition on merit and, who knows, even qualify for the Junior World Championship one day.

Playing “on merit” equates to qualifying for this second-tier world event. This time Hong Kong were part of the eight-team tournament because we were the hosts. To earn a place in the tournament next year Hong Kong would need to win the Asian Under-19 Championship in August – which has been made easier now that Japan will not be taking part.

If Japan choose to defend their title and if they were successful – and I suppose they will (defend) and probably would be (successful) – it would mean the second-placed team would automatically qualify for next year’s JWRT because Japan will be playing in the Junior World Championship in Italy.

This will be the first time back in the top echelon since 2009 for Japan and they fully deserve to be heading to Rome with their brand of sizzling rugby coming alive after their early loss to Uruguay.

Once Japan had addressed their problems at the breakdown and scrum, after losing 33-28 to the entertaining South Americans, they were unstoppable.

After Japan had demolished Tonga 35-10 in the final, proud coach Keisuke Sawaki, a former national fly-half, called for the Japan Rugby Football Union to give this team more opportunities. “We must put more focus on this squad,” he said.