Kirwan’s Japanese Goal

“It’s been five years since coach John Kirwan, an All Blacks hero from the rugby stronghold of New Zealand, took the helm of the Japanese team,” Shuhei Nomura writes for Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun. “The World Cup will be the biggest stage for the team to showcase what it has gained under Kirwan’s leadership. Japan has not won a Rugby World Cup match since the 1991 tournament. With that in mind, Kirwan has made his goal for the upcoming World Cup to get ‘two wins or more’ from an early stage.” Kirwan previously coached the Italian national rugby team from 22 to 25. He was appointed coach of Japan in 27.