A new era for rugby dawns this weekend with the inaugural Asian Five Nations tournament, launched as a platform to develop and expand the sport across the region.
Heavyweights Japan are in action against South Korea in Incheon tomorrow, while Hong Kong travel to Al Ain to play a Gulf team who make the tournament as the fifth-ranked side in the 22-member Asian Rugby Union.
Kazakhstan make up the numbers in a round-robin format, with Test matches held on five consecutive weekends throughout this month and next month.
The standard of rugby in Asia lags far behind countries such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England, but the International Rugby Board (IRB) sees plenty of potential.
“The Asian Five Nations will be the flagship tournament for Asia,” the IRB’s head of rugby services Mark Egan said. “In addition to providing annual competition for each union, it will serve to provide the platform as an ongoing development tool for players, officials and administrators with an ultimate goal of providing a pathway for entry into world class competitions such as the Rugby World Cup.”
Japan coach, former All Black legend John Kirwan, is taking it seriously and told his side they must win, and convincingly, if they want the world to sit up and take notice.
“At the Asian Five Nations, we will not only aim to win but also aim to win overwhelmingly. The whole world is paying attention to Japanese rugby now,” he said.
Kirwan has named a 30-strong squad, including two younger compatriots, James Arlidge and Shaun Webb, which he said was a mix of experience and youth as he builds a team for the next World Cup in New Zealand in 2011.
Japan, currently ranked 18 in the world, were the only Asian team to qualify for last year’s World Cup in France where they failed to make it past the group stages.
“This year should be a transition year,” he said. “So we have picked a mix of older, experienced players and younger players. By the end of the season I hope we have the formation of a team heading to the next World Cup and one that confirms Japan’s status in world rugby and moving up the ranking ladder.”
The South Koreans are Asia’s second best team and coach Park Ki-haeng is not deterred by Japan.
“Our training has focused on blocking foreign players in the Japanese team. I think we can beat Japan if my players successfully block them,” he said.
Rugby has a loyal following in Hong Kong and they will be confident of derailing any hopes the Gulf have of winning their match in the United Arab Emirates.
But injuries to Semi Iafeta and Colin Bisley, Hong Kong’s captain and vice-captain respectively, have hampered preparations, with both men ruled out of the opening two games.
“This is a big blow. It is a shame that we are missing both our two leaders on the field,” coach John Walters told reporters.
He added though that his team had been training hard since losing to Tunisia 29-9 earlier this month and were ready for the Gulf challenge.
“We have gone for a bit more bulk this weekend given the profile of the Arabian Gulf team,” he said. “The team has worked very hard since our return from Tunisia and are looking forward to performing well in the Arabian Gulf.”
Gulf selectors Steve Holohan and Wayne Marsters have been preparing for the past three months and will hand several players their first caps.
They include Muscat captain Karl Sutcliffe, an Irish-born forward who makes his debut at blindside flanker, and lock Steve Huber, an athletic Australian who plays for Dubai Hurricanes.
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