Ireland look to future with Japan clash
Niall O’Donovan’s Ireland side will pay full respect to hosts Japan tomorrow despite the huge gulf in class.
O’Donovan, deputising for head coach Eddie O’Sullivan who is with the Lions, knows his side are heavy favourites to outgun Japan in Ireland’s first full Test on Asian soil.
Out of respect for the 17th-ranked Japanese, the Irish management will field what O’Donovan terms “our best possible line-up” in Osaka.
Victory seems a given. The depth of talent beyond Ireland’s first-choice squad is undoubtedly the more pressing matter.
“This tour is about the development of the Irish game and getting some of the younger fellows on the first rung at senior level,” said the former Munster assistant, who was summoned to the Ireland set-up as forwards coach in 2001.
“We’ve done our homework on Japan and decided to go for our strongest line-up, out of respect for the Japanese, who are a very competitive side.
“We have pin-pointed certain areas in which they troubled Canada, Romania and Argentina in recent games. They’re very strong when they get loose ball, when the game opens up and lends itself to counter-attacking.
“Their back three are particularly quick and could cause us a few problems. (Daisuke) Ohata, who is on the wing, is an obvious danger man.”
The 29-year-old is Japan’s record try-scorer with an incredible haul of 44 tries in 44 matches.
Ohata, who scored six tries in a recent win against Hong Kong and scored eight times in Japan’s 155-3 World Cup qualifier romp over Chinese Taipei three years ago, will have to be watched. The 5ft 9ins flyer was missed on Japan’s European tour last November when Mitsutake Hagimoto’s side lost badly to both Scotland (100-8) and Wales (98-0).
While Ireland’s only outing against the Japanese since the professional dawn - a 78-9 thrashing in Dublin – looks unlikely to be repeated, interim team manager Joey Miles is hoping for a degree of style to be shown by the tourists.
The Ulsterman, who took over the post for the Japan expedition from the retired Brian O’Brien, said: “There may be a good lot of the regulars off with the Lions, but we’re still here to win the two Tests and win well.
“Our guys are proud professional players and we should beat Japan with some style. We’d like to showcase Irish rugby in a positive light and end the season on a heartening note, after the disappointment of the Six Nations.”
Ulster youngsters Matt McCullough (lock) and Roger Wilson (number 8) will earn their first starts in green tomorrow.
Ireland’s look to the future continues with Harlequins full-back Gavin Duffy, a try-scorer against Scotland in February, slotting in at outside centre and another Ulsterman Tommy Bowe set for his first involvement since bagging a debut try against the US Eagles last year.
