THE rugby Autumn Nations Series truck rolls into Dublin this weekend, with Ireland desperate to get back to winning ways against a Japanese team going through a period of transition.
However, the Brave Blossoms are sure to have a trick or two up their sleeves to upset the odds at the Aviva Stadium.
Whilst Ireland came up short against the All Blacks; Japan faltered – somewhat expectedly – to Australia and South Africa over the last two weeks, but back-rower Kanji Shimokawa believes that if his side can concentrate on their own game, a favourable result is possible.
Shimokawa has 20 caps to his name and has already established himself in a back row that also contains veteran captain Michael Leitch.
“Ireland are a fantastic team and will not be easy to beat,” said Shimokawa.
“We have learned from recent weeks playing against some of the very best sides how important it is to match their intensity.
“The physicality and speed at the breakdown have been somethings we are having to improve all the time because without this you can fall behind very quickly.
“On Saturday we will have to up our game once more against the Irish, but it is important that we don’t just focus on our opponents’ strengths but instead look at what we can do and stick to our own game-plan.”
Skipper Leitch is one of the few players in the Japanese squad who have tasted victory over Ireland in the past. When Japan hosted the World Cup in 2019, an adrenaline-filled host nation turned over Joe Schmidt’s side 19-12 in Shizuoka.
Repeating the trick this time around would create a genuine surprise in world rugby but with colourful coach Eddie Jones back at the helm, nothing can be ruled out.
So, what has the former England boss said to Shimokawa and the rest of his troops about the Irish?
“He has told us to expect a very structured side when we come up against Ireland,” said the 26-year-old.
“They are a smart side who can hold onto possession extremely well and are difficult to turnover.
“He also explained to us how they have a high rate of executing their plays and turning them into points which is something we must be wary of and limit their opportunities inside our 22.”
With Ireland head coach Andy Farrell expected to make changes against the Japanese, with an eye on further encounters against Australia and South Africa still to come in November, there is one player in particular that Shimokawa may not be too disappointed to see left off the team sheet come Saturday.
“Jamison Gibson-Park is a player who has really impressed me.
“He is critical for all things Ireland do and his kicking game is of a very high standard, creating danger in the opposition defence.
“He is very quick to the breakdown and connects play between the backs and forwards in his team, so if he plays this weekend, we will need to be prepared for that.”
With the World Cup Finals draw to take place in December, points in the ranking system are critical in this series, and that means wins are a must.
With each seeding pot consisting of six teams, Japan are in the unenviable position of being 13th in the current rankings, meaning they would be in pot three and would face one side from each of the top two sections unless they can up their ranking by at least one place. A situation not lost on their flanker.
“We understand the importance of getting wins to always improve our rankings to give us the best chance of doing well at the World Cup,” said Shimokawa, whose side also face close rivals Wales and Georgia in November.
“However, we can’t get lost in the big picture. We must take one game at a time and concentrate on the game this weekend and try to get a good result, if we do the rest will take care of itself.”
AloJapan.com