The Japan rugby team, which couldn't manage to gain much in the Rugby World Cups, is trying their best efforts to win the 2007 Rugby World Cup. Holding 18th position in the International Rugby Board world ranking, the team has been eliminated in the pool phase itself in the 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003 Rugby World Cups.
They could manage to win only one match out of the 16 rugby matches played. The team has gained a total score of 265 points. Led by head coach John Kirwan, the team nicknamed as The Cherry Blossoms is the strongest rugby union power in Asia.
Rugby was first played in Japan in 1874. It has participated in all Rugby World Cups since 1987 representing Asia. In the 1991 Rugby World Cup tournament, the 'Cherry Blossoms' thrashed Zimbabwe and since then the team has not won any rugby matches. The worst defeat of the team was against New Zealand in 1995.
Wearing striped white and red jersey, black shorts and black socks with the emblem of The cherry blossom, the Japan team enter the ground in high spirits and zest to win the match.
The Japan rugby team, placed in Pool B along with Australia, Wales, Fiji and Canada has a number of famous players like Takeomi Ito, Takuro Miuchi, Kyohei Morita, Yukio Motoki, Daisuke Ohata, Hirotoki Onozawa, Adam Parker, Yuya Saito, Ruatangi Vatuvei and Wataru Ikeda who contributes much to the victory of the team.
