Why rugby is a perfect match for Japanese culture

The ITV set for the channel’s thunderingly good coverage of the Rugby World Cup is more Japanese than anything in Japan. And after the Brave Blossoms’ quite sensational victory over the Irish team — until recently rated world No. 1 — we need more Japaneseyness. More sushi. More Hiroshige. More Hokusai.

We should never lose sight of how remarkable Japanese rugby is. The country has had a love affair with the game for more than 150 years. It’s all about konjo — the Japanese word for discipline, endurance, sacrifice, sincerity, courage, strength. There’s the samurai warrior for you: not somebody to mess with but deeply honourable too.

They don’t look like natural rugby players, the Japanese, being considerably smaller than, say, your average Springbok. But they whacked the Boks four years ago in one of rugby’s most thrilling climaxes. And here, with speed of thought and execution, energy and drive, they have been unbeatable.

Rugby, with its emphasis on team spirit, respect for the laws (up to a point, m’lord), controlled and inexhaustible aggression, as well as precision planning, is ideally suited to a Japanese culture. Their final group match against Scotland could be one of the games of the decade. In the meantime, there is Japan v. Samoa to look forward to this weekend.

Talking of Samoa, spare a thought for the Pacific Islands, mercilessly plundered by the Tier 1 nations, but really the true cradle of world rugby. Look at players like the Vunipola brothers, and Tuilagi for England, Ireland’s Bundee Aki, Kuridrani and Koroibete for Australia, France’s Vahaamina, the Kiwis’ Lualala, to name a few. The Islands need helping out: imagine a Pacific Island version of the British Lions touring Europe every four years in November — the Pacific Warriors.