WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND (AP) – Michael Leitch led Japan to key victories at the last two rugby World Cups. The next World Cup is in 2023 in France, and Leitch has a message: Don’t overlook Japan.
In 2015, Japan defeated South Africa in the English seaside town of Brighton, which lives on as the “Brighton Miracle”. In 2019, its group-stage wins over Ireland and Scotland carried it to the quarterfinals and brought rugby into the daylight in Japan.
Leitch is no longer the captain but is still a player and a key member of the team. He looks forward to the tournament where Japan is drawn in group D with England, Argentina, Samoa and one other qualifier.
The underdog tag doesn’t rankle Leitch – nor does he see it as appropriate.
“I think Japan is quite unique because I think we’re everyone’s second favourite team,” Leitch told reporters this week, speaking from Tokyo. “We still are regarded as an underdog despite having had two successful World Cup campaigns. It’s a hard one to brush off.”
Leitch said it’s difficult to judge where Japan stands in its World Cup preparation compared to the build-up to the 2019. Then, as Japan prepared to host the world tournament at home for the first time, a sense of urgency and purpose powered the campaign.
The years since haven’t worked to Japan’s advantage in the same way. COVID-19 shut international borders and Japan went 18 months without a test match. Its ability to introduce new players was impaired but Leitch believes things now on course.
