TOKYO: Japan rugby union head coach Jamie Joseph hailed his team’s “good start” to their preparations for next year’s World Cup, after they thrashed Uruguay 43-7 on Saturday.
Japan reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time when they hosted the tournament in 2019 and Joseph is looking for a repeat performance at next year’s showpiece event in France.
The New Zealander was taking charge of his team for the first time this year. He said it was an “exciting time”, as Japan prepares to face England, Argentina, Samoa and a qualifier from the Americas at the World Cup.
“This game was a starting point for us,” he said.
“We’re trying to create a team in a very short period of time. When I look at that as the circumstance under which we played the match, I thought we had a very good start today.”
