With less than 100 days to the start of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Last Word on Sports looks back at how the participating nations have fared in the previous seven tournaments from the inaugural in 1987 to the most recent in 2011. Today’s focus is Japan, who have appeared at each of the seven previous Rugby World Cups.

Rugby World Cup History: Japan

1987

As one of the nine invited nations Japan took part in the inaugural Rugby World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. Drawn in Pool 1 with established rugby nations Australia and England as well as fellow invitee USA, qualification for the knockout stages would always be a challenge for Japan. Things did not start well losing a close game 18-21 to the USA. A 60-7 defeat by England and a 42-23 loss to Australia meant that Japan would exit the World Cup without a win and bottom of Pool 1.

1991

Qualification for the 1991 World Cup, for Japan, meant a round robin tournament with Western Samoa, Tonga and South Korea. Wins against Tonga and South Korea had already sealed qualification before a loss to Western Samoa left them second in the group. At the World Cup Japan were placed in Pool 2 with Scotland, Ireland and Zimbabwe. Losses to Scotland and Ireland in their first two pool games meant Japan were already out of contention, for qualification to the knockout stages, by the time they faced Zimbabwe. However a 52-8 win over the African side gave Japan their first Rugby World Cup win.

1995

Unlike the 1991 World Cup, where Asia and Oceania had a joint qualification group, in 1995 Asia had its own group. Japan finished top of Pool 1, beating Taiwan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka to set up a final with South Korea. A 26-11 win sent Japan to the World Cup in South Africa, however a tough pool awaited Japan, placed with favourites New Zealand and Five Nations teams Ireland and Wales. Heavy losses to Wales and Ireland were compounded by a record 145-17 loss to New Zealand, with All Black Marc Ellis setting a record for most tries by a player in a Rugby World Cup match with six.

1999

Japan qualified for the 1999 World Cup, defeating South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong to be Asia’s representative. Drawn in Pool D with hosts Wales, Samoa and Argentina, Japan again struggled to make an impact at the tournament. Heavy defeats in all three pool games left Japan bottom of their pool, and just like in South Africa four years prior, winless.

2003

Once again Japan qualified for the World Cup topping the Asia qualification group, beating South Korea and Chinese Taipei. Drawn with France, Scotland, Fiji and the USA in Pool B, Japan opened the World Cup with a 32-11 defeat to Scotland. Heavy defeats to France and Fiji followed, however Japan Fly-Half Andrew MIller did make history, scoring a 52 metre drop goal which remains the longest in World Cup history. A final game to defeat to USA rounded out another winless campaign for Japan.

2007

Japan entered the 2007 World Cup in France as Asia’s qualifier, being drawn in Pool B with Australia, Canada, Fiji and Wales. Japan had an awful start to the World Cup losing 91-3 to Australia, however they bounced back and were only narrowly edged out 35-31 in a close game with Fiji. The game against Wales had a similar vein to the Australia one, as Wales ran rampant with Japan ending up on the wrong end of a 72-18 score line. A last minute converted try against Canada secured a draw and ended Japan’s losing streak at World Cups which stretched all the way back to 1991 when they beat Zimbabwe.

2011

Japan came through qualifying for the sixth straight World Cup, and the fifth straight as Asia’s representative. Drawn in Pool A with hosts New Zealand, France, Tonga and Canada, Japan would open their 2011 campaign against the French Team. Japan put up a sterling fight against the French even closing to within four points; however three late tries gave France a win that looked more comfortable than the game was. A heavy defeat to New Zealand in their second game was at least an improvement on the last time Japan faced the All Blacks at a World Cup, keeping the score below 100 with the final score 83-7. A 31-18 defeat to Tonga left Japan facing Canada in their final group game with both sides winless for the second straight World Cup. Again 80 minutes could not separate the two teams; however on this occasion it was the Canadians who needed a last minute score, an Ander Monro penalty, to rescue a draw with the final score 23-23.

Japan have attended every World Cup but have yet to make a big impact on Rugby’s biggest stage. Quite clearly the best team in Asia having again qualified top of their group for 2015. Japan would love to get their first win since 1991 ahead of hosting the tournament in 2019. Japan has got the ability to run teams close as they proved with their spirited display against the French in 2011. However a tough draw which sees them face South Africa, Samoa, Scotland and USA means this will be no easy task for the Japanese team. The future is bright for Japanese Rugby as well as hosting the next World Cup; Japan will have a Super Rugby franchise from 2016. With so much happening in Japanese Rugby it will not be hard to see Japan developing into a team that regularly trouble the more traditional rugby nations.

To read more Rugby World Cup History click here

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