Brave Blossoms ready for All Blacks challenge

TOKYO (Nov. 1) – Japan head into Saturday’s test with New Zealand full of belief that they can pull off the biggest win in the history of Japanese rugby, and perhaps the biggest upset in the history of the sport.

“We are ready for the fight and of course we have an image that we can win,” Japan vice captain Ayumu Goromaru said after Friday’s captain’s run at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, the venue of the third ever official test between the two sides and the first outside a Rugby World Cup.

“Not just Japan but the eyes of the world will be on us if we win and we will go out from the start and do our best to get a victory.”

Goromaru, who will be Japan’s kicker said the Japan team would have to play the game of their lives but he believed the systems put in place by Eddie Jones, who remains hospitalised following his stroke on Oct. 15, would hold the team in good stead.

“Eddie wants us to play an attacking game and we need to play rugby that only Japan can play,” the fullback said. “We are confident we can win and have prepared well. We have confidence (from the win over Wales in June) and have belief in the possibility we can win tomorrow.”

Lock Shoji Ito said the Japan team were looking forward to taking on the world champions.

“Of course it is a privilege to play the best team in the world, but we know what we need to do, have confidence and have prepared to win the game though we know it will need a lot of hard work,” he said.

The Japan team were presented with their match jerseys by Hirotoki Onozawa, who scored the Brave Blossoms’ try during the 83-7 loss to New Zealand at RWC 2011, the last time the two sides met.

Injury means Japan’s most capped player was considered for selection but he told the team he was looking forward to a good performance.

“I could tell he really wanted to play,” said Goromaru. “He reminded us we hadn’t played well against New Zealand at the last World Cup and told us how important tomorrow is.”