MONTPELLIER, France — The pool stages of the 2007 Rugby World Cup ended with Japan's farewell from the tournament. The occasion, nevertheless, was a good lesson for the Japanese union in its preparation toward a 2015 bid.
French rugby supporters join in the fun before the their team's game against Georgia on Sunday.
AP PHOTOThe way the World Cup has played out so far also helps to support the Japanese cause.
The Cup is being held for the first time in a country where English is not widely spoken, and it was feared that the tournament would not generate enough income because of this.
Despite the fears, a record two million tickets have been sold, making the tournament the most successful one to date. As getting around France poses its difficulties for Anglophones, tournament hospitality package sales exceeded 100,000 — more than in the 1999 and 2003 World Cups combined.
Hosting the games in Japan, an equally attractive cultural destination posing the same linguistic obstacles, could generate similar results in terms of traveling fans.
However, French local fans are making their fair contribution to the success of the tournament. The fervent rugby fans of Southern France filled the stadiums during games between rugby minnows like Japan and Canada or Namibia and Georgia. In contrast, cohost Wales played against Japan in a half-empty stadium on home ground.
All this despite the the fact that the French lost their opening game against Argentina. Pool D results mean France will face the All Blacks in the quarterfinals in Cardiff, Wales, setting up the likely scenario of the hosts bowing out at an early stage. Wales has already exited the tournament.
An argument often cited against the Japanese is that they would probably face the same fate.
"Les Bleus, they are finished. We are facing the All Blacks now," said Monique Gerard, a passionate rugby fan, after Argentina's 30-15 win against Ireland on Sunday pushed France to second place in its pool standing. "We started with a black week for French sports; we lost in rugby, soccer and basketball," said Gerard, referring to France's consecutive losses in a Euro 2008 soccer qualifier and the FIBA European basketball championships in rapid succession after the rugby setback.
Despite this, the World Cup rolls on in front of a full house in France. The occasion is more than just a sporting event for many.
The key issue is whether local Japanese fans could emulate the French enthusiasm. The tournament would no doubt generate more interest after the event, but the Japan Rugby Football Union needs to address the issue of half-empty stadiums at current international matches.
The key is in the development of an internationally competitive Japanese national side that plays entertaining rugby. Under new head coach John Kirwan, as Japan's recent exciting performances showed, there is renewed hope this can happen.
Flanker Philip O'Reilly can already see progress. The New Zealander played for Japan under former head coach Jean-Pierre Elissalde and returned to John Kirwan's team just before the World Cup after nine months out with a hip injury.
"The system's organized and very professional. We all know what we have got to do and we implement it," O' Reilly said.
South Africa's specialist coach Eddie Jones also had time to take a look at the Blossoms' performance in the tournament.
"What I think they need to do is something similar to what (2002 soccer head coach Guus) Hiddink did with Korea. They need to play 14 to 16 international games a year against good quality opposition and have high ambition.
"But I think John ([Kirwan) is doing a pretty good job there. He is a very good coach and I think if they stick to him and back his program for the next four years they could get some good improvement."