Japan coach John Kirwan believes there were plenty of positives to take from his side's 31-24 loss to Italy.
Japan coach pleased with side's efforts despite losing
Japan coach John Kirwan believes there were plenty of positives to take from his side's 31-24 World Cup warm-up loss to Italy.
The Japanese, who have won just one World Cup game in 20 attempts, scored three tries in the defeat - with Takeshisa Usuzuki and Koji Taira both crossing for scores, while they were also awarded a penalty try.
However Matteo Pratichetti, Edoardo Gori, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Andrea Lo Cicero scored for the Azzurri to help seal the win.
But despite the defeat, Kirwan, who has previously coached the Italians, claims he side can learn from the work out ahead of heading to New Zealand.
Patience
"This was a great lesson for our team, if we play against the Pacific teams they get tired towards the end but Italy were constant," Kirwan told
AFP.
"When we hang onto the ball we play a team game, we like to use the ball out wide, take the ball to the line and let the defence make a decision.
"Our forwards work very hard across the field to give us fast ball. But we need more patience on the line breaks to hold on to the ball and keep on playing.
"I'm happy with the variation of our game between kicking and holding on with the ball in hand, that's very positive.
"Right across the board we played well, I'm happy, we'd never played a northern hemisphere team with the constant pressure in the line-out, the maul and scrum.
"At times I felt the penalties at scrums could've gone the other way but that's what we're here for, to learn."
