Welsh coaches Lyn Jones and Shaun Connor hope Vladimir Putin will be in attendance to see if Russia can implement the plan they have devised to ruin the biggest day in the history of Japanese rugby.
The Russian President is reported to be giving “full consideration” to the invite he has received from former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to attend the opening match of the World Cup.
Russia face hosts Japan in the big kick-off at Tokyo Stadium on September 20 after gaining a back-door entry to rugby’s main event.
They qualified for the tournament after Romania, Belgium and Spain were each docked points for fielding ineligible players during last year’s European Nations Cup – which acted as a Rugby World Cup qualifying tournament.
Rugby is taking off in Russia with the country having announced it will bid to host the global showpiece in 2027.
“It makes sense for President Putin to be at the World Cup because I’m sure it would help with the bidding process,” said backs coach and former Wales A outside-half Connor.
“It would also give our players a massive lift against Japan and we know he is a huge sports lover.
“President Putin is a black belt in judo and was at the Olympic training centre in Sochi when we were there earlier this year.
“We didn’t see him ourselves but we knew he was about because I’ve never seen so much security around a place.
“The Russians are a very proud people who have made us most welcome as coaches. They have been fantastic and we want to repay them.
“Our focus is on that opening match of the World Cup. Japan will be favourites for it but all the pressure is on the Brave Blossoms.
“We’d love to gatecrash it and spoil their party. That’s what we are working towards and our training camps are ticking along nicely.”
Jones, who is the most successful Welsh coach of the regional era with three league titles and Anglo-Welsh Cup glory while in charge of the Ospreys as well as guiding London Welsh to the English Premiership, says the job is about more than the coming World Cup.
“My vision for the development of Russian rugby was not based on the late RWC 2019 qualification,” said the former Dragons boss.
“We are all looking beyond the World cup in waking the ‘Sleeping Bear’ to fulfil its potential.
“The players and administrators within Russia are as passionate and committed as any other country I have worked.”
Connor concurs with that view after returning from an altitude training camp at Kislovodsk, which is in the shadow of Europe’s highest mountain Mount Elbrus.
“Lyn was appointed last August and I joined him soon afterwards. It’s been a breath of fresh air and the players just want to learn,” he said.
“I was surprised by the talent that is in Russia but there isn’t much depth because the league system is still developing.
“What we are trying to do is get them up to speed to start with a bang. We were beaten in our first match by hosts Uruguay in the recent World Rugby Nations Cup.
“But we bounced back to beat a strong Argentina XV and Phil Davies’ Namibia to finish runners-up in that tournament.”
Jones and Connor have been joined by three other Welshmen in the Russia set-up with former Wales fitness chief and ex-international flanker Mark Bennett in charge of strength and conditioning, Will Precious employed as an analyst and Chris Jenkins, who is married to a Russian, as a physiotherapist.
“Will and Chris were both at the Dragons with Lyn and I. Everybody seems to be enjoying the challenge and there can’t be many better settings than having a training camp under the shadow of Mount Elbrus," beamed Connor.
“It was an absolutely stunning location and the facilities were top-class. Kislovodsk is also an Olympic training centre and it was fascinating to watch ice-skaters practicing their moves on an athletics track and weight-lifters at work in the gym.
“We know we are not going to win the World Cup but we’d like to cause an upset or two, just as Japan did against South Africa four years ago.
“We are hoping to do to Japan what they did to the Springboks and make the Russian people proud.”
