Coaching Career
In 2001, Kirwan was an assistant coach with the Auckland Blues, his first professional coaching role. In 2002, Kirwan moved to Italy to become the coach of the Italian national rugby team, which under his guidance recorded two victories over Wales in 2003 and Scotland in 2004. After a winless 2005 Six Nations campaign, he was relieved of his managerial duties on 8 April 2005.
At the start of 2007 Kirwan was appointed the coach of the Japan national rugby union team. Interviewed by the Daily Yomiuri, Kirwan said: "The level of rugby has improved greatly in Japan in the last ten years and they did well at the last World Cup. But their recent performances at national level have . I want to find that 'Samurai Spirit' that all the players can identify with. And then that style of rugby can start to spread downwards throughout the country." On 9 April 2007 the national team was featured at their first training camp since Kirwan's appointment in the NHK national news, a sign of the growing expectation and interest in his team. He said in front of the camera: "We want to be the world's fittest team". He added that he wanted Japan to play to its strengths which he believed were speed and agility, and to play rugby that "big men don't like." At the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Japan drew 12-12 with Canada, breaking a 16-year 13-match losing streak. John Kirwan remained head coach of Japan through the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
In July 2012, Kirwan was announced as the new coach of the Auckland Blues for the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Read more about this topic: John Kirwan (rugby)
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