Hideyuki Harada has been mayor of Fukuroi for 19 years. Six times he has been elected to his post. This is a man who knows a thing or two about how to handle people and he is charm personified as a dozen or so Irish journalists join him at city hall the day before Japan and Ireland meet in their World Cup Pool A encounter ten minutes down the road.

No doubt about it, this World Cup has come down through the gears this last five days after what was a breakneck opening to the tournament.

Here we go again. One year out from the Tokyo Olympics, and for Thomas Barr this is when the clock truly starts ticking.

“A straight-talking Aussie with a big heart” – that’s how the Irish team’s Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Olympics was described yesterday by Peter Sherrard, CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI).

He helped win more than a few against the head when he was playing and now a world record attempt in honour of Munster legend Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley will take place next week when 2,000 people attempt the world’s largest rugby scrum.