Scots must make last eight - Lam

Scotland assistant coach Pat Lam has admitted he would be bitterly disappointed if the team failed to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup as they prepare for their opening match against Japan.

Speaking at Scotland’s training base in Caloundra, north of Brisbane, Lam said everyone involved in the squad was well aware of the expectations and failing to pass the group stage would be unforgivable.

“If we missed out on the quarter-finals it would be a huge disappointment, we all know that, and Scotland has always reached the quarter-finals,” said Lam.

“There’s a lot of teams in that top eight who can win any game on their day and the goal simply for us is to go out and win every game,” he said.

Grouped with the mercurial French, whom they have not beaten since 1999, Fiji, Japan and the United States, the task would seem limited to requiring a win over the South Sea Islanders to ensure at least second place in the group.

Japan are the first opponents on Sunday in tropical Townsville and, for all their strengths, should not pose a major threat, but Lam is refusing to succumb to overconfidence.

“The mistake we could make is to just look at France and look at Fiji. We have to be right on top of our game and give them the respect that they deserve.”

He picked out Japan’s two most experienced loose forwards, number eight Takeomo Ito and openside flanker Yasunori Watanabe, as particular threats for Scotland while the general danger will come from Japanese counter-attacks.

“They were both flankers in 1999 and one has dropped back to number eight, and we played them there and also in the Pacific Rim tournament. Those two back-rowers are good players.

“They like to run from anywhere, and there are some very quick guys and a lot of ’steppers’ in the team even in the forward pack so our defence has to be very good and out ball control has to be very good as well.”

Lam has first-hand knowledge of two key players who will step out in the red and white hoops.

He played Super 12 rugby for the Crusaders with fly-half Andy Miller, and was in the same New Zealand under-21 team as inside centre George Konia – both are expected to line up against Scotland for Japan.

He hedged on whether coach Ian McGeechan would, given the daunting schedule of four group games in 14 days, select a weakened team to take on the Cherry Blossoms to spare key players from temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius and high humidity in Townsville.

“That’s up to the coach, but the team will be named on Friday and people will see that it is very strong.

“This is the strongest, fittest and best-prepared team Scotland have ever sent out, from one to 30, and any team we put out will be a strong side.”

There was clearly no reticence from the players, with Castres centre James McLaren eager to get on the field.

“It’s been dragging on for a bit,” said McLaren. “The World Cup has been a long-term goal for a lot of us and it’s good to just get here and start getting into it.

“It’s a bit frustrating just waiting for the game to start and get involved.”

Sale flanker Jason White expected the intensity to rise within the camp closer to the opening match.

“The guys are still going about things the same way, but I would imagine it will change in the 48 hours beforehand.”