'Eddie Jones reminded me I'm from New Zealand and New Zealanders aren't nice people... we're rough'
It’s four years since Eddie Jones last coached Japan, but Michael Leitch still hasn’t forgotten the advice the Australian provided to enable the New Zealand-born Japanese skipper to thrive in his adopted Test rugby country.
“Eddie helped me realise that I am not Japanese,” said Leitch, the 30-year-old who has earned 59 caps since a 2008 debut versus the United States at Nagoya.
“I had been in Japan for a very long time and he is the one that reminded me I am from New Zealand and New Zealanders are not nice people… we’re rough. He helped me realise that. That’s probably the biggest piece of advice he has given me to take me from a good player to a better player.
“He has a genuine care for players. He loves his job coaching, he has got a lot of methods on doing that, so sometimes he can be brutally honest. But with being brutally honest he will always put his arm around you and take you out for a beer or a coffee afterwards. Eddie is a fantastic coach, and I’m very fortunate to have him as my coach at the last World Cup.
“He is very highly regarded in Japan. Even now he’s coaching England, he’s still in the media here in Japan. He’s still highly regarded within the rugby population. He will be regarded as one of the best, well, one of the coaches that really improved Japanese rugby. When he comes over, it will be like coming home for him.”
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Leitch is preparing for the World Cup under a Super Rugby cloud as it was recently announced that the Sunwolves are playing the final season in that tournament before being excluded. “Yeah, there’s that unfortunate timing. Sunwolves are what we need to progress in Japanese rugby because the local Top League is not enough, I don’t think.
“The team itself has been booted out of Super Rugby, but it doesn’t mean Sunwolves closes down. There’s potential that we can play in the Rapid Rugby scene, or move to Europe, I’m not sure. But having the Sunwolves is key to Japanese rugby.”
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As host nation, Japan will open the 2019 World Cup with a tie versus Russia before taking on meatier opponents in Ireland, Scotland and Samoa. The Japanese lost to Ireland twice in June 2017 and Leitch recognises the 2018 Grand Slam champions will be difficult to cope with next September.
“Ireland are a huge threat for us. Their set-piece is very dominant. They are a very clinical team. They don’t make mistakes and, for a team like us who want to play off mistakes, it’s very hard. Ireland is going to be the toughest game in our pool.
“(Johnny) Sexton is their key player at the moment. We have got to find a game plan that can control him because if he starts playing well then it’s going to be a hard for us at the office,” said Leitch, the Land Rover ambassador who can’t wait for the finals to start.
“With the results we had in 2015, the home support is going to be massive for us moving forward. 2015, no one knew us here in Japan, so having that home support backing us all the way will at home will be fantastic for us.
“The element of surprise has gone. Beating South Africa convincingly and, just with the preparation we have had so far, teams don’t look at us the same as they do before. I’m certain we can surprise a few teams out there, but I’m sure every team that has played against Japan will take us seriously from now on.
“It’s going to be hot and humid so how our team prepares for that is going to be key to how the team succeeds. You have got to look at what pressure is, I guess. Having a home advantage is good for us. We have got a great opportunity ahead of us to inspire a lot of kids and people in Japan, so I see it as an opportunity. I’m really looking forward to playing in front of the home fans.
“We have got a mixture of players. We have got South Africans, Samoans, Kiwis, Koreans, and the best player we have at the moment in the Japanese team is our No10, Yu Tamura. He’s been a fantastic player over the last four years, very skilful, very highly intelligent,” continued the Japanese skipper, who nominates Fiji to cause upsets in 2019.
“The biggest dark horse for me is Fiji at the moment. They have got a fantastic S&C coach and the way they are playing and the way they are training is very exciting. II would say Fiji are one of the teams that could upset a few big teams.”
With Japan promising a World Cup finals venue with a difference, Leitch’s advice for travelling supporters is to get out and explore. “The World Cup is going to be a fantastic event, but what is going to make this World Cup special is everything outside the World Cup, so getting off the beaten track and exploring Japan. So people coming over here can expected to be entertained for the duration of the World Cup.
“I recommend challenging yourself and going off the beaten track; just go for a walk, stroll into an old Japanese restaurant and have a crack at ordering, that is the best way to experience Japan.
“Sapporo is one of the most beautiful cities in Japan, so they will be coming around September, so the climate will be perfect. There are things to do in Sapporo; there are lots of mountains, lots of trips you can do and temples to visit. Being inside the city, just exploring and finding beer gardens and sushi restaurants are things you should be looking to do.”
WATCH: Part one of the RugbyPass look ahead to the 2019 World Cup in Japan
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments