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Fumiaki Tanaka: 'As a human being, Eddie Jones is very mild now'

Legendary Japan scrum-half Fumiaki Tanaka (Photo by Pablo Morano/MB Media/Getty Images)

It was six in the morning Irish time on Thursday when Fumiaki Tanaka beamed in loud and clear eight hours ahead from Tokyo. Japan’s first match in their second coming under Eddie Jones is on the horizon this Saturday versus England, the team the firebrand coach divorced from in December 2022.

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This dynamic of Jones going head to head with his former comrades – including his old Cherry Blossom/Red Rose assistant Steve Borthwick – will ensure that thousands of English fans will rise early to live stream the game on RugbyPass TV.

The fixture will also very much pique the interest of the famed Tanaka, but from a different perspective than was previously the case. It was April 23 when he announced that he would be retiring from playing at the age of 39.

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His farewell campaign for the second division NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu didn’t have a happy ending as the club ultimately failed to secure top-flight promotion. But the legendary scrum-half will remain a familiar figure at the Chiba outfit headed up by Wayne Pivac.

His plan? Taking the first steps in his fledgling coaching career, starting in the club’s academy with the grand long-term ambition of eventually becoming the Japan national team head coach. It’s a role that Jones has already predicted Tanaka will definitely achieve at some future stage.

For now, though, it’s a watching brief, working for a Japanese TV station, and taking notes on how the day one Jones plan works out. It’s a scheme Tanaka got the heads-up on not so long ago as he interviewed his old coach last month with the promotion ramping up ahead of the June 22 National Stadium clash.

Tanaka reckons we are seeing a very different approach from the methods Jones used to ignite the success that was defeating South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and very nearly qualifying for a first-ever quarter-final appearance that eventually came their way at their home World Cup four years later.

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“The style of training is still really hard but as a human being, he is very mild now,” said Tanaka to RugbyPass via his interpreter, his preferred way of conducting the interview even though he picked up some English during his time a decade ago when spending four Super Rugby seasons at the Dunedin-based Highlanders after initially impressing at NPC level for Otago.

“It’s probably the level of Japanese rugby now going up compared to when he was coaching the first time. Probably the understanding among the players is deeper than before. That makes him more comfortable than before. He is not anymore frustrated. That is my impression.

“Especially during the training sessions. There were a lot of mistakes made by players and he was angry at that time and nobody could reach out to him when he was angry, but that hasn’t happened (this time around) from my viewpoint. People can talk to him and he actually reached out to players who have made mistakes. That is the difference I have seen compared to my time as a national team player.”

Will this less cantankerous tactic work the oracle straight away in Test game one? “The Japan team is a really young one and lacking experience, so it’s harder for Japan,” predicted Tanaka.

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“England have a very traditional way of playing their game, getting the penalties and taking their kicks and also dominating with their set-piece, which is what I am expecting.

“There are some new players for Japan so they need to be patient with that kind of style of rugby by England. Then, of course, they could have speed in their attack and that might give Japan chances to get some scores. That is what I am hoping.”

Rugby in Japan now is night and day compared to when Tanaka started on the national side at the age of 23 in 2008. His debut happened against the Arabian Gulf, an Asian Cup match in Osaka that attracted a meagre 4,526 attendance.

“I played for 11 years in the national team and after we had Eddie, the awareness of the game was something that he changed for me, Shota Horie, and all of the other players. We really had a low level of awareness of the game before he joined us and he opened up our eyes to get more eyes onto the many aspects of the game.

“That raised the awareness of the game and helped us to play against all those stronger houses. That was one of the key moments. As for the popularity of rugby after 2015 when we won against South Africa, I felt that people’s attitude to us and also the game of rugby in Japan changed.

“After that game, everyone looked up to us and attention was given to each moment of our game. After that, I felt people really quickly knew about rugby more and more. In the past, it was a very rare occasion for us to see kids with an oval ball or kids and families with jerseys and come to the stadium. Now we can see all these people coming to the stadium when Japan play. That is a very happy thing for us to see.”

Tanaka’s career turned out beautifully, but he was the fortunate one of the five debut-makers in that facile 114-6 win 16 years ago. Two others managed just three-cap careers, another had six games and while the 35-cap Shaun Webb can be considered a success, Tanaka knocked it out of the park despite standing at just 5ft 5ins and weighing a featherlight 75kg.

Tanaka Toner rugby size differenceIreland’s Devin Toner with Fumiaki Tanaka in 2017 (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

His 75 appearances, which included selection for three World Cups, was a lavish involvement that culminated in the 2019 pool wins over Ireland and Scotland before losing out to the Springboks in the last eight.

“With my understanding of the game, the small size was something that never held me back. So many other small players have played; the likes of Cheslin Kolbe are stars even though they have got very small-sized bodies.

“Even though you are small, if you make the best effort for yourself to understand the game that is going to be your weapon. I couldn’t do that by myself, I was always asking for my teammates, they were like a family and I had always support from them.

“I couldn’t knock over a big-size player by myself, but there were always teammates who could join me in the tackle. There was always someone who could help me in what I wanted to do. It was not only about me. It was the team.”

Aside from representing Japan, Tanaka played for a half-dozen clubs. Which was his favourite? “The Highlanders. I played with them for a while. They are always good to watch.”

Tanaka Green Rockets final season
Fumiaki Tanaka in action with NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

And his toughest opposition? “The hardest teams were South Africa and New Zealand. Even though we could be good performers, sometimes we couldn’t do anything we wanted to do. Individual players were also great for those two teams.”

The Springboks would surely say the same of Tanaka given how the 2015 Brighton shock fired up the sport in the Far East. “That game against South Africa was the moment Japan rugby really changed for us and the fans. That was a big moment in my lifetime, the best game for me. I made a lot of mistakes in that game but we still won.”

His boots hung up, it’s now about the future for the diminutive but massive-hearted character. “The first reaction from the people surrounding me after I announced my retirement was really warm and they all said nice words to me.

“They of course celebrated what I did during my career but were also expecting me to keep doing something for rugby after my retirement as a player. That was the reaction to my retirement. I am going be a coach for the NEC academy team and in the long term future, I’d to learn more about coaching and would ultimately like to be the head coach of the Japan national team.

“When I was with Eddie as a player, every day was a chance to learn something from him and his way of thinking. His awareness of the game was something really valuable for me as a player. It taught me there were some things I could improve more.

“But it wasn’t only about him. There were so many other good coaches, including Jamie Joseph. What I would like to do is keep open those connections so I can work with these coaches and be a good coach as well. That is what I’m thinking.”

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J
JW 3 hours ago
Why NZR's Ineos settlement may be the most important victory they'll enjoy this year

It really all depends of how much overseas players would be paid (by NZR) to play for the All Blacks. I’ve not heard a peep on this front from any author suggesting it’s a good idea.


If it’s nothing (a player gets his weekly paycheck from the club and thats it (which we know is definitely not the case in Ireland and France, or SA even I think?), then maybe it would retain more SR level players given that they’ll be getting the “AB” component (which is about where things stand, Burke for instance would have had to had his Sader contract upgraded to an AB one (think above Pero levels) to be on similar money.


I’d having to imagine if a player is getting paid to do nothing over the international windows though, they are going to want to get paid extra for appear for the ABs, so in this situation, it’s hard to see many players being retained, yes.


I’m pretty sure they flew to Japan and met in person.


I’ve heard/had these discussions numerous times. I don’t think theres anyway to judge the interest that would be retain in SR. For one, it might be a more entertaining league as a result, as the JRLO is compared to Europe, despite it obviously being a lesser standard.


If SRP is of a lesser standard and now able to use Japanese and American players to bolster teams, perhaps those markets more than make up for the downturn in NZ and Aus? Perhaps it gives NZR flexibility to create a more fit for purpose interdomestic competition, and interest actually increases? All you might need is a proper pathway from school to pro?


Razor asked NZR to keep an open mind. Did NZR answer any of these questions to themself?

24 Go to comments
J
JW 5 hours ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

Yeah of course it can be, it manages a good commerical outcome when 100 million people are following it. I’m saying rugby is no where near even remotely close to getting the payoff you’re talking about, never mind the distinct lack of anyway to implement it.


So you’re going for the dirty approach. I’m not surprised, it’s the only way to easily implement it right now. I wouldn’t see the benefit to doing that myself. A draft, if purely feasible in it’s own right, doesn’t need to provide commercial benefit at all (if it works, that’s all it needs to do, as it no doubt did back in america’s heyday). But without the advantageous backing of sponsors and interest levels, if you pick the wrong method to implement it, like a dirty approach, you do potential harm to it’s acceptance.


The aspect’s of the approach you chose that I don’t like, is that the franchises are the ones spending the money of the U20’s only for there opposition to get first dibs. Personally, I would much prefer an investment into a proper pathway (which I can’t really see SR U20s being at all in anycase). I’m not exactly sure how the draft works in america, but I’m pretty sure it’s something like ‘anyone whishing to be pro has to sign for the draft’, and results in maybe 10 or 20% of those being drafted. The rest (that accumulative 80/90% year on year) do go back into club, pronvincial, or whatever they have there, and remain scouted and options to bring in on immediate notice for cover etc. You yes, you draw on everybody, but what is generating your interest in the drafties in the first plaec?


This is your missing peace. If some come through school and into the acadamies, which would be most, you’ve currently got three years of not seeing those players after they leave school. Those that miss and come in through club, maybe the second year theyre in the draft or whatever, aged 20/21, you’re going to have no clue how they’ve been playing. NPC is a high level, so any that are good enough to play that would already be drafted, but some late bloomers you might see come in NPC but then Sky’s not going to broadcast that anymore. So what’s generating this massive interest you’re talking about, and most importantly, how does it tie in with the other 7 clubs that will be drafting (and providing) players outside of NZ?


Is the next step to pump tens of millions into SRP U20s? That would be a good start for investment in the youth (to get onto international levels of pathway development) in the first place but are fans going to be interested to the same level as what happens in america? Baseball, as mentioned, has the minor leagues, if we use that model it hasn’t to be broad over the whole pacific, because you’re not having one draft right, they all have to play against each other. So here they get drafted young and sent out into a lower level thats more expansive that SR, is there interest in that? There would be for large parts, but how financially viable would it be. Twiggy tried to get a league started and NPC clubs joined. BOP and Taranaki want SR representation, do we have a mix of the biggest clubs and provinces/states make a couple of divisions? I think that is far more likely to fan interest and commerical capabilities than an U20 of the SR teams. Or ofc Uni fits a lot of options. I’ve not really read anything that has tried to nut out the feasability of a draft, it can certainly work if this spitballing is anything to go by, but I think first theres got to be a need for it far above just being a drafting level.

36 Go to comments
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