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Greig Laidlaw set for long-awaited Japanese debut
Former Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw is set to make his debut for NTT Communications Shining Arcs this weekend in the first round of the Top League season.
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The 35-year-old signed for the Japanese outfit in July 2020, but it has been a long wait for the season to start. He will be facing Toshiba Brave Lupus this Saturday in the first round of the campaign.
Former Scotland ??????? Captain, Greig Laidlaw joins Japan Rugby Top League side, Shining Arcs ?
His first match will be on Saturday 16 January, against Brave Lupus and Japan national team member, Michael Leitch.
Can we expect any revenge for #JPNvSCO? ?? pic.twitter.com/r5wW8Amyrv
— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) January 11, 2021
The Scot could potentially form a decisive half-back partnership with former Australia fly-half Christian Lealiifano, who is another landmark signing for Shining Arcs. The Wallaby is entering his second season in Japan, having arrived after the 2019 World Cup.
It has been a ten month wait for the Top League to resume after the 2020 campaign was cancelled in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This upcoming regular season now is scheduled to run until April, with the final on May 23rd.
This will be the fourth club Laidlaw has played for in his career, having previously played for Edinburgh, Gloucester and ASM Clermont Auvergne.
Laidlaw’s three-year stay at Clermont was brought to a premature end in 2020 when the Top 14 season was also annulled after only 17 rounds. That means his last league fixture was a 32-15 win over Agen last February.
He announced his Test retirement after the 2019 RWC, where his 76th and final match was a 28-21 loss to tournament hosts Japan in the pool stages. He captained Scotland on that occasion, and will come up against his opposing captain that night, Michael Leitch, this weekend.
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The scrum-half is one of many new signings that will be on show this January, although All Black Beauden Barrett’s arrival has garnered the most attention. The Kiwi has signed for Suntory Sungoliath, who face Laidlaw’s Shining Arcs in round three.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
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