Has Japanese rugby found its next star after Ayumu Goromaru?
After their successes at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, Japan were able, in part, to capitalise on that through the marketability and profile surrounding one of their star players, Ayumu Goramaru.
The talented full-back parcelled that form at the RWC into a move to the Queensland Reds and a season in Super Rugby, before packing his bags for Europe and a short stint with Toulon. Neither move worked out as well as Goromaru would have liked, with the 33-year-old returning to Yamaha Júbilo in 2017, but he was a lightning rod for all of the praise that was heading Japan’s way and he was held up as an example of how the nation could be competitive with Tier 1 nations on a consistent basis in the future.
With Japan set to host the RWC later this year, there is once again the opportunity for another posterboy of Japanese rugby to rise, something the JRFU will be particularly keen for, with the nation set to be involved with World Rugby’s proposed Nations Championship, should the competition get the green light in the coming weeks.
One name to watch out for is Shota Fukui.
The 19-year-old back rower recently captained Junior Japan in the Pacific Challenge, helping them to wins over both Samoa A and Tonga A and impressed with his physicality and maturity in the loss to a strong Fiji Warriors side.
He was part of the Japan U20 side last season that, although ultimately relegated to the Trophy competition this year, were extremely competitive in a one-point loss to Wales, as well as two-point losses to both Georgia and Ireland.
Unlike most players in Japan, Fukui opted to eschew the traditional pathway of going to university before signing a contract with a Top League club and instead joined up with Panasonic Wild Knights straight out of high school. From playing schoolboy rugby in 2017 with Higashi Fukuoka High School, he went to making his debut for Panasonic in 2018, featuring in their game against Canon Eagles back in October. He was also involved in the postseason games against Toyota Verblitz and Kubota Spears earlier this year.
That university pathway is one of the major factors that prevents Japanese rugby from competing regularly with the top Tier 1 nations, with their players often having to play catch up with their European and southern hemisphere counterparts at the age of 22 or 23, as their rivals elsewhere have usually had three of four years of professional rugby experience under their belts at that point. Fukui’s decision to bypass that route has seen him go straight into a professional rugby environment and the development in his game from the 2018 World Rugby U20 Championship to this year’s Pacific Challenge has been clear to see.
There has been the obvious physical development, which could be attributed as much to natural maturation as it could be to proper strength and conditioning coaching at Panasonic, but the improvements as a ball-handler, within his footwork and to his self-confidence, as illustrated by his leadership role at such a young age, have all the hallmarks of a player who has been able to focus on rugby as a full-time career.
He gets another shot to impress today, as he lines up for the World XV against the Western Force in the Global Rapid Rugby Showcase in Perth, before his attention will turn to the World Rugby U20 Trophy in July, where Japan will seek to gain promotion back to the Cup competition at the first time of asking.
Will he feature for Japan at their home RWC later this year? With the likes of Michael Leitch and Amanaki Mafi in the frame, this tournament is likely coming a year too soon for Fukui, but as SANZAAR turns its back on the nation and cuts the Sunwolves from Super Rugby, he gives hope to Japanese fans that he can be someone that the Cherry Blossoms can build around moving forward.
Japan have made great strides at the schoolboy and U20 levels in recent years and if more players opt to follow in Fukui’s footsteps and commit to the professional game slightly earlier, the future could be bright at both the club and international levels for rugby’s rousing giant. As for Fukui, we could well be watching a soon-to-be Japan captain in the making.
Watch: Raelene Castle on the axing of the Sunwolves from Super Rugby
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI 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.
30 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.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments