1
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
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.
ADVERTISEMENT
Watch: Raelene Castle on the axing of the Sunwolves from Super Rugby
Comments on RugbyPass
excellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to comments