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How the Top League has impacted the stars of the Rugby Championship
It has taken some time, but the Rugby Championship stars who have return to test rugby via Japan’s Top League are beginning to flourish on the international stage.
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Among the standouts in the latest round of the Rugby Championship included star playmakers Beauden Barrett and Quade Cooper.
Barrett’s attacking prowess and Cooper’s game management and goal-kicking accuracy proved crucial in the All Blacks‘ and Wallabies’ respective victories over the Springboks and Los Pumas on the Gold Coast.
Both players plied their trade in Japan for Suntory Sungoliath and the Kintetsu Liners, respectively, this season, with Barrett lining up alongside Wallabies midfielder Samu Kerevi at Suntory in their runner-up finish in this year’s Top League.
Kerevi has been a standout for the Wallabies since returning to the Australian national squad for the first time in two years in the side’s two most recent tests against the All Blacks and Springboks and looms as a long-term option in the green and gold No 12 jersey.
Likewise, TJ Perenara, who enjoyed a sabbatical at the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes this year, performed well in his first start of the year for the All Blacks over the weekend.
Brodie Retallick and Michael Hooper, meanwhile, are back to their best for the All Blacks and Wallabies after turning out for the Kobelco Steelers and Toyota Verblitz during their respective sabbaticals.
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The influence of the New Zealand players hasn’t been lost on Crusaders and Maori All Blacks halfback Bryn Hall, who told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod that he has been particularly impressed by Perenara’s up-tempo style of play since returning from Japan.
“I look at a halfback, in particular. In the Japanese league, it’s really based around your tempo and getting the ball out as quick as you can,” Hall said.
“I like to think TJ going over there to Japan, he lost a few kgs around trying to get to the style of what it was to play in Japan and, from all reports, when he played out there, he had his physical prowess and was able to impact the game with his running game and defensively with his turnovers and his actual physicality.
“His tempo was seen on the weekend, and that’s probably [because of] him being in Japan and a league where tempo is probably the king in that competition.”
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Hall also acknowledged Barrett’s performances in New Zealand’s last two tests against Australia and Argentina in the absence of Richie Mo’unga, which is sure to cause All Blacks boss Ian Foster some selection headaches upon the latter’s return in the coming weeks.
Expect Anton Lienert-Brown to be back on deck for the #AllBlacks this weekend — and don’t be surprised if the midfielder is a permanent fixture in the No 13 jersey for the remainder of the Rugby Championship. #ARGvNZL
Analysis from Nick Bishop ? https://t.co/WH1mZ1y8WH
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) September 15, 2021
“Even Beaudy as well, I thought he took it to another level. You talk around his game management, it was great, even around his different types of kicks that he had.
“Even in the last two test matches he had, his long-distance kicking, as well, has been a real attribute and a real great positive for the All Blacks in the last two test matches. He’s coming back into form.”
However, Hall noted the difficulty that comes with switching between the club game in Japan to test rugby from a physicality perspective.
“I think the only thing that you really try and get used to, with the likes of Brodie as well, is probably that physicality of playing against bigger players,” the 29-year-old told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“The Japanese are a little bit different, like I said, with the tempo and probably being a little bit agile with fitness, whereas it might take a little bit longer for the physicality to get used to it.
“I thought the All Blacks have done that really well with Beaudy, Brodie and TJ, bringing them in slowly with getting a bit of game time here and there.
“Now they’re getting into a position where they’re starting due to the conditioning from [All Blacks trainer] Nic Gill and obviously the coaches as well, giving them the confidence from going from limited minutes to be able to play more minutes in the games.”
Ex-All Blacks and Blues hooker James Parsons echoed Hall’s sentiments as he paid tribute to the efforts of Kerevi and Hooper for the Wallabies.
The former two-test international added all the aforementioned players were able to return to test rugby without a hitch due to their experience, which paid dividends in their transition between teams.
“I think you can add Michael Hooper and Samu Kerevi to that list as well. They’ve obviously come from Japan and I thought they were exceptional on Sunday as well,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
Speaking exclusively to RugbyPass, one-test All Blacks playmaker Josh Ioane has lifted the lid on his decision to move from the Highlanders to the Chiefs next season. #SuperRugbyPacific https://t.co/kP8pNjt1Ty
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 15, 2021
“But, if we look at all those names, the other thing that sticks out is they’ve been around a long time, they’ve been professionals for a long time.
“They know what they need to get themselves to that absolute peak performance, and they’re certainly right in the mixer in all areas at the moment.”
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe 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?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 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
4 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 comments