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'I won't be able to stay with him': Alex Goode on life in Japan and his opening round Top League clash with George Kruis
As English rugby’s top-flight takes a two-week break, former Saracens talisman Alex Goode is preparing to make his debut for NEC Green Rockets in the Japan Top League against former teammate George Kruis, who is now with Robbie Deans’ highly-rated Panasonic Wild Knights.
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Goode and Kruis face each other at Kumagaya on Saturday even though the start of the 2021 Top League, like the major European competitions, is being shaped by positive tests for Covid-19.
Forty-four people from three teams – Toyota Verblitz, Suntory Sungoliath and Canon Eagles – tested positive in pre-season screening and it has resulted in the cancellation of the two opening round matches involving those three clubs.
However, the green light has been given for the Rockets versus Wild Knights encounter where Goode, on a break in Japan after signing a contract extension at Saracens through to 2023, will face Kruis who is now a teammate of ex-Wales centre Hadleigh Parkes.
Based at Abiko, 25 miles north of Tokyo, Goode told RugbyPass: “We [Green Rockets] are the only semi-professional team in the league and that means we have to train later because the Japanese players are at work during the day.
RugbyPass Offload – Episode 12 – Refs call
We're back for 2021 as Zeebs, Ryan and Christina are joined by top referee JP Doyle! ?
The guys chat cancelled rugby, Xmas celebrations and the crazy scenes we witnessed in the PRO D2 ?
?? Full Episode – https://t.co/q6H97kFDUN pic.twitter.com/qx80GjWTiZ
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“Training is hugely different from Saracens and a lot gets lost in translation. I will be playing out-half and explaining about going flatter, wider or sneaking in behind someone. It means I spend a lot of time with the translator. The big boss makes all the decisions and it is different from Sarries where we were very player-led, constantly pushing back with the coaches in training. That takes a bit of getting used to.
“We had two 40-minute practice matches coming into the season and the experience has been challenging but also very rewarding as they [Saracens and Rockets] are two very different clubs. I have been at Sarries for 15 years and know all the staff and players, but here our Japanese players have to shoot off and go to work.
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“This weekend I’m playing against George, who has been my teammate for ten years. We have met up in Tokyo a couple of times. With Covid, we have to get the bus back straight after games, so I won’t be able to stay with him again this weekend which is a shame.
“George’s team is one of the top two in the league and are coached by Robbie Deans. They have a really good set-up built for rugby and have six or seven of the Japan World Cup squad. The Japanese players at my club are really talented and I can hopefully point them in the right direction.
“Any new player has to integrate with a new club and it would be impossible to replicate the special place that Sarries is to me and you do miss having 30 of your best mates around every day. I’m lucky that Richard Graham, who coached at Sarries under Alan Gaffney and Eddie Jones, is here in my apartment block and Sam Jeffries and Andrew Kellaway are two Aussies I get on really well with and went skiing with them.
“It has made my time very enjoyable here. I have already played against Jesse Kriel and there are so many great players out here but they are also in a different system and now have Japanese players alongside them.”
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Goode, who had to go through two weeks isolation before he could link up with the Green Rockets, is enjoying the very different rugby life in Japan compared to North London. “Any time you move countries on your own with a huge time difference then it’s going to be tough, particularly having to initially do two weeks isolation.
“Since then I have loved Japan and I was lucky to go skiing at New Year. There are so many incredible things about the country, including the food. Door to door it takes about 45 minutes to get from my house to Tokyo central station.
“There are so many great places to eat near where we are, and also the best Mexican I have ever been to. It’s because of the care they put into their cooking, even if it is a pizza. They have the discipline to make this beautiful meal every time, which is perfect.
“I have been keeping in touch with all the Sarries boys, including Will Skelton and Alex Lozowski in France, and the club is keeping tabs on me. I heard about the Premiership not playing for two weeks and they should have played because there will be a backlog later on.”
As the COVID-19 situation continues to worsen in Japan, the #TopLeague season is coming under threat.https://t.co/GZFTORSefc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 13, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 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.
13 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.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 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?
13 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?
44 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 comments