'It was bitterly disappointing from start to finish to be honest'
Japan brought the curtain crashing down on international career of Greig Laidlaw but the former Scotland skipper hopes to set the stage for a final swansong in the Far East. The 34-year-old scrum-half has agreed a two-year deal with Tokyo-based outfit NTT Shining Arcs after leaving Clermont Auvergne.
Laidlaw found himself the surprise poster boy for Gregor Townsend’s Dark Blues during last year’s World Cup, with “Mr Grieg” mobbed wherever he went by the Japanese pubic.
But their team were not so hospitable and a 28-21 defeat to the turbo-charged Brave Blossoms in the Scots’ final pool game ended hopes of the quarter-finals while also hastening the end of Laidlaw’s 76-cap international career.
But the ex-Edinburgh and Gloucester half-back hopes he will be have better memories to look back on once he makes the move in October.
He told the PA news agency: “It’s an exciting move for me and the family.
“I enjoyed my time in Japan during the World Cup despite how it ended. It was a tough tournament and pretty tough to take, especially for me as it was my last campaign in a Scotland jersey.
“It was bitterly disappointing the whole thing from start to finish to be honest.
“Hopefully this will be a different experience. I’m looking forward to testing myself in an environment that is going to be pretty strange to me.”
Laidlaw’s Scotland colleagues had plenty of fun teasing their team-mate as he found himself the centre of attention during last year’s tournament, even outshining star men like Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell.
But the Borderer is not joking when he says he believes he will have to be on top form to cut it in Japan’s top league.
Laidlaw – who will make the move along with his wife Rachel and their two sons – said: “It’s obviously nice that I’m well liked over in that part of the world but the real attraction was that it is a new challenge that I would like to experience for myself and my family.
“As a sportsman you only get so many chances to experience different things and so if I didn’t take this chance up I didn’t want to look back in 10 or 15 years regretting it.
“I got to taste a fair bit of the culture when I was over there for the length of time we were during the World Cup. But it’s one thing being there for eight weeks and another actually living there with the family.
“Certainly my wife Rach and the boys have taken everything in their stride so far during our time in France and England. It will be different again in Japan but we’re looking forward to it.
“It looks like Tokyo Bay will be our base. Our accommodation will be right next to where Shining Arcs train. There’s a couple of schools nearby which we’re looking at. Disneyland is round the corner too so I’m sure that will come in handy.
“It’s a brilliant time to be going to Japan because the national team were brilliant at the World Cup. Sadly for Scotland we saw that first hand.
“But it’s just getting bigger and bigger.
“Now is an excellent time to be going and NCT have got big aspirations to become one of their biggest clubs and that’s why I want to head out there, to play with top players and learn new things as well.
“I’m certainly not just going over there to retire and sit back. It’s going to be good rugby, it will be quick so I’ll need to be fit. They are really skilful over there so it will be a test.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments