Japan could be the home of the 'new Super Rugby'
The flow of Australian, New Zealand and South African players to Japan is nothing new to the game of rugby.
For the better part of thirty years, the Land of the Rising Sun has attracted some of the best athletes from around the world.
Japan’s culture has always been a massive pull-factor and the money on offer for even semi-professional standard players far trumps what’s been available in other countries.
For men who aren’t quite good enough to become full-time professionals in New Zealand, for example, but are still exceptional athletes, Japan has offered a legitimate career pathway.
In more recent times, the exodus of players heading to Japan has ramped up significantly, with professional stars erring towards making the move at the latter end of their careers as a way to wind down from the game while still making good money.
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The wider train of thought has always been that playing rugby in Japan is fairly easy on the body – at least compared to the rigours that one might be put through if they headed to the UK or France.
The irony, of course, is that so many players are heading to Japan now that that’s no longer the case.
Whether it’s locally raised Pacific Islanders who have made Japan their home for the long-haul or immigrants from around the globe, it’s becoming more and more difficult to avoid the behemoths, no matter where you set up shop.
That’s certainly been the case for former Wallabies midfielder Samu Kerevi, who’s well into his first season with the Suntory Sungoliath.
Kerevi sat down to talk with RugbyPass six weeks into the 2020 Top League season – and it’s still some of the men he’s dealt with previously that are causing him issues in Japan.
“Guys like Brodie Retallick and RG Snyman are big boys, man,” Kerevi said.
“I remember playing against Snyman in South Africa and I’m definitely not going to run into him again.”
Despite not quite measuring up to the likes of Retallick and Snyman, who both weigh in around 120kg, Kerevi himself isn’t exactly on the smaller side and would put many midfield backs to shame.
“Mikey Harris told me ‘mate, I left Super Rugby so I wouldn’t have to tackle guys like you,’” said Kerevi.
I was lucky enough to not too long ago have a chat with @Wallabies midfielder Samu Kerevi and he made it pretty clear what he values most in his life ????? https://t.co/U5JRcLQFiL
— Tom Vinicombe (@TomVinicombe) March 17, 2020
Still, it’s not the big men that Kerevi is having to adjust his game for – it’s the pace of the locals. Kerevi was warned in advance that the Japanese players were some of the fittest in the world but it still came as a shock when he arrived.
“I knew about it, but when I got here, I was like ‘Wow ok, these guys are fit,‘ Kerevi said.
“Sammy Talakai said their props are running close to five minutes on a bronco – I was only getting 5:10 back in the day!”
For those who haven’t had the misfortune of doing a bronco test, it’s a fairly simply but incredibly taxing shuttle run that comes in at 1200-metres all up.
Former All Blacks halfback Andy Ellis holds the Crusaders record, completing the test in 4 minutes and 23 seconds.
Last year, Michael Alaalatoa was the Crusaders’ best-performing prop, managing 5 minutes 15 season time.
Thankfully, Kerevi hadn’t slacked off since the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign came to an end in October.
“I was trying to be real fit when I came over and I was really happy to hit my targets when I got here,” said Kerevi.
“The best time I’ve now gotten for a bronco was when I was here so I want to set a really good impression. I didn’t want to show that I’d come from the World Cup and I was in bad nick.
“I really want to add to the legacy Suntory have. It’s a rich history, not just on the business side of things but in rugby especially.”
Anyone who tuned in to last year’s World Cup in Japan can attest to the leaps and bounds that the Japanese national team have made in the last four years and while some of the Brave Blossoms did make appearances for the Sunwolves in Super Rugby, most plied their trade in the Top League.
That same level of high-speed, high-quality execution that the Brave Blossoms came to be known by in 2019 has been nurtured at club level and, after seeing how well it came off during the World Cup, Top League sides have been pushing the envelope even further in 2020.
“Because the pace is so quick, you actually have to get more skilful,” said Kerevi.
“Japanese players are offloading off the deck, throwing no-look passes and doing cross-field kicks. They’re starting to look like Crusaders!
“Because they’re really fit, they already have the pace of the game. Physicality is still coming but because they’re so skilful and the pace is so fast… If you come up too hard on defence then they’ll just pass quickly and the guy on the outside will gas you.
“They’re real aggressive on defence and they’re putting all these little pieces together.”
That manic, high-intensity play can be hard to defend against – but it can also pose problems for the attacking team too.
“They don’t have any problem with work rate off the ball – sometimes they’re too fit,” Kerevi said.
“They over-fold or whatever because they’re too eager. That’s where the foreigners can help the locals understand the game a bit better.”
It’s not the Japanese players that Kerevi is enjoying playing with more on a regular basis, however.
The Top League is home to players from all across the globe – perhaps more nations are represented than in any other rugby competition in the world.
At Suntory, Kerevi shares a locker room with the likes of Matt Giteau, Tevita Li, Joe Wheeler, Sean McMahon and Will Chambers – but there are countless more players from NZ, Australia, South Africa, the Pacific Islands, the Americas and Europe scattered throughout the Top League’s 16 teams.
Hurry up Top League officialshttps://t.co/H9P7DGMibI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 18, 2020
While the nation may have been a semi-retirement destination for players of the past, younger and younger men are now heading to Japan. Kerevi himself is only 26 years old.
Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock are both taking sabbaticals in Japan and will return to New Zealand in the future, but there’s a very real possibility that spots in international teams won’t be able to keep players in their home countries forever. As it stands, a number of the Springboks’ World Cup-winning side are now based in Japan but will continue to represent South Africa on the world stage.
Therein lies the threat, particularly for the Southern Hemisphere nations.
When the rugby is equally as challenging and exciting – just not quite as physical – and the money on offer is so good, why wouldn’t you consider spending a few years in a nation with as much culture and history as Japan?
We’re already seeing waves of players relocating to Japan and there’s no indication that the tide will change anytime soon.
“The rugby itself. Man, it’s competitive,” said Kerevi.
“You’d never think they’d be so into rugby but especially because of the World Cup, it’s crazy over here.
“Even the university competition is crazy – they had 60,000 people at the final.”
Local unions will be doing everything they can to keep their players turning out for their Super Rugby clubs but that’s getting harder and harder to do.
“I was telling the boys back home they’d better watch out. This might be the new Super Rugby.”
WATCH: From Onion TV and RugbyPass comes the sixth series of ‘The Season’. In the lead up to the series premiere, we take a look at some key moments including the final decisive moments in the blockbuster clash between Brisbane Boys and The Southport School.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’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.
4 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.
22 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.
6 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
11 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
11 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 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 commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments