Kieran Read and Michael Hooper call for Japanese involvement in international competitions
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper would love to see Japan play more international tests, but says rugby’s various governing bodies need to be careful not to burn out players in the process.
Japan hasn’t played an international since the 2019 World Cup, when they made it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out by South Africa.
Hooper is currently in Japan on a rugby sabbatical playing for Top League side Toyota Verblitz.
The 29-year-old has been impressed by the hunger displayed by Japanese players in their bid to learn and improve.
The Wallabies regularly play southern hemisphere rivals New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina, while the Six Nations features the best countries in Europe.
But Japan have struggled to get consistent fixtures against rugby heavyweights.
Hooper feels ideas need to be explored to address that, but he says governing bodies need to be careful not to over burden players from other nations with too many extra tests.
“There’s concern if you up the amount of test matches,” Hooper said.
“You won’t see players go super deep into their careers. It does take a toll on your body physically and mentally. Mentally due to the travel, picking yourself up physically, battling through time away from home.
“It (the burden on a player) is multi layered – not just how many minutes you play on the weekend. Getting it right is so key.”
Former All Blacks star Kieran Read, who is Hooper’s teammate at Toyota, would like to see Japan placed in an international competition so they get regular games.
“They’re arguably one of the top eight sides in the world now after the World Cup. The fact they haven’t been able to play any footy since then is a shame,” Read said.
#ICYMI:https://t.co/YAOpbgH2Zn
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 3, 2021
“Hopefully we can give them a chance to play some international footy. The only way you can get better is to play those top sides more regularly.”
Hooper feels an IPL-style tournament in Japan could be a way to grow the game.
“You can get more guys from Europe coming down, and players coming up from the Southern Hemisphere,” Hooper said.
“There’s plenty of ideas out there, it’s whether we can execute them and whether they’re reasonable within the already busy schedule.”
Hooper is being coached at Toyota by former Waratahs assistant Simon Cron.
Both he and Read have been impressed by Cron’s work there.
“I’ve seen a growth in him since I was last coached by him, which was midway through 2019,” Hooper said.
“His knowledge of the game is so great.”
Comments on RugbyPass
This team does not beat the ABs sadly
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to comments