Sunwolves looking for stability – Super Rugby 2018 Preview
Three seasons into the Sunwolves experiment and there are already concerns about the long-term future of a Japan-based side in Super Rugby.
National coach Jamie Joseph has stepped in, their third coach in as many years, amid concerns about the competitiveness of the side. There will be many questioning keeping the team in Super Rugby after the Sunwolves survived last year’s culling.
The reality is the team has not had consistency within the squad since inception, and the biggest challenge has been the timing between the end of the Top League and the start of the Super season leaving many players underdone or top players needing a break. The Sunwolves currently have the highest turnover of players in Super Rugby.
“This team’s biggest challenge has always been the inability to have a break between seasons and the fact we don’t have enough time to prepare properly for a Super Rugby competition that lasts six months,” Joseph told Kyodo News.
Despite only notching three wins and one draw in the 30 games it has played, the Sunwolves managed to do what no Australian team could last year – beat a New Zealand franchise. Now the team is set to play in the Australian conference full time.
Moving conferences will help – the team will spend less travel time in the air and play in what is currently the weakest conference improving the chances of establishing themselves as a genuine Super Rugby team.
The result against the Blues showed there is potential for a competitive Japanese Super Rugby side but the team needs to find stability – in coaching, player personnel and equilibrium with company interests. The Japan Top League provides the Sunwolves with a large playing pool to pick from, but at the end of day, it’s the companies that bankroll the game.
“The money’s not in the international game in Japan. It’s not in the JRFU, it’s within the companies,” Berrick Barnes told Fox Sports in a recent interview.
“Companies pay their players and they’re effectively paying their Sunwolves deal. It’s that push and pull.
“Most of them are really generous and give their players and I know we do at (Panasonic), we want our players to go forward and experience that stuff. But it’s kind of hard.
With Jamie Joseph taking control, it’s clear the JRFU want to use the Sunwolves as a vehicle to the national side. If he can find a way to get the country’s best players on the field this will be a start – many players from the national side have not played for the Sunwolves.
Japanese International and ex-Chiefs loose forward Michael Leitch has returned as part of the Joseph-movement as well as a wave of Japan-based foreigners in Asaeli Ai Valu (Tonga), former Brumby Ruan Smith (South Africa), Hencas Van Wyk (South Africa), Jaba Bregvadze (Georgia), Grant Hattingh (South Africa), James Moore (Australia), Lappies Labuschagné (South Africa), Wimpie van der Walt (South Africa), Michael Little (Australia), Hosea Saumaki (Tonga).
Few will recognise this list due to the fact many have been playing in the Japan system for years.
The squad also has a number of players tied to Joseph from his Highlanders days – fullback Robbie Robinson (who has been in Japan for a few years now), first five-eighth Hayden Parkes and prop Craig Millar.
Super Rugby’s top try scorer from the inaugural Sunwolves season Akihito Yamada is back after missing last year, and Japan international Lomani Lemeki will provide physicality on the edge.
Perhaps their best player, inside centre and Japanese international Harumichi Tatekawa will be looking for a strong season in partnership with first five-eighth Yu Tamura.
With limited time to prepare, Joseph seems intent on embedding culture before strategy.
“Our game plan is coming together quickly because the attitude is great and the players are learning quickly. And the players seem to be getting better every day. But we have to build a team before we build a game plan. If we don’t have a team then we have nothing.
Expect some turbulence in the early rounds but the team should improve as the season goes on. It will be a difficult year but with time the Sunwolves will improve and hopefully have a better foundation to build from in 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoTR3szO5Vs
2018 Predictions
Australian Conference Placing: 5th
Player of the Year: Willie Britz
Rookie of the Year: Hosea Saumaki
Breakout Player: Harumichi Tatekawa
Best Signing: Michael Leitch
Franchise History
Best finish: Seventeenth in 2017
Worst finish: Eighteenth in 2016
Squad Movements
In: Asaeli Ai Valu (Wild Knights), Shintaro Ishihara (Sungoliath), Jaba Bregvadze (Worcester Warriors), Grant Hattingh (Kubota Spears), Kazuki Himeno (Toyota Verblitz), James Morre (Brave Lupus), Michael Leitch (Chiefs), Lomano Lemeki (Honda Heat), Craig Millar (Highlanders), Ruan Smith (Toyota Verblitz), Hayden Parker (Highlanders), Robbie Robinson (Ricoh Black Rams), Gerhard van den Heever (Jubilo), Wimpie van der Walt (Red Hurricanes), Akhito Yamada (Wild Knights) Hencus van Wyk (Lions), Lappies Labuschagne (Spears), Michael Little (Mitsubishi), Daishi Murata (Suntory Sungoliath), Ryoto Nakamura (Suntory Sungoliath), Sione Teaupa (Kubota Spears), Hosea Saumaki (Canon Eagles)
Out: Kohei Asahori (Verblitz), Heiichiro Ito (Jubilo), Masataka Mikami (Brave Lupus), Yasuo Yamaji (Brave Lupus), Koki Yamamoto (Jubilo), Takeshi Kizu (Steelers), Atsushi Sakate (Wild Knights), Kyosuke Kajikawa (Brave Lupus), Naohiro Kotaji (Brave Lupus), Liaki Moli (Red Dolphins), Yuya Odo (Jubilo), Hitoshi Ono (Brave Lupus), Kazuhiko Usami (Wild Knights), Kotaro Yatabe (Wild Knights), Shokei Kin (Shining Arcs), Malgene Iiaua (released), Shuhei Matsuhashi (Rams), Yuhimaru Mimura (Jubilo), Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco (Shining Arcs), Takahiro Ogawa (Brave Lupus), Kaito Shigeno (Verblitz), Yuki Yatomi (Jubilo), Hayden Cripps (Red Dolphins), Jumpei Ogura (Shining Arcs), Hikaru Tamura (Sungoliath), Michael Bond (Canon Eagles), Derek Carpenter (Suntory Sungoliath), Ryohei Yamanaka (Kobe Steelers), Shota Emi (Suntory Sungoliath), Teruya Goto (NEC Green Rockets), Ataata Moeakiola (Tokai University), Takaaki Nakazuru (Suntory Sungoliath), JJ Taulagi (Newton Abbot RFC), Riaan Viljoen (Red Hurricanes), Kazushi Hano (Shining Arcs), Rikiya Matsuda (Wild Knights), Yasutaka Sasakura (Wild Knights).
Squad: Keita Inagaki, Asaeli Ai Valu, Jiwon Koo, Ruan Smith, Craig Millar, Hencus Van Wyk, Jaba Bregvadze, Shota Horie, Grant Hattingh, Sam Wykes, Kazuki Himeno, Uwe Helu, Edward Quirk, Shunsuke Nunomaki, Wimpie van der Walt, Willem Britz, Michael Leitch, Fumiaki Tanaka, Yutaka Nagare, Yu Tamura, Hayden Parker, Harumichi Tatekawa, Timothy Lafaele, Sione Teaupa, Michael Little, William Tupou, Gerhard Van Den Heever, Kenki Fukuoka, Akihito Yamada, Lomano Lava Lemeki, Hosea Saumaki, Robbie Robinson.
Comments on RugbyPass
No 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 💪
9 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.
9 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.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 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?
9 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?
41 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 commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to comments