Sunwolves set for surprise return for one-off clash against a Japan XV next month
The Sunwolves are set for a surprise return to action against a Japan XV next month more than a year after their axing from Super Rugby.
The Tokyo-based franchise haven’t featured since they were culled from Super Rugby last year as SANZAAR prepared to revert back to a 14-team competition prior to the arrival of COVID-19.
However, the side which earned cult hero status as Super Rugby’s underdogs due to their exciting, but ultimately unsuccessful brand of rugby that saw them win just nine of their 67 matches, will square off against a Japan XV in Shizuoka on June 12.
The fixture will act as a warm-up fixture for the Brave Blossoms, who are due to play the British and Irish Lions for the first time ever in Edinburgh on June 26 ahead of the latter side’s tour to South Africa between July and August.
The match will be the first time Japan have played a match since the 2019 World Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
The Sunwolves side to play the Japan XV is expected to be made up of players from across the Top League and those not selected in the national team squad to travel to Scotland.
Former Sunwolves boss Naoya Okubo, who is the current coach of Top League club Yamaha Jubilo, will take charge of the side for the one-off clash after having served as an assistant coach in 2018 and 2019, and then as head coach last year.
“I am very much looking forward to reuniting the Sunwolves to play in the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2021 match against the Japan XV in Shizuoka,” Okubo said in a statement.
“The Sunwolves were originally established with the express purpose of driving the development of the Japanese national team.
“With this philosophy in mind, I am delighted that the team will once again contribute to the preparation of the Brave Blossoms ahead of their historic match against the British and Irish Lions.
“While this will be a one-off reunion for the Sunwolves, I am incredibly excited by the prospect of assembling the most powerful and skillful players in the country, to play against the Japan XV.
“I trust that all Sunwolves fans and fans of Japanese rugby will be looking forward to this great opportunity to see the Sunwolves take to the field once again.”
The Highlanders have been dealt a blow leading into their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign as head coach Tony Brown will depart the franchise with immediate effect. #Highlanders #SuperRugbyTransTasman #Lions2021 #LionsRugby https://t.co/JsXoSjOcHG
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 6, 2021
Japan head coach Jamie Joseph, a former Sunwolves coach himself, added that he is excited that both the Brave Blossoms and the Sunwolves are set to play after lengthy spells without any matches.
“We are delighted to play our first competitive match since resuming national team activities against the Sunwolves at ECOPA Stadium in Shizuoka,” Joseph said.
“The Sunwolves made a massive contribution to Japanese rugby during their time in Super Rugby, so it’s fantastic to see the team reassemble for this crucial match.
“I’m thrilled for our fans who have been waiting so long to see us once again take the field and I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to making this game a reality.
“It’s a hugely important match for the national team ahead of the massive challenge of facing the British and Irish Lions in Edinburgh. We appreciate the ongoing support of all our fans and look forward to their strong support on matchday.”
The Sunwolves will announce their playing roster and coaching staff later this month and will then assemble for a training camp in early June.
Joseph, meanwhile, named a 52-man training squad, featuring a mix of Japanese World Cup stars, former Super Rugby talent, Top League standouts and an array of potential debutants, last month in preparation of his side’s clash with the Lions.
That squad will be trimmed to 35 players on May 24, the day after the Top League final, with the shortened squad then set to head into a two-week training camp in Oita on May 26.
Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo’unga and Codie Taylor have been heralded as the most valuable players in Super Rugby Aotearoa by four former All Blacks. #SuperRugbyAotearoa https://t.co/2Xy16exwJ3
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Following the match against the Sunwolves, the Brave Blossoms will then fly out to Scotland on June 16 to play the Lions 10 days later.
Japan assistant coach Tony Brown, who is also head coach of the Highlanders, created a stir on Friday when he announced that he will be part of his side’s training squad later this month.
It means he will miss the entirety of the Dunedin franchise’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign, which kicks-off against the Reds at Forsyth Barr Stadium next Friday.
Highlanders assistant coach Clarke Dermody will step into the head coach role for the duration of the competition, with Brown set to depart for Japan on Thursday morning [NZT].
Brown also confirmed on Friday that Highlanders and Japan loose forward Kazuki Himeno will, however, be available for the Trans-Tasman tournament as he will fly directly from New Zealand to Scotland for the test against the Lions.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments