Super Rugby's loss is very much the Japan Top League's gain
Australian, New Zealander and South African rugby players opting for stints in Japan is nothing new, but the post-Rugby World Cup exodus seems to be reaching new levels in this increasing well-trodden pathway.
With 15 contracted Super Rugby players currently confirmed to take up Top League contracts at the end of this season, the Japanese competition is preparing itself to further close the quality gap on Super Rugby.
Brodie Retallick’s confirmed move to Kobe Steelers doesn’t bode well for the All Blacks, despite the lock agreeing to move back to New Zealand in 2021. Fellow engine room member Sam Whitelock is also set to join the Panasonic Wild Knights after the RWC, albeit his stay is just for one year.
Other experienced figures within the All Blacks are also taking sabbaticals in or making full-time moves to Japan, with Kieran Read (Toyota Verblitz), Ryan Crotty (Kubota Spears) and Liam Squire (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes) among those leaving. Promising talents such as Jackson Hemopo (Mitsubishi DynaBoars) and Tevita Li (Suntory Sungoliath) are also off.
Australia are being hit, too, with Samu Kerevi (Suntory Sungoliath) and David Pocock (Panasonic Wild Knights) among the high profile departures. Super Rugby regulars like Wharenui Hawera (Kubota Spears), Sam Talakai (Suntory Sungoliath) and Tom English (Kurita Water Gush) are also opting to try their luck in the Land of the Rising Sun.
? REACTION | Get the inside scoop on Brodie Retallick's unique deal with @NZRugby and @ChiefsRugby which will see him take time away from New Zealand Rugby from 2020.
FULL VIDEO ?? https://t.co/ixYaNRPb6l pic.twitter.com/ocGWqTPTj6
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) June 12, 2019
South Africa have been losing players to Japan for some time now and that is set to continue this year, with Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) headlining their latest group of departures. They will join numerous South Africans already contracted to a multitude of Japanese clubs.
Aside from all players who will bolster their Top League sides and help that competition to make up ground on Super Rugby, the cross-country southern hemisphere tournament also has to deal with its annual player exodus to Europe.
Eben Etzebeth, Nehe Milner-Skudder (both Toulon), Handré Pollard (Montpellier), Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks), Waisake Naholo, Adam Coleman (both London Irish), Jordan Taufua (Leicester Tigers) and Owen Franks (Northampton Saints) are just some of the established players leaving the competition this year.
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As the Top League embraces rising average attendances, corporate funding and the potential of a swell in support following a home Rugby World Cup later this year, the time for the Top League to make the leap from a competition in the shadow of Super Rugby and its European counterparts and declare itself an equal could soon be here.
One thing which has held back the Top League has been Japanese rugby’s traditional route of picking up players from the top university sides, meaning that players don’t tend to be brought into a professional rugby environment until they are 21 or 22. That delayed their development when compared to the majority of tier one rugby nations.
Japan under-20 captain and back row Shota Fukui has recently bucked that trend, signing with the Panasonic Wild Knights straight out of school. He has impressed in the opportunities he has had at the club, in the international age-grade side and even in invitational teams, such as the World XV that took part in the Global Rapid Rugby Showcase Series.
"Kobe Steel Claim Top League Title" Read full story here: https://t.co/Mr8uXLypt7 #rugbyjp pic.twitter.com/ZJWcL1Agt1
— Japan Rugby (@JRFURugby) December 17, 2018
If Top League clubs can start to more regularly contract players at this age and get them playing competitive rugby at 19 or 20, it will not only improve the quality of the Top League in the years to come, it will also ensure that the national side doesn’t have to play catch up so significantly when they blood top-end talents at 23 or 24 who have little professional rugby experience.
The competition is also attracting some of the top rugby minds, with Robbie Deans, Frans Ludeke, Allister Coetzee, Jake White and Rob Penney all calling the competition home. Two-time World Cup-winning coach Steve Hansen is set to join them at the end of this year.
The Top League’s shorter schedule and season appeals to players from a welfare perspective while the salaries, for prominent players are also enticing. Obtaining visas can be the biggest issue, particularly for players from Europe who wish to try their luck in the competition, although it is far from impossible, with Tom Savage (Suntory Sungoliath) the latest to follow in the footsteps of Shane Williams, James Haskell and George Parling.
With all eyes on Japan this year as they host the RWC, the Top League’s profile will only rise over the next few months with even more southern hemisphere stars set to confirm moves to the competition for the 2020 season, which will kick off in January.
If the World Cup proves to be a success and helps grow rugby support in the country, there is an increasingly appetising domestic product for these new fans to throw their support behind.
WATCH: Part one of the two-part RugbyPass documentary on what fans can expect in Japan at this year’s World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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?
1 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.
1 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?
2 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 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
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
6 Go to comments