'That gap was massive': Where Japan needs to make up ground on NZ and Australia
Cast your eyes through last year’s All Blacks and Wallabies squad and while there are many players entering the twilight of their careers, you’ll see plenty of young players in their early 20s who are already making the step up to test rugby.
Men like Ethan de Groot, Josh Lord, Tupou Vaa’i, Hoskins Sotutu and Quinn Tupaea are all still 23 years or under while the Wallabies called upon talents such as Angus Bell, Rob Valetini, Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia who are of a similar age. In fact, the All Blacks and Wallabies selected 14 players each who would still be eligible for an Under 25s competition, if such a thing existed. With a few exceptions, those men have also all had ample opportunities to prove their talents at Super Rugby level and, in some cases, are well into their international careers.
In contrast, consider Japan’s national squad from last year’s Autumn Nations Series where the Brave Blossoms fell to defeats at the hands of Australia, Ireland and Scotland. While 10 players amongst the squad are still 25 or under, the bulk of those men were into their first campaign in 2022 and have only recently started playing professional rugby.
Because unlike in New Zealand and Australia, the vast majority of Japan’s youth prospects aren’t thrust straight into a professional side. In Japan, education comes first and young players, regardless of their talents, tend to head to university full-time, with rugby just a side-gig during their early 20s. That means while the likes of Noah Lolesio and Will Jordan have been hitting the paddock for the Brumbies and Crusaders, their counterparts in Japan have been hitting the books.
Kazuki Himeno, one of the stars of the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, followed that very same path, completing his studies at the prestigious Teikyo University before making his professional rugby debut for Toyota Verblitz when he turned 22.
Four years later – and still in the formative years of his professional career – Himeno headed to New Zealand for a season of Super Rugby with the Highlanders and suddenly found himself playing alongside and against a slew of younger players who were at a similar stage in their rugby development.
“When I went to the Highlanders, I was 26. Playing rugby at 26 in Japan is considered quite young still. When I went to New Zealand, I found out 26 is not so young,” Himeno, speaking via a translator, told media this week.
“That really helped me understand and realise the depth of players in New Zealand where players actually had the opportunity to be successful in the rugby industry when they’re 19 to 20. Because in Japan, ultimately after you graduate uni, you’re about 22 and that’s when you actually start your career as a rugby player. So I felt that gap was massive, it’s really big.
“For the Kiwis to be able to play a high-level standard of rugby when they’re 19 to 20, that’s a gap that we can’t quite [make up between] New Zealand and Japan.”
While Japan’s system is excellent at preparing players for life after rugby, it’s one which won’t necessarily fast-track top young talent into the professional systems where they can develop into top-tier players.
It can also throw out unusual situations for coaches in Japan’s Rugby League One competition.
“It’s definitely a very different beast over here,” said Verblitz head coach Simon Cron, who is heading to the Western Force at the end of the season.
“Even when you’re looking at things like recruitment of your Japanese players, the recruitment you do, they might be second-year university so you don’t see them for another two years minimum until they finish. Even while I’ve been here, the recruitment has come from the coaches previous to you being here and that’s quite complicated because the coach who was here previously was South African and the team didn’t pass the ball that much, so you’re looking at a different type of player. And some of the players we’ve recruited will come after I’ve gone.
“So it’s definitely a different system and it’s been ingrained here for quite a long time. And I think that the university qualification’s really important but I see potentially it being an area that will evolve over the coming two, three years as professionalism continues to grow.”
While young players in New Zealand and Australia are often encouraged to study or undertake external training while in their formative years of professional rugby, it’s in addition to representing their Super Rugby clubs and means that players will rarely finish up their careers without having something else in the bag for the future, but they’ll be able to get over a decade of professional rugby under their belts, injuries permitting. When they hit their physical peaks, they’re often at their mental rugby peak also, whereas those peaks might not be quite so well aligned in Japan.
To Himeno’s credit, however, his relative lack of experience didn’t affect his performances on the field for the Highlanders with the Brave Blossoms representative one of the top players in last year’s Super Rugby competition.
Comments on RugbyPass
I certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
2 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to commentsBrett Excellent words… finally someone (other than DC) has noted that Hanigan is very hard and very good at doing what Backrow should do… his performance via the Drua sauna was quite daunting for those on the other side… very high tackle count… carries with good end result… constant threat to make a good 20-25 meters with those long legs… providing his mass effectively to crunching the Drua pack… Finally he is returning to quality form… way to much injury time over the last 2 years… smart-strong-competent in his skills… caught every lineout throw aimed at him and delivered clean pass to whoever was down below… and he worked hard for the whole 80 minutes… Ned has to be in the top 5 for backrow honors… He knows what is required as he has been there before…
20 Go to commentsI think Sam Whitelock should not touch a return with a bargepole. He went out on a high, playing in the RWC Final. He would be coming back into a team that will be weaker than last years, and might even be struggling to win games, especially against the Boks. Stay in France, enjoy another year with Pau, playing alongside his brother.
10 Go to commentsRyan Coxon has been very impressive considering he was signed by WF as injury cover whilst Uru has been a standout for QR, surprised neither of those mentioned
3 Go to comments