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The stunning ploy to use an 'undercover' rugby team to prepare Japan for the World Cup
Japan is just one win away from a ‘Triple Crown’ after beating Scotland to top Pool A and qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time ever.
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Although they probably won’t play another Home Nations team in this World Cup, beating two of them has been no mean feat. It has been a remarkable World Cup for Jamie Joseph’s side so far.
When you look deeper below the surface at how they pulled this off, it becomes even more astounding. Joseph and his staff took a massive gamble over 2019, undertaking a high-risk ploy that defied conventional wisdom.
Continue reading below…
The team that beat Ireland and Scotland has largely been playing amateurs and up-and-coming stars of the future, as part of an undercover international team operating in the shadows.
A Sunwolves ‘B’ team, called the Wolfpack or Japan A, formed the backbone of Japan’s preparations which held back stars from Super Rugby in order to play together against lesser competition.
The Wolfpack’s opposition this year were: Hurricanes B (twice), Highlanders B, Western Force and Melbourne Rising (the Rebels’ second team comprised of many Victorian club rugby players).
Stars of this World Cup, like prolific try-scorer Kotaro Matsushima were trotted out against guys graduating from under-20’s, provincial-level stalwarts and even local club rugby battlers.
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Instead of testing themselves against former Wallaby pair Will Genia and Quade Cooper of the Rebels, flyhalf Yu Tamura and halfback Yutaka Nagare played the curtain-raiser against Harrison Goddard and Dan England.
Hooker Shota Horie, Australian-born lock James Moore, speedster Kenki Fukuoka, fan favourite Kazuki Himeno and serial offloader Will Tupou were all Wolfpack regulars this year, which kicked off their shadow season around April mid-way through Super Rugby.
It is hardly the type of rugby that would be ideal to take down two tier one nations. It was an extremely bold call to gut the Sunwolves of most of the top tier Japanese talent and ignore Super Rugby for their World Cup preparation.
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Even coaches were moved towards the Wolfpack as a priority, with super-mind Tony Brown spending significant time with them after handing the reins of the Sunwolves to assistant Scott Hansen.
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Steve Hansen’s All Black mini-camps that upset Super Rugby teams looks like child’s play compared to this operation. The Wolfpack’s ‘shadow’ season was used to prepare Japan for the Pacific Nations Cup which then led into this tournament.
This ploy in hindsight looks like a masterstroke but is still a head-scratcher.
How is playing a lower level of competition better for a team trying to take on internationals, including the recently-ranked number one side? Is it possible that the JRFU were right in claiming that ‘Super Rugby no longer remains the best pathway for the development of players for the national side’?
Japan’s stellar results have proved so, at least this year. The answer could lie in not the quality of opposition but the timing, which has always been a gripe for the Sunwolves and Super Rugby, which rolls straight off the back of the Top League season.
“We have to ensure (the national players) can play at the right time of the year,” Jamie Joseph explained to the Japan Times when asked why certain players were being held back from the tougher Super Rugby competition.
A lighter schedule has probably protected the Japan side from incurring injuries that would have been part and parcel of a physical Super Rugby season, whilst managing the load over the middle part of the year to build and peak at the Rugby World Cup. That still doesn’t explain the ‘doing’ part of the equation as everyone wants to ‘build and peak’ in November.
If Japan does claim another tier one scalp, the implications could be far-reaching with how those teams treat their domestic club competitions in a World Cup year. It may already have.
It is rather fitting that their quarterfinal opponent is South Africa, a country that vehemently opposed their inclusion in SANZAAR’s club competition and ultimately pushed for their axing. A competition that Japan then snubbed to prove they could improve in their own right, which they have.
It won’t be lost that a win over South Africa in a knockout game would be the ultimate poetic justice given the bad blood between the two nations. However, Japan’s performance should be a shock to both Hemispheres given how they have done it, regardless of whether they beat the Springboks or not.
Rugby World Cup city guide – Fukuoka:
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
8 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.
8 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
8 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?
8 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?
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 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 comments