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The Super Rugby 'Moving to Japan XV' - how would a team of Super Rugby defectors fair?
Japan’s Top League already has an abundance of foreign talent kicking around and the developing rugby nation will have a further influx of international players for the 2020 season.
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Check out our ‘Moving to Japan’ XV, which includes players who won’t return to Super Rugby next year due to their commitments to Japanese clubs.
15 James Marshall
Hurricanes to Coca-Cola Red Sparks
James Marshall started out his career in New Zealand in the first five role but found most success at fullback for the Hurricanes.
The former Tasman and Taranaki player was a part of the Hurricanes side that won the Super Rugby competition in 2016 and also played in the previous year’s final against the Highlanders. With Ngani Laumape playing a physical role in the midfield, Marshall acted as a secondary playmaker to Beauden Barrett.
Marshall was also at fullback for Taranaki when they won 2014’s ITM Cup premiership.
The Nelson-born playmaker spent Super Rugby’s off-season representing the Coca-Cola Red Sparks and returned there after the Hurricanes were knocked out of the semi-finals in this year’s competition. Given the overlap between Super Rugby and the Top League next year, Marshall has likely played his final game for the Hurricanes – at least for the foreseeable future.
Other options: Sylvian Mahuza (Lions)
14 Ataata Moeakiola
Chiefs to Kobelco Steelers
Ataata Moeakiola received huge raps from outgoing Chiefs coach Colin Cooper. Moeakiola was actually signed for the Chiefs for 2019 ahead of Sevu Reece. Whilst Reece went on to win the title with the Crusaders, Moeakiola played just four and a half games worth of rugby for the Chiefs.
The Tonga born but Japanese naturalised Moeakiola will likely return to his home country with a considerably better understanding of the game. He’s a big, fast winger who will no doubt have an excellent career for the well-stocked Kobelco Steelers, but will have to work on his defence and involvement if he wants to excel for the Japanese national side.
Moeakiola has been included in the Brave Blossoms training squad ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Other options: Richard Buckman (Highlanders), Sylvian Mahuza (Lions)
13 Ryan Crotty
Crusaders to Kubota Spears
Ryan Crotty, until recently, never really got the credit he deserved as a major piece in the Crusaders backline.
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Crotty, who is currently recovering from a fractured thumb, is odds on to start in the All Blacks midfield at the World Cup and is part of a Crusaders midfield that has looked resolute on defence and dynamic on attack.
With 150 caps to his name for the Crusaders and numerous titles with both Canterbury and his Super Rugby side, Crotty is one of the most experienced players to head to Japan at the end of this World Cup cycle.
Other options: Jesse Kriel (Bulls), Jordan Jackson-Hope (Brumbies)
12 Samu Kerevi
Reds to Suntory Sungoliath
25-year-old Kerevi will be linking up with this year’s beaten Top League finalists once his duties with the Wallabies come to a close.
Kerevi is perhaps the most disappointing loss for Super Rugby, given his young age. The Reds captain has only just started entering his prime as a dangerous ball-runner and under-rated link man.
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Kerevi notched up the second-most run metres of any player in this year’s Super Rugby season and made the most tackle busts and equal-most offloads. The Reds and Wallabies will struggle to find anyone half as potent as Kerevi in the near future.
Other options: Damien de Allende (Stormers), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Harold Vorster (Lions)
11 Tevita Li
Highlanders to Suntory Sungoliath
The North Harbour and Highlanders winger will join Kerevi at Suntory for next year’s competition and will be a major force on the wing.
Despite his relatively small stature, Li very rarely fails to break the first tackle and in recent years has also improved his distributing ability. Although he may be a bit of a turnstile on defence, he’s been regularly selected on the left wing for the Highlanders due to his gamebreaking abilities.
Li was a superstar for the New Zealand U20 sides in 2014 and 2015 and started his Super Rugby career with the Blues in 2014.
Other options: Chance Peni (Brumbies)
10 Christian Lealiifano
Brumbies to NTT Communications Shining Arcs
Auckland born and Melbourne raised, Christian Lealiifano has travelled far and wide for his rugby. Although Lealiifano has played all his Super Rugby for the Brumbies, he has also turned out for Waikato, Ulster, Suntory and Toyota Jido Shokki.
Lealiifano is just one of the many first fives that will be heading to Japan next year and will spend the rest of 2019 battling it out with Bernard Foley (who is heading to the Kubota Spears) for the Wallabies 10 jersey.
Lealiifano made his international debut in 2013 against the British and Irish Lions. Whilst he hasn’t notched up many appearances in the gold jersey since then, he has ample experience at Super Rugby level with almost 150 caps to his name.
Other options: Bernard Foley (Waratahs), Quade Cooper (Rebels), Wharenui Hawera (Brumbies), Stephen Donald (Chiefs), Marty Banks (Highlanders)
9 Will Genia
Rebels to Kinetsu Liners
Will Genia has at times been considered the best halfback in the world but will see out his playing years with the second division Kinetsu Liners, based in Osaka.
Genia has over 100 caps at both Super Rugby and international level and also spent two seasons at Stade Francais. The affable scrumhalf won a Super Rugby title with the Reds and has won two Rugby Championships with Australia. He will be looking to cap off his international career with a good showing in the World Cup.
Genia was born in Papua New Guinea and has been included in Australian representative sides for almost 15 years.
Other options: Augustine Pulu (Blues), Richard Judd (Hurricanes)
8 Kieran Read
Crusaders to Toyota Verblitz
New Zealand captain Kieran Read will cap off his international career at the World Cup later this year before heading to Toyota alongside All Blacks coach Steve Hansen.
Read has run out for the Crusaders over 150 times and is nearing 130 caps for the national side.
The number 8 started his career on the blindside flank for Canterbury but was schooled in South Auckland.
Read has won four Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders and won World Rugby Player of the Year in 2013. He’s also started in two World Cup finals.
Other options: Duane Vermeulen (Bulls), Heiden Bedwell-Curtis (Hurricanes)
7 David Pocock
Brumbies to Panasonic Wild Knights
David Pocock has widely been considered one of the best flankers in the world and sadly had to bow out of Super Rugby early with one of his many chronic injuries.
The Zimbabwe-born flanker has captained the Wallabies and the Brumbies and has always been a mainstay in the loose forwards when fit.
Pocock debuted for the Western Force back in 2006 and will now join Robbie Dean’s Wild Knights. The sometimes-eighthman previously spent time with the team during Super Rugby off-seasons and will no doubt enjoy linking up with his former national coach.
Pocock has twice been nominated for World Rugby Player of the Year.
Other options: Kwagga Smith (Lions), Jed Brown (Blues)
6 Liam Squire
Highlanders to NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes
Liam Squire has been a mainstay in the All Blacks for the last few years but has never really established himself on the world stage.
Squire started his Super Rugby career with the Chiefs before moving south to the Highlanders in search of more game time. Ironically, the Highlanders have had arguably the most jostling for spots in the loose forwards of any New Zealand side in recent years.
Squire is an excellent physical specimen who will crush many an opponent when he arrives at the Red Hurricanes.
Questions remain over whether the Super Rugby champion will play for New Zealand at this year’s world cup, with Squire ruling himself out of the Rugby Championship squad.
Other options: Jimmy Tupou (Blues)
5 Sam Whitelock
Crusaders to Panasonic Wild Knights
The Crusaders captain will link up with former coach Robbie Deans at Panasonic at the end of 2019 and will be hoping to cap the year off with a third World Cup title.
Whitelock was born in the Manawatu region but is a Canterbury man through and through, making over 150 collective appearances for the region’s provincial and Super Rugby sides.
The athletic second-rower will return to New Zealand to represent the All Blacks once his Japanese club commitments end but will play no part in Super Rugby next year.
Other options: Sam Jeffries (Rebels), RG Snyman (Bulls), Robert Kruger (Lions)
4 Brodie Retallick
Chiefs to Kobelco Steelers
Kobelco, who won the Top League last year, are already well served by their foreign reps, with the likes of Andy Ellis, Matt vant Leven, Dan Carter and Hayden Parker on the books. They’re also coached by rugby guru Wayne Smith
Brodie Retallick, former World Rugby Player of the Year, will add some extra mongrel to the Kobelco forward pack but also offers plenty off skill and flair in general play.
Brodie Retallick competes with Sunwolves loose forward Willie Britz. (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images)Retallick was schooled at Christchurch Boys’ High School, a college famous for breeding future All Blacks. He has won two Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs as well as a World Cup with New Zealand.
Like Whitelock, Retallick has the option to return to NZ to play for the All Blacks.
Other options: Jackson Hemopo (Highlanders), Jason Jenkins (Bulls), Lourens Erasmus (Lions)
3 Sam Talakai
Rebels to Suntory Sungoliath
Sam Talakai has been a bit-part player for the Rebels for the last two years and will head to Japan in search of more game time.
The Melbourne-born prop started his career in Sydney then spent time at the Reds before joining the Rebels at the start of last year’s competition.
Despite being one of the side’s vice-captains, Talakai was used primarily as a bench player for the Rebels this year, averaging just 26 minutes a game.
2 Malcolm Marx
Lions to NTT Communications Shining Arcs
The Lions have been haemorrhaging players in the last few years and Malcolm Marx becomes just one more defector.
Marx has been one of the form hookers in world rugby in recent years and, despite being a little out of form in 2019, will likely have a huge role to play in South Africa’s push for a third World Cup.
At just 25 years of age, Marx is another big loss to Super Rugby. It’s not the end of the world, however. The formidable hooker will play for the Shining Arcs in next year’s Top League before returning to South Africa for the latter stages of Super Rugby – but it might be too late for the Lions by that point.
1 Ben Funnell
Crusaders to Ricoh Black Rams
Clearly the Japanese are excellent at producing front rowers, because Sam Talakai is the only prop to be departing Super Rugby for the Top League next year. As such, Ben Funnell has to step in to cover the loosehead (cheating, I know!).
Funnell has had a lengthy career for the Crusaders and was considered a potential All Blacks at one point. Corey Flynn’s presence during the formative years of Funnell’s career and Codie Taylor’s emergence in the later stages pushed Funnell down the pecking order and he now looks to be seeking extending playing time overseas.
Funnell has spent eight seasons with the Crusaders and won five titles with the Canterbury provincial side.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments