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'We want it to be the world's best league': Japan have sights set on global dominance with launch of new pro league

By AAP
Dan Carter enjoyed immediate success in Japan, winning the Top League in his debut season with Kobe Steelers (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

The Japan Rugby Football Union will launch a three-tier professional league from January 2022 in a bid to raise the domestic game to a new level.

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The new format, which has yet to be given a name and fell short of the dramatic shake-up some had been calling for, will replace the current corporate rugby structure which features a 16-team Top League and nine-team Top Challenge League.

The revamped league will see 25 teams across three divisions, with 12 top tier clubs split into two conferences.

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There will be promotion and relegation playoffs at the end of each season plus a championship game between the winners of the top division conferences.

“We want it to be the world’s best league,” Mayumi Taniguchi, director of the new league’s development office, told reporters Friday.

“We want to improve the Japan national team and Japanese players … We also want more competitive games.”

A shake-up of the domestic game was first mooted after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, when hosts Japan reached the quarter-finals for the first time off the back of an unprecedented wave of public support.

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Further calls were made for changes when the Sunwolves, Japan’s sole representative club in the Super Rugby competition, were disbanded last year, giving rise to fears that Japanese players would not get exposure to the game at the top level.

The season would begin in January to align with Southern Hemisphere competitions, allowing the top Japanese teams to arrange games against international opposition.

JRFU chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi stressed, however, they were still only in the discussion phase with unions and leagues outside Japan.

“The international calendar and league calendar are uncertain because of COVID-19 so we haven’t been able to confirm matches yet,” Iwabuchi added.

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“We want to set the stage for Japan to compete at a world class level.”

The start of this season’s Top League competition was delayed by a month on Thursday following COVID-19 outbreaks at six clubs, meaning Wallabies captain Michael Hooper won’t make his debut for Toyota Verblitz until February.

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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