Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Isaiah Mapusua's journey from Otago to the Brave Blossoms

Isaiah Mapusua of Japan. Photo by DON MACKINNON/AFP via Getty Images

New Zealand exports can be found across the rugby world, but among the many pathways to international success is perhaps a road less travelled for foreign talent; Japan’s university rugby scene.

ADVERTISEMENT

The collegiate game is the backbone of Japanese rugby, drawing big crowds and slingshotting elite young talent to the misty heights of the fast-paced professional rugby leagues.

The standing of university rugby in the Land of the Rising Sun is such that the “best fullback in Japan” according to Eddie Jones, 19-year-old sensation Yoshitaka Yazaki, left the national team after just one game of the Pacific Nations Cup to return to Waseda University for the start of their season.

Video Spacer

Champions Cup best SA XV not in SA teams | RPTV

Video Spacer

Champions Cup best SA XV not in SA teams | RPTV

Robbie Fleck and Nick Mallett pick their best South African XV playing in the Champions Cup, but not in South African teams. Watch the full episode on RugbyPass TV

Watch now

Waseda University’s historic rivalry with Meiji University draws a crowd that often exceeds Brave Blossoms attendance numbers with 60,000 fans.

Meanwhile, just a few blocks south of Tokyo Tower sits Keio University, a hub for medical medical research and education. For Kiwi-born lock Isaiah Mapusua though, it was the beginning of his journey to representing Japan.

It wasn’t the 24-year-old’s expected rugby path, but after showing promise at Auckland’s King’s College, he caught some eyes in Tokyo and before he knew it, was living there.

“It happened quite late, in my last year of high school I’d already finished up at King’s and went down, started studying in Dunedin when my best mate gave me a call and said that a uni was interested over here in Japan and then the pathway through to League One would come after that,” Mapusua told RugbyPass ahead of the Pacific Nations Cup quarter final in September.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I didn’t know many people who had come through the uni system in Japan and obviously played professional rugby in Japan, so it was a bit scary at first but I guess it all paid off in the end.”

Related

The second rower came off the bench that day and helped his side to a commanding 49-27 win over Samoa, extending an impressive scoring run throughout Japan’s campaign where they scored more than 40 points in every Test outside of the final.

For Mapusua, the big turnout for the semi-final was familiar territory. His time playing for Keio University had prepared him for the bright lights of the Pacific Nations Cup.

“It is (big), you get some pretty big crowds and it’s a pretty good level of rugby and the training is probably the hardest part. The training is just unreal.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Since making the step up to League One, the training hasn’t become any easier. Mapusua plays for Toyota Verblitz where he lines up alongside the likes of recently named World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit in the forwards. Trainings are also run by a couple of familiar faces in the coaching group.

“Toyota’s been huge for my personal growth, having not only good players like Pieter-Steph to look up to, but also great coaching staff, Steve Hansen, Ian Foster coming in this year, they’ve been crucial for me.”


To be first in line for Rugby World Cup 2027 Australia tickets, register your interest here 

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 35 | Six Nations Round 2 Review

O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 3 | France Week

Second round of the Men's Six Nations | Whistle Watch

Harlequins vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Saitama Wildknights | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

1 Comment
A
Andrew Nichols 57 days ago

Are there actually any japanese at all in the courageous flowers?

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 3 hours ago
Where is the new breed of All Black 10?

Players like Prendergast and Finn Smith already have a few seasons at top club level under their belt and are now test players, at an age when NZ players make their debuts in SR.

That’s just a difference in standards. You’re confusing SR for being their local domestic comps, where it’s more accurately comparable to Champions Cup, apart from that teams are happy to throw games as it’s in a bit of a limbo in terms of importance atm.


All these kids have been playing for a comparable NPC team for years now. Sam is no where near ready for tests but he has a great temperament, much like Sextons, that makes it a good choice to speed up his development. He wasn’t even a comparable Super Rugby starter before playing for Ireland, so not a great comparison.


Fin would be much better example, but then England don’t have 3 world class Test tens in front of him (not that I’d put Beauden their but obviously in terms of young NZ players chances, he is). Would he otherwise have debuted at the same age as Fergus Burke (injury and leaving withstanding), around 24, a couple of years later? England also aren’t as pedantic to who they give jerseys to, in NZ a test jersey is very hard earned for the most part.


In general I think the effects are as you say, but the only difference is the money involved, as you yourself said, their paths are just as all over the show being loaned out playing for clubs etc. My solution to that, and what you perceive as the problem, would be to introduce university football that utilitizes the large investment they have into high performance sport.

90 Go to comments
J
Jennifer Ross 5 hours ago
One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton's approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance.

Regards.

28 Go to comments
J
Jennifer Ross 5 hours ago
One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

The topic of recovery services and the efficacy of Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech warrants a closer examination. Recovery services are a critical component of any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, as they provide the means to restore systems, data, and operations in the event of a breach or other disruptive incident. Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech is a leading provider in this space, offering a suite of advanced recovery solutions designed to ensure business continuity and mitigate the potentially devastating impacts of cyber attacks. At the core of their offerings is a robust, AI-driven platform that continuously monitors systems, detects anomalies, and triggers rapid, automated recovery procedures. This allows organizations to bounce back quickly, often with minimal downtime or data loss. Wizard Hilton’s approach also emphasizes the importance of comprehensive testing and simulation, putting recovery protocols through their paces to validate effectiveness and uncover potential weaknesses. Additionally, their team of seasoned cybersecurity experts provides hands-on guidance, tailoring solutions to the unique needs of each client. By combining cutting-edge technology with deep industry expertise, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech has established itself as a trusted partner in the realm of recovery services, empowering organizations to safeguard their most valuable digital assets and ensure business resilience in the face of ever-evolving cyber threats. Contact: for assistance,

 Email : wizardhiltoncybertech ( @ ) gmail (. ) com  OR  support ( @ ) wizardhiltoncybertech (.) com

WhatsApp number +13024457895

28 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING England player ratings vs Scotland | 2025 Six Nations England player ratings vs Scotland | 2025 Six Nations
Search