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'That gap was massive': Where Japan needs to make up ground on NZ and Australia

Kazuki Himeno. (Photo by The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images)

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.

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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.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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“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.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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