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The 20-year-old Kiwi capped by Japan who is open to All Blacks allegiance switch

(Photo / Toshiba Brave Lupus)

He may have made his test debut as a teenager for Japan last year, but Kiwi youngster Warner Dearns could yet become an All Black.

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That’s a prospect that may only ever come to fruition following next year’s World Cup in France, though, as the 20-year-old lock targets Japan selection for that tournament after having debuted for the Brave Blossoms against Portugal last November.

At just 19-years-old, Dearns achieved the rare feat of becoming an internationally-capped teenager when he came off the bench in Japan’s 38-25 win over Portugal in Coimbra six months ago.

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With a taste for what test rugby is all about, Dearns is hungry for more.

That begins with Japan’s upcoming tests against Uruguay and France over the next two months, and the Toshiba Brave Lupus second rower is hopeful it culminates in World Cup selection next year.

Beyond that, Dearns is unsure about where his playing career lies, but, thanks to World Rugby’s new eligibility laws, he hasn’t ruled out a return to New Zealand to push for a place in the All Blacks.

“Obviously as a young boy growing up in New Zealand, you want to put on that black jersey,” Dearns, the son of former Silver Ferns netball star Tanya, said in a Japan Rugby League One conference call last week.

“But coming over here and having spent lots of time at high school here and actually playing a test now for Japan, I feel like it’s a second home at the moment.

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“At the moment, my goal is to play in the next World Cup for Japan, but if an opportunity arose that was intriguing, I’d definitely have a look at it and see what my options were.”

Born and raised in Hawke’s Bay, where his father Grant worked as a strength and conditioning coach for the province’s NPC team, Dearns attended Napier Boys’ High School for a year before enrolling at Scots College in Wellington a year later.

His dad’s work then took the family to Japan, where Dearns has since flourished from a rugby perspective, winning his maiden Brave Blossoms cap just a year after graduating high school.

That debut was rich reward for Dearns’ decision to stay in Japan rather than return to New Zealand upon his completion of secondary school – a decision that was made due to the influence of some high-profile figures at Toshiba.

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“Quite early on in 2020 before Covid sort of hit, I had a catch-up with [Toshiba head coach] Todd Blackadder, got to meet him, got to talk to him and picked his brain about different things,” Dearns said.

“It was really interesting talking to him, and I thought, ‘This is a guy that I want to learn off’, obviously having lots of experience coaching and lots of experience playing as well.

“It just so happened that guys Michael Leitch and Matt Todd were playing for the team he was coaching, so when I had the opportunity to come to Toshiba, I jumped at it because of the experience and all that I could learn off these guys.

“Looking at options back in New Zealand, it would have been tough going back and starting from zero, going to an academy or something like that where there’s lots of talent.

“Being over here and having that opportunity, I thought that was probably the best for me.”

Despite opting to stay put instead of returning to his homeland, the allure of playing in Super Rugby Pacific and the NPC – and potentially for the All Blacks – is enticing for Dearns.

While he hails from Hurricanes territory, Dearns maintained that he isn’t a fan of any Kiwi franchise, but is interested in one day trying his hand in Super Rugby Pacific.

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“Growing up in New Zealand, I’ve always watched Super Rugby and I always thought I’d love to play in those sort of games,” he said.

“I think, at the moment, I’m focusing on trying to get into that Japan squad, and that’s actually the focus at the moment.

“In the future, I’d love to have a stint, maybe coming back and playing a bit of Super Rugby or a bit of NPC or something like that, just because I’ve always sort of wanted to since I was young.”

A stint in New Zealand could even be used by Dearns as an opportunity to undertake the three-year stand down required by World Rugby for players looking to switch international allegiance from one country to another.

That is, of course, if the promising lock – who already stands at 2.02m and 124kg – is intent on playing for the All Blacks, a pipe dream that remains on the back-burner for the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, there’s a place in Japan’s World Cup squad to compete for, and a possible outing against the All Blacks later this year could go some way to cementing his place at France 2023.

“[There are a] couple of games soon that I’d like to be a part of as well,” Dearns said about potentially facing off against his nation of birth in an end-of-year tour fixture that is yet to be formally announced.

“Uruguay and France, I’d love to be a part of those games, but, looking ahead, it’d be awesome to be on the field against the All Blacks. That’d be a huge opportunity.”

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R
RedWarrior 27 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

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