The last time Leon Ellison appeared on Westpac Stadium was August 15, 2010. The recent addition to the Japanese Sevens squad played second-five eighth for Northern United when they beat Poneke 24-5 in the Jubilee Cup final.
Ellison has fond memories of his 62-game stint with the recent Porirua powerhouse.
“That was a great day. To play with the likes of Buxton Popoali’i and TJ Perenara was special. Norths is a real family club and I loved my time there,” he says.
Despite winning two Jubilee Cups and three Swindale Shields at Norths, Ellison was ambitious and restless. Still a young man, having made his debut for Norths just out of Mana College, he decided to move to Japan and has spent the last five seasons in the Land of the Rising Sun.
“I really enjoy Japanese culture. I have learned the language and the lifestyle is great,” Ellison enthuses.
Ellison has spent most of his time playing for the Division II outfit Yakult. Rugby is the fastest growing sport in Japan and Japan’s spectacular victory over South Africa in the 2015 World Cup has rapidly increased the profile and competitiveness of the game.
“Japan is hosting the next World Cup in 2019 and there is a real enthusiasm about that. The standard of play is increasing all the time and the interest is growing,” Ellison believes.
Japan’s rapid improvement was further illustrated at the Olympic Games when the Sevens team beat New Zealand, Kenya and France on their way to a fourth place finish.
Ellison debuted for Japan at the Dubai Sevens in December. It was an unexpected selection.
“It was a real surprise to be picked. It wasn’t a goal of mine to make the Sevens team, but I am delighted with the opportunity. Sevens is a demanding game. I am learning all the time and it’s a privilege to be involved,” he admits.
Japan have failed to win a game in the World Series so far and are grouped in Pool B in Wellington alongside South Africa, Fiji and Australia. Ellison has no illusions about the enormity of the challenge.
“It’s the pool of death really and it will be very tough, but you never know what happens on the day. We have prepared thoroughly and that is something that has changed in Sevens. The technical preparation is far greater than what it used to be. Teams know more about each other’s weakness and hopefully we can find a few weakness in our opponents and surprise them.”
Japan brings an inexperienced roster to the capital with no less than five debutants. Dai Ozawa is the most experienced campaigner having featured in ten events. Despite the relative youth of the team, Ellison indentifies Rikiya Oishi and Jonmoon Han as two speeders and talents to keep an eye on.
Ellison is not the only Kiwi connection in the Japanese team. Jamie Henry and Dallas Tatana were raised in Auckland and Christchurch respectively, while Patrick Stehlin is from Nelson.
Head coach Damian Karauna has taken over from Tomohiro Segawa, who led Japan to fourth at Rio. A former All Blacks Sevens player, Karauna spent a couple of seasons with the Sanix Blues and several sasons playing and coaching at Ospreys in Wales. He returned to New Zealand in 2012 and became an assistant to then New Zealand 7s mentor Sir Gordon Tietjens.
Japan will have no shortage of support.
“It’s great to be back home in front of friends and family. I asked for 20 tickets, but they won’t even cover a third of my family,” Ellison laughs.
Leon is the brother of former All Black Tamati Ellison and former Hurricanes prop Jacob Ellison. His grandfather Vince Bevan was an All Black and he is a descendant of Tom Ellison, the 1893 All Blacks captain and the man who proposed the idea that the New Zealand national rugby team should wear black.
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