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Since the Wallaby winger Ian Williams moved to Japan to work and play rugby for Kobe Steel in 1991, there has been an influx of players and coaches who have followed to ply their trade and experience the intricate and ancient culture of Japan.
The national team, the Cherry Blossoms, are without doubt the rugby Asian super powers and with the foreign coaching and playing influence, they are improving at each Rugby World Cup.
Yet, for many world rugby followers, Japanese rugby remains an unknown quantity; an enigma.
Participation in Japan is on the increase, with over 140 universities playing rugby as a key sport. The top 80 rugby universities in the country have established their rugby programs based on the US collegiate system and the resources at their disposal are unbelievable.
No expense is spared, with 80-150 players per program, all housed in dormitories usually based around the sporting facilities of gyms, athletic tracks, synthetic and turf playing fields.
The company teams run hybrid versions of the University programs specific to the companies’ strengths and resources. Company rugby teams range from amateur to fully professional and the numbers of players range from 43 to 65 per program.
Once again, they are housed in dormitories and apartments, specific to the training facilities. The facilities at the Japanese companies’ disposal are superior to the Australian Super 14 franchises.
Companies play rugby as their key sport for a number of reasons including prestige, company worker health care, and most importantly, local and global business relationships.
A lot is expected of a foreign player and coach entering a company, as they have been hired for their intellectual property and most importantly on-field results.
As rugby in Japan becomes more competitive, the days of foreign players coming to Japan to increase their pension plan, relax and take in the culture are long gone.
As a foreign player/coach you come to Japan with conscious and subconscious expectations of how the game should be played and complex plans of how you can add value to the companies’ program.
A common mistake foreign coaches and players make is in attempting to transplant what they did on their home turf, rather than consider the unique nature and strengths existing in the company program. The key to success for foreign players/coaches is dovetailing world and Japanese rugby methods and cultures.
This is a complex task.
For all, and I mean all, regardless of how many internationals or level of experience the foreign coaches/players have, the first season is tough.
The language barrier, traditions, cultural misunderstandings, the speed of the game, the different interpretations of the laws, players in unusual positions on the field and a vastly different skill set, make it all a vivid experience.
Japanese rugby has its weakness and strengths, but basically it’s just different, and this must be accepted before headway can be made.
Life off the field is always good and Japan has to be one of the safest, friendliest and most polite countries in the world. If you are a culture and history buff, play rugby, and get an opportunity to play in Japan, take it.
Japanese rugby has real strengths, which if tapped into will accelerate rugby in the country on an international level.
Although generally the players are smaller than the top playing nations, they are super strong – power to weight monsters. The agility and reactive speed of the players is sensational and the body height superior. The passing and kicking skill sets is generally great and the player’s work ethic is fantastic.
Whilst Japanese rugby learns from the rest of the world, the rest of the world could pick up a thing or two from Japan.
Japan is a rugby market that is waiting to explode.
I applaud the Australian Rugby Union’s intention to promote and tap into the Japanese rugby market as it is potentially massive and will be extremely profitable for all world rugby.
For this reason, I hope the IRB grant Japan a Rugby World Cup soon.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.