Mentally, I needed a break from the highs and lows that the sport brings you.
At that time in my rugby career, a lot of my family and friends thought that it was the wrong time for me to leave. They thought I would not have the opportunity of playing rugby at the highest level again.
But, instead, playing with my Japanese mates and watching them enjoy rugby brought back my passion and love of the game again.
What I learned of my time in Japan was not to take rugby and life for granted. Taking the field in Japan was very different – playing amongst high rises, factories and freeways was an experience.
And having 50-100 people watch a match was very refreshing!
At the back-end of Japanese experience, the opportunity came to return in Australia. This was a big decision for our family as my kids and wife were settled and enjoying their time in Japan. But I still had an itch to scratch in Super Rugby.
It was tough on my family, as we had to pack, relocate, and find another house in another country again.
I had a couple of teams interested in me and had a few choices for my return. Eventually, I chose the Melbourne Rebels franchise. The opportunity for a fresh start in Super Rugby was exciting and made me want it more.
I decided I was not going to take this opportunity for granted. I’d enjoy it and work hard to improve on and off the field.
Arriving in Melbourne was an easy transition. The Melbourne community has embraced the Rebels and I think are looking forward to having a rugby team to call their own.
Playing my first game back in Super Rugby in almost 24 months was a big thrill for my family and I.
I had to watch the first game loss game against the NSW Waratahs (43-0) from the sidelines. Having played 21 games in the last six months, it could have been a long year.
But when I finally started a game, against my old side the ACT Brumbies, it was a great way to begin my comeback.
We won 25-24 in the last minute. Playing my first 70 minutes in 18 months was enjoyable and rewarding at the same time.
I hope we have more wins and many great times ahead.
Rockin Rod
Guest
Welcome home Mark. After watching you play last weekend i can see Robbie picking you if he needs to close out a game like they do in Japan. Well done
Rockin Rod
Guest
How is Wingy going in Japan?????
Sportfreak
Guest
I am a Victorian living in NSW and I loooovvee Rugby. The Rebels are my second team after the Tahs.
GavinH
Guest
jeez, so now there are three indigenous sports in melbourne.
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
You were missed and it is great to have you back! Go the Rebels!!!!
Stu Wilsons Gloves
Guest
As a Weary Dunlop club member it seems to me, admittedly by anecdotal evidence that most people there are Vics. The Rebels do support & belong to the Melbourne rugby community and it is a community focused team led by former AFL head Ross Oakley. It is obvious that Republican has a chip on his shoulder about rugby & Kiwis that is bordering on racism with regards to Kiwis. Fair enough their are prejudiced people where ever you go, but why do you feel the need to go on every rugby thread and have a dig at the Rebels? You must be quite an insecure young man. Please stick to the aussie rules threads and carry on like a pork chop there.
Chris of Vic
Roar Pro
Republican, thanks for the compliment, it has been fun. :) On the corporate side, I guess the likes of you and I will never know the truth of who's who
Republican
Guest
Brett Of course I see the irony and that is exactly my point. Have a good look at yourself Brett, I mean all these threads gravitate back to a very similar theme and yet I am often singled out in this respect. It's often a case that we hear what we want to hear and disregard the rest but if you have something to say in response to my own view of the world, then by all means do. At least Chris has brought some substance to the discussion by actually engaging and respectfully challenging me as opposed to vilifying. I don't give a toss that he disagrees I mean that's the whole premise of forums i.e. these. Chris. Look it is a known fact that the ARU identified Melbournes ex pat criteria as a significant one at their first attempt in bidding for Super status and as with the Storm, blind Freddy can see that this is so. That a dependance on PI's and Kiwis to sustain support is long enough to realise a shift in Melbourne's sporting psyche is a moot point. I just happen to take exception to this way of growing any code, when it's at the expedient blood sucking of true heartlands. I cannot make it any more lucid than that. As far as the suits in those boxes go, well after Great Britain, it has been said that NZ business owns the next biggest slice of the corporate Australian pie, so i guess the odds are looking good in who could be frequenting those boxes in that respect. I really should get on my bike now. Cheers one and all.
captain nemo
Roar Guru
Republican, mate you are rascist, the garbage that you are allowed to post on here is unbelievable. I will keep complaining, however the roar seems to allow your rascist rants to get through the net. Now Republican, throw some of those long words at me you learnt at St Edmunds in the many lunchtimes you spent in the library because those big mean boys were out playing thugby.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Hi Mark welcome to the Roar, watching you play I thought you looked like a different player. More composed and a bit harder mentally, not sure what it was maybe just a bit more mature. You played very well in a hard game and I have to admit I was never one of your fans. Maybe you will win over guys like me if you keep this up. Maybe Robbie Deans as well.
Chris of Vic
Roar Pro
Republican, In my recent article on the Rebels win, you called me an exception because I wasn't an expat Kiwi, Saffa, PI or whatever, now you are calling TembaVJ an exception. How many exceptions will you need before you acknowledge that there are a few more Victorians out there supporting the team? I also remember reading recently that of the 7000 memberships sold something like 3000 were Weary Dunlop memberships. They're the big cohuna (Vic Spelling :) ), you know covered seating, private bar, waiters etc. Are you saying that it is Kiwi businessmen that bought all those memberships or is it perhaps Ted Bailleu and about 3000 of his Victorian Old Boys? Oh and my brother who lives in Melbourne has enrolled his lad into one of the bigger private schools to give him the opportunity to play rugby.....but as you say there is no local support
GavinH
Guest
I must have understood a few things incorrectly then. ie: - there is no competing RL team in Perth - Perth RU juniors have grown strongly since the Force - Melbourne has played RU since the 1840s and has a local schoolboys scene Sounds like a good base for growth to me. Happy to have a wager with you on the growth of RU in Victoria from now up to 2014 (post RWC and Lions). I assume you will be offering very long odds on any growth occurring......
gatesy
Roar Guru
Mate, get off the air and give us all some breathing space. Your breath stinks!
gatesy
Roar Guru
Yo bro!! Go you good thing!!
gatesy
Roar Guru
Republican - give yourself an upper cut! - I bet you have a glass jaw! - that was ungracious - so what, if he didn';t personally write it - by his performance he earned the right to be quoted. End of lesson!
gatesy
Roar Guru
Welcome back, Mark!! A wonderful display the other night - in fact, I would call it a master class in fullback play - one journo was comparing your game to Pat McCabe's and said that he didn't think you ran enough! Struth! You didn't need to because you were hoofing it in all the right directions. I see that Rod has made a couple more subtle changes for this week - it's looking like a great combo - I wrote a piece a couple of months ago saying watch the Rebels - I'm looking forward to dusting that off in a little while and saying :"I told you so!!"
Cattledog
Guest
Sentence one, exactly! Sentence two, to you maybe, but you're entitled to your opinion. Sentence three, correct.
Cattledog
Guest
Wow Timnaik, sorry to see you City Slickers having trouble putting sentences together.
Jackson
Guest
Or, talking about 'tough on the family', what about having your country invaded by a foreign power, hey cattledog? Leave your irrelevant war analogies out of this please, it's football. Not all us rugby fans are right-wing.,,
Timnaik
Guest
Wow Catteldog, good to know you country hicks are still have an opinion.