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Japan Super Rugby team

waiopehu oldboy

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
Hawko said:
Hidden behind a paywall and not found via google.
Click to expand...


ANALYSIS: Rugby: What direction should JRFU take over new coaches?
By Rich Freeman
TOKYO, Dec. 1, Kyodo

Former Japan coach Eddie Jones started his new job as England boss on Tuesday and his new employers have wasted little time in approaching Steve Borthwick, one of Jones' assistants at the Rugby World Cup, to join the new coaching set-up.

Meanwhile back in Tokyo, the positions vacated by Jones -- Brave Blossoms head coach and director of rugby with the Sunwolves (Japan's new Super Rugby side) -- remain vacant.

While the national team won't be in action until April, the Sunwolves' fairly barren homepage announces that there are just 87 days to go until the team kicks off its new adventure.

It has been suggested that both positions will be filled by Dec. 17, when the Japan Rugby Football Union holds its next council meeting. But it appears opinion is very divided as to who should be given the job, with certain sectors still pushing for a local coach to lead the Brave Blossoms to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which will be held in Japan.

However, coaching an international side is very different to leading a club side, and the cold hard truth is that there isn't a Japanese coach qualified enough to do the job.

The ideal solution would be to hand the Sunwolves job to a Japanese coach in the hope he learns enough to take over the national team after 2019, and give the Brave Blossoms role to a coach with international or regional experience and an understanding of the way things work in Japan.

Jones' ability to mix the Japanese work ethic with overseas rugby know-how was key to Japan's three wins at this year's World Cup, and abandoning such a philosophy would be fool-hardy.

With that in mind, Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph should be top of the list of candidates for the national team job, given that Robbie Deans told Kyodo in October he was not interested in the job.

Joseph, a former All Black who played for a number of years in Fukuoka with Sanix Blues, still retains a close association with the club.

He also has two assistants at the Highlanders in Tony Brown and Scott McLeod, who were instrumental in the success over the years of Panasonic Wild Knights and Toshiba Brave Lupus, respectively.

If Joseph and his team can be persuaded to head north, then the other part of the equation could be filled by asking Katsuyuki Kiyomiya to take on the Sunwolves gig.

The former Suntory flanker and current Yamaha Jubilo boss has the backing of the influential Waseda University faction, and giving him the Super Rugby job would be a chance to see if he has what it takes to coach at the highest level.

Both jobs will have their challenges, particularly the Sunwolves due to the uncertainty of the make-up of the squad, the limited time they will have together and the grueling schedule they have been handed.

Japan rugby is still riding the wave of success following the Brave Blossoms' performance at the Rugby World Cup.

But already there are signs that rather than building on that, the JRFU are doing their best to burst the bubble.

Tomohiro Segawa is only too aware of that.

The men's sevens coach said Tuesday that "failure to improve the system" meant he was taking an under-strength side to this week's Dubai Sevens, after Top League clubs and universities refused to release a number of players.

Jones' frustrations with the JRFU eventually saw him leave.

Perhaps that is why it is taking so long to find a successor.

==Kyodo

Agree with @RobWard, despite all SANZAR assurances to the contrary this looks to be hanging by a thread.
 
Omar Comin'

Omar Comin'

Chilla Wilson (44)
Over 20k watched a Top League game today between Panasonic and Toshiba. Hopefully the Sunwolves will attract similar crowds for their Tokyo games at least.

CWAi5voUEAAnohi.jpg
 
Omar Comin'

Omar Comin'

Chilla Wilson (44)
That's more bad news.

Latest rumour is that Mark Hammett may be the Sunwolves coach. Whoever it is will have a really tough job. Not only because so many players have chosen to play elsewhere but because pretty much all their players will be playing all year round! They went from the world cup to the top league and will then go straight into super rugby. If every player for the Waratahs was doing what Bernard Foley is doing I wouldn't feel confident about their chances.

Japanese rugby basically needs a big structural overhaul if it wants to be part of Super Rugby and do well I think.
 
upthereds#!

upthereds#!

Peter Johnson (47)
Unfortunate rumor below, but not surprised as IMO would still benefit the Brave Blossums, as the Sunwolves develop, both financially and on the field.

Eddie Jones was, after agreeing to leave Japan, apparently supported star players, in pursuing their individual development playing for NZ and AUS super rugby sides, as opposed to their own.

Think about Sau, 28 years old, few years left in him as the starting 13 for Japan. Where is he best able to continue to improve so he can offer more on the field to Japan?

Getting pounded week in week out for the Sunwolves

OR

Try for the starting 13 spot in Auckland, outside All Black center George Moala, and inside Former All Black wing Rene Ranger, with Legendary center Tana Umaga as your coach....
 
Hawko

Hawko

Tony Shaw (54)
upthereds#! said:
Unfortunate rumor below, but not surprised as IMO would still benefit the Brave Blossums, as the Sunwolves develop, both financially and on the field.

Eddie Jones was, after agreeing to leave Japan, apparently supported star players, in pursuing their individual development playing for NZ and AUS super rugby sides, as opposed to their own.

Think about Sau, 28 years old, few years left in him as the starting 13 for Japan. Where is he best able to continue to improve so he can offer more on the field to Japan?

Getting pounded week in week out for the Sunwolves

OR

Try for the starting 13 spot in Auckland, outside All Black center George Moala, and inside Former All Black wing Rene Ranger, with Legendary center Tana Umaga as your coach..
Click to expand...


Put that way it seems pretty obvious.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
Jamie Joseph to coach Cherry Blossoms and Mark Hammett to coach Sunwolves, squad to be announced soon


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
T

TOCC

Guest
Team announcement on 21st December


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Highlander35

Highlander35

Steve Williams (59)
That's a decent starting point. If they can get the combinations working within 3 or 4 games (accounting for the relatively late finish of the Top League, and consequently lack of time together early), they should look to win 3-6 in the back 10 or 11 games of the seasons.
 
upthereds#!

upthereds#!

Peter Johnson (47)
Not a bad starting forward pack then if they get one of the WC tight head props. No traditional 7 but ...leonardi, Mafi and durutalo are all beasts.
 
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