Japanese Rugby
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DMac still having a ball,
Hope he's on a points bonus, can cash in and come back.I think he's still a nice to have in an AB squad and has matured well.
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Madonna plays rugby in Japan - at 5:05 mins -
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Damian McKenzie keen on cross-border competition between Super Rugby and Japan
All Blacks star Damian McKenzie is eager for a cross-border competition between teams from Super Rugby Pacific and Japan Rugby League One.
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@duluth said in Japanese Rugby:
Damian McKenzie keen on cross-border competition between Super Rugby and Japan
All Blacks star Damian McKenzie is eager for a cross-border competition between teams from Super Rugby Pacific and Japan Rugby League One.
I just watched Suntory v Red Hurricanes. It's really not fair for opposition teams to come up against both DMac and Kerevei.
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@gt12 said in Japanese Rugby:
@voodoo said in Japanese Rugby:
A @booboo just doesn't get any better than consecutive posts
New award? Or, is there already a best booboo?
I'd like to think I'm the best booboo
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@booboo said in Japanese Rugby:
@gt12 said in Japanese Rugby:
@voodoo said in Japanese Rugby:
A @booboo just doesn't get any better than consecutive posts
New award? Or, is there already a best booboo?
I'd like to think I'm the best booboo
None better.
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@Machpants Maybe they are only allowed 3 non Japanese qualified international players per squad ?
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Japanese Rugby:
@Machpants Maybe they are only allowed 3 non Japanese qualified international players per squad ?
I think there are three categories: A, B, C
A = Japanese and/or already Japanese qualified
B = on the path to becoming Japanese qualified
C = played for another nation (i.e., not available for Japan)
So, at Kobe, that is Lukhanyo Am, Cruden, and Smith whereas Buckman and Parker are classified as category B (could potentially turn out for Japan).
Of interest to me is the way they are getting around the purpose as the translation from Japanese is that category B players (like Buckman etc) are expected to become eligible.
I doubt that many of them would play for the Blossoms though...
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Japanese Rugby:
Take away for me here is you didn't know who Matt Lucas and Viliami Tahitu'a were.
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BTW, according to a Reddit thread (summarizing a French article about League 1 and the A, B, C categories):
From January 2022, League One teams will have to line up at least 11 category A players on the field and 17 category A players on the match sheet. There will be no limit for category B while clubs will now be able to line up 3 foreign internationals on the field (against 2 in the Top League). From January 2023, a quota of players will be applied to the team's squads, a first in the history of Japanese rugby. Japanese players (category A) must represent a minimum of 80% of a club's squad, or 40 or more players. Players in categories B and C combined will not be able to exceed 20% of a team's squad, i.e. 10 foreign players or less. This announcement is made to allow more young Japanese players to play at the professional level while rubbing shoulders with more foreign stars at the expense of average foreign playerIt will be interesting to see whether some of the current Bs move across to As and/or whether there will be less demand for non-Japanese players.
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The 100 NZ-born players playing in Japan
DIVISION 1
Black Rams Tokyo: Colin Bourke, Blair Cowan, Matt McGahan, Jacob Skeen, Daymon Leasuasu, Josefa Logavatu
Green Rockets Tokatsu: Ash Dixon, Whetu Douglas, Lomano Lemeki, Fletcher Smith, Tom Marshall
Kobelco Kobe Steelers: Tom Franklin, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Brodi McCurran, Aaron Cruden, Hayden Parker, Richard Buckman, Fraser Anderson
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay: Ryan Crotty
Saitama Wild Knights: Hadleigh Parkes, Lachlan Boshier, Vince Aso, Craig Millar, Mark Abbott
Shining Arcs Tokyo Bay Urayasu: Otere Black, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Jimmy Tupou, Luke Thompson, Anaru Rangi, Sekonaia Pole
Shizuoka Blue Revs: Malo Tuitama, Keagan Faria
Tokyo Sungoliath: Damian McKenzie, Tevita Li, Hendrik Tui, Tom Sanders, Joe Latta
Toshiba Brave Lupus: Matt Todd, Seta Tamanivalu, Tom Taylor, Johnny Fa’auli, Tim Bateman, Jack Stratton, Jacob Pierce, Nik McCurran, Michael Leitch, Warner Dearns
Toyota Verblitz: Patrick Tuipulotu, Michael Allardice, Tiaan Falcon, Charlie Lawrence, Rob Thompson, Male Sa’u, Will Tupou, Jamie Henry
Yokohama Canon Eagles: Liaki Moli
DIVISION 2
Hanazono Kintetsu Liners: Jed Brown, Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa
Hino Red Dolphins: Nasi Manu, Ash Parker, Augustine Pulu, Hayden Cripps, Jack Debreczeni, TJ Faiane, Chance Peni, Gillies Kaka
Kamaishi Seawaves: Morgan Mitchell, Ben Nee-Nee, Sam Henwood, Brett Cameron, Cameron Bailey
Mie Honda Heat: Tethui Roberts, Matt Duffie
Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars: Jackson Hemopo, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Dylan Nel, Colin Slade, Michael Little, Matt Vaega, Roland Alaia’sa, Ben Paltridge
Skyactivs Hiroshima: David Milo, Tevin Ferris, Isi Manu
DIVISION 3
Kurita Water Gush Akishima: Brad Hemopo
Kyuden Voltex: Tom Rowe, Ray Tatafu, Sam Vaka
Munakata Sanix Blues: Scott Curry, Jarred Adams, Joseph Tupe, Coby Miln, Karne Hesketh
Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks: Albert Anae, Josh Bekhuis, Murphy Taramai, Orbyn Leger, USA Baleilautoka, Siale Piutau, Dick Wilson
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi: Chris Gabriel, Taleni Seu, Luteru Laulala, Robbie Robinson
Not entirely accurate - E.g. - Dylan Nel was born in SA not NZ.
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@Daffy-Jaffy I assume this is the source?
https://www.nzsportswire.com/2022/01/07/mckenzie-among-100-kiwis-set-for-japan-rugby-league-one/
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@Stargazer I just found the list on Reddit. It looks to be the same.
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I have gone through a few months of media releases from the Top League One to look at the player (and coach) movements.
No signings of NZ players announced, yet. There are several players (and coaches) leaving their club, though.
These players who are leaving their club may obviously decide to stay in Japan and just move to another club. A few may retire, and others may decide to leave Japan to either return to NZ or to go elsewhere (MLR, for example).Also good to note that these announcements may sometimes be published after players have already left.
Bryce Robins (skills coach) leaving Shining Arcs Tokyo
Joe Maddock (assistant coach) leaving Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
Greg Cooper (head coach) leaving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynabours
Nick Collins (performance director) leaving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynabours
Simon Cron (head coach) leaving Toyota Verblitz
Dave Dillon (manager) leaving Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Ben Herring (assistant coach) leaving Hino Red DolphinsJohnny Fa'auli leaving Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
Colin Slade leaving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynabours
Michael Little leaving Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynabours
Joe Latta leaving Tokyo Sungoliath
Damian McKenzie leaving Tokyo Sungoliath
Matt Duffie leaving Mie Honda Heat (retiring)
Morgan Mitchell leaving Kamaishi Seawaves RFC
Sam Henwood leaving Kamaishi Seawaves RFC
Brett Cameron leaving Kamaishi Seawaves RFC
Colin Bourke leaving Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo
Daymon Leasuasu leaving Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo
Fletcher Smith leaving NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu
Patrick Tuipulotu leaving Toyota Verblitz
Nasi Manu leaving Hino Red Dolphins
Jack Debreczeni leaving Hino Red Dolphins
Hayden Cripps leaving Hino Red Dolphins
Gillies Kaka leaving Hino Red Dolphins
Hayden Parker leaving Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Aaron Cruden leaving Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Ben Smith leaving Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Fraser Anderson leaving Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Jordan Smiler leaving Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi
Robbie Robinson leaving Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi
Luteru Laulala leaving Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichilast checked on Sunday, 5 June 2022
