Japanese Rugby
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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
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@Stargazer said in Japanese Rugby:
Just saw a media release saying that Sanix has completely withdrawn Munakata Sanix Blues from the Top League One. They had tried to transfer the club to a third party, but were unsuccessful.
Any big names in that team?
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@Machpants said in Japanese Rugby:
@Stargazer said in Japanese Rugby:
Just saw a media release saying that Sanix has completely withdrawn Munakata Sanix Blues from the Top League One. They had tried to transfer the club to a third party, but were unsuccessful.
Any big names in that team?
Not really: Scott Curry? Some other kiwis are Joseph Tupe (De La Salle), Jarred Adams (Wesley), Coby Miln (HBS), Dallas Tatana.
With the yen so weak and the economy not going that well here, I wouldn't be surprised to see Japan become less attractive as salaries may fall in both facets (real, exchange). Some companies will invest far less in the teams as they will face pressure from shareholders.
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@gt12 Yeah, and Scott Curry was always going to return to the AB7s anyway.
@Bovidae said in Japanese Rugby:
Also Karne Hesketh, whose partner is Black Fern Carla Hohepa. I assume that's why Paddy Ryan returned to NSW.
I assume that Napier Boys' product Hesketh - who played 35 games (4 seasons) for Otago - must be close to retirement, considering he's 36.
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@Stargazer said in Japanese Rugby:
@gt12 Yeah, and Scott Curry was always going to return to the AB7s anyway.
@Bovidae said in Japanese Rugby:
Also Karne Hesketh, whose partner is Black Fern Carla Hohepa. I assume that's why Paddy Ryan returned to NSW.
I assume that Napier Boys' product Hesketh - who played 35 games (4 seasons) for Otago - must be close to retirement, considering he's 36.
She's still playing at the same age.
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Top League One player movements
Changes in "leaving" list are in bold or strikethrough. "Signed" and "Re-signed" lists are new.
LEAVING
Bryce Robins (skills coach) leaving Shining Arcs Tokyo (to NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka)
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 Aichi
Tim Bateman leaving Toshiba Brave Lupus
Brodi McCurran leaving Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Hadley Parks leaving Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights
SIGNED
Bryce Robins appointed assistant coach at NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka (from Shining Arcs Tokyo)Liam Mitchell joining Panasonic Wild Knights (from Zebre)
RE-SIGNED
Sam Henwood staying at Kamaishi Seawaves RFC
List last updated on Sunday, 3 July 2022
(note that these announcements may sometimes be published after players have already left/joined) -
@Stargazer googling and seeing very little about the shining arcs being disbanded, kind of weird
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@Kiwiwomble said in Japanese Rugby:
@Stargazer googling and seeing very little about the shining arcs being disbanded, kind of weird
I'm guessing most of that information would be in Japanese.
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@Kiwiwomble It seems to be the result of a reorganisation.
This what the official media release on the Japan Rugby League One website says (translated by google):
We are pleased to inform you that Urayasu D-Rocks has been launched due to the reorganization of the NTT rugby team.
Shining Arcs and Red Hurricanes are both NTT teams.
新チーム浦安D-Rocksの発足に関するお知らせ | 【公式】ジャパンラグビー リーグワン
JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE（リーグワン）公式サイトでは試合速報、ニュースリリース、日程結果、順位、チーム/選手情報などをご覧いただけます。
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@Stargazer said in Japanese Rugby:
@Kiwiwomble It seems to be the result of a reorganisation.
This what the official media release on the Japan Rugby League One website says (translated by google):
We are pleased to inform you that Urayasu D-Rocks has been launched due to the reorganization of the NTT rugby team.
Shining Arcs and Red Hurricanes are both NTT teams.
新チーム浦安D-Rocksの発足に関するお知らせ | 【公式】ジャパンラグビー リーグワン
JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE（リーグワン）公式サイトでは試合速報、ニュースリリース、日程結果、順位、チーム/選手情報などをご覧いただけます。
I think it's primarily a business decision - having two teams across the same conglomerate costs a lot and companies are under pressure. The biggest weakness of the Japanese model is that the strength of a team can vary significantly from year to year (or be reorganized as in this case) based on the performance of the firm or strategic direction. In this case, NTT communications and NTT Docomo (two NTT subsidiaries) have got together (40% stake each) with NTT (20%) to form a new firm, NTT Sports X, that will have the rugby under it.
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Transcript : NTT DOCOMO, INC., 2022 Earnings Call, May 12, 2022
Presenter SpeechNatsuko Fujiki We will now start the briefing of NTT's financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. Thank you very much for attending today despite your busy schedules....
