For years, Japanese clubs have been actively recruiting Australians, New Zealanders, Tongans, Samoans and Fijians – with many leaving straight out of school to take up offers at Japanese universities.
Indeed, Japan’s mantra at the 2019 World Cup – One Team – was a clear reference to this diversity push, and JRLO is now stacked with players of this description.
Will Harrison is now playing in Japan, but in future a non-capped Australian may not get offered a spot.Credit: Getty
At present, they fit into what is known as a “Category A” player in JRLO – either Japanese, or having represented Japan at XVs or sevens, or eligible for Japan through residency.
However, under the proposed change, the majority of these players will no longer be considered Japanese – even if they have Japanese passports, spouses and children.
That reversal may prompt an appeal to World Rugby from at least one player representative, on the grounds it is palpably unfair to those who have made their career choices based on the current policies.
If the changes go ahead, some players will invariably have to be cut.
For example, in the Toyota Brave Lupus v Shizuoka Blue Revs game last weekend – both clubs are in the JRLO top four – neither outfit would pass the “eight Japanese blood” rule.
Among others, the Blue Revs have Australian No.10 Sam Greene – a Category A player – and former NRL cult hero Valynce Te Whare, while Toshiba’s foreign-born players include Richie Mo’unga, Shannon Frizell and New Zealand-born Brave Blossoms second-rower Warner Dearns, who again wouldn’t come under the Japanese quota under the rule change.
The top of the player market isn’t likely to be affected as Japanese clubs continue to target Test stars such as Noah Lolesio and Mark Tele’a, but the many foreign-born Category A players in the country are now wondering whether the welcome mat in Japanese rugby is being retracted.
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Those already in the Japanese education system, with a view to playing professional rugby in JRLO, could also find their future opportunities reduced.
Pacific Islanders could be the hardest-hit group of players, with Japan having a long history of recruiting Tongans in particular.
The proposed changes come as Rugby Australia ratchets up its campaign against French clubs for signing young Australians.
That issue has been bubbling away for months but this week RA chair Dan Herbert used the governing body’s AGM to give it to the French with both barrels.
RA is far less likely to go public against the Japanese, given their strategic importance as a partner and relative proximity, but they might quietly welcome any tightening of the JRLO system that has seen the likes of Hockings, Ben Gunter and Lucas pursue careers in Japan.
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