PNC- Courage and togetherness for Japan

In team Japan the key word is Yu’Ki, an ancient Samuri word for courage & togetherness. 15 will always beat 1 and their whole strategy is based on this ethic.

After watching them dismantle Samoa in the PNC, it is clear to see they are onto something and will only improve from now on in.

Being around them at training it is an elite setup that warmly caresses this squad. From high tech, to the most accommodating of physios and media people, they are only too eager to do anything for the betterment of their team. Ice flies out to chill any sore limb, tape is wrapped around a bent finger & cones are placed and moved again to create interest in drills. This may sound like stock standard stuff with international rugby, but there is something about the way they do it that makes this wider team something special.

Shade tents surround the ground and inside is all that an athlete could need, power drinks, vacuum packed energy delights and rubber gadgets for stretching and warming up.

JK roams the perimeter radioing in orders to his coaching staff, and then sits in front of the wide screen to watch re-runs of the moves just performed. These guys are serious and using all at their disposal to reach their goals. JK is also very hands on, talking a lot with players and more importantly listening to their input.

Rugby is an 80-minute game; however there is a week in-between these battles and this is where Japan separates them from the pack. Practice is clinical, interesting and ever changing. Players are eager; they listen like a classroom geek and apply everything with accuracy.

Taking in a wide view of their training ground, you are seeing professionalism at its best, they will go over and over something until it is mastered and each position is honing it’s unique requirements.

After the vital win in the weekend a new belief is emerging, they are not resting on history, they are focused on the future & they will be very dangerous opponents this Saturday.