In a shock move, this is a blog about Japan, sports, food, drink and things that aren't those things. With a focus on posting about things that connect these various elements, occassionally using my terrible Japanese and an opportunity to work on my writing skills.
Well, this has been on constant rote at mine since I heard this.... except for when I was asleep, or doing other stuff, at those times it wasn't. But other than the times it wasn't, I stand by my initial statement.
Team, Ball, Player, Thing. Inspired. Inspiring. Unicorns with laser beams shooting from their eyes.
For full appreciation of just how awesome this song is, I recommend setting aside 14 minutes 47 seconds of your life and bask it the magnificousity.
After all the fluff and kerfuffle of the initial 6 months of this blog (I've just insta deleted it so if you missed the first 132 posts, I really apologise).
Anywhom, it's time for a change of pace with the RWC 2015 only days away now.
Now, given my proclivities and the background to this blog even existing, we'll be focussing on the awesomeness that is the All Blacks in their bid to go #BACK2BACK, and the always enjoyable Brave Blossoms of Japan. I'll hopefully get to a bunch of stuff in the next week before it all kicks off, but until then *da, da, da, dum, dum, da daaa!*
ﾗｸﾞﾋﾞｰﾜｰﾙﾄﾞｶｯﾌﾟ2015 Rugby World Cup 2015
So, first up, and given the ad nauseum discussion that preceded the naming of the All Black squad to RWC 2015, here is the - at least in this country - much less contentious Japan Rugby squad:
Japan RWC 2015 squad:
Forwards: Keita Inagaki, Masataka Mikami, Kensuke Hatakeyama, Hiroshi Yamashita, Shota Horie, Takeshi Kizu, Hiroki Yuhara, Luke Thompson, Shinya Makabe, Shoji Ito, Hitoshi Ono, Michael Leitch (capt.), Ryu Koliniasi Holani, Michael Broadhurst, Hendrik Tui, Amanaki Lelei Mafi, Justin Ives.
So not exactly a flat out, run away blockbuster team naming, but there are some points of interest for your average ABs fan. With a bunch of ex-pats and locals, there are a few names that really stand out:
Michael Leitch
A solid performer for the Chiefs this year, and represented a chunk of the physicality the Chiefs' pack offered. In what offers mixed emotions for moi, the Japanese Captain opted to return to the Waikato (and Bay of Plenty, Counties, Taranaki, Thames Valley and King Country - it's a FRANCHISE PEOPLE!), instead of representing the troubled Japanese Super Rugby franchise.
Should be a fun watch seeing him match it with the Bokke forwards in their opening game!
Tanaka Fumiaki
Fresh from his season as Joe Wheeler's pet at the Highlanders (see below), this more than able backup to Aaron Smith knows how to get a backline away. The best bit will be not having to listen to Grant Nisbett mispronounce his name and save my tele from another telling off ("Tanaarka gets it away...." NO HE FRIGGIN' DOESN'T 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT HIS FRIGGIN' NAME /rant).
Michael Broadhurst
The name may seem familiar, and that's because this lad has pedigree. He's the older brother of All Black standby and Taranaki/Canes lock James Broadhurst. He obviously got all the speed in the whanau as he's got the 7 on his back.
Craig Wing
Possibly the last player to play for the Sydney City Roosters with a soul, the ex-leagie got the hell out of Bondi for the infinitely more cultured climbs of Kobe (神戸). His claim to fame, in the Te Pahu colours of the Brave Blossoms, was scoring his first try in Japan's historic 23 - 8 defeat of Wales in 2013 in Tokyo (東京). History now shows that this was the first and last time a John Kirwan coached team won a game of rugby. That's facts.
So that's it for now. No doubt thousands of posts will begin flooding in to feed the voracious appettites of the millions of readers about to descend upon this little corner of teh interwebz. Good luck with that. :)
