A new project to develop future Japanese representatives has started. The first session of “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Program” was held. – Rugby Republic

Today is the first day of preparations for the 2027 World Cup.

That’s how head coach Eddie Jones (hereinafter referred to as HC) described the day.

On April 25th, the first session of the “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Program,” a newly established project to accelerate the development of future Japanese national team players, was held at Meiji University Hachimanyama Ground. The participants were 14 university students (see below), mainly members who participated in the Pacific Challenge as JAPAN XV. On the day, he attended a S&C program training session, a rugby skills session, and a one-on-one meeting, giving him the opportunity to learn from multiple angles the essence of super-fast rugby that coach Jones advocates.

In the skill session that was open to reporters, Neil Hatley, who supported Jones as head coach on the England and Australian national teams, was in charge of training the forwards. He worked tirelessly on a high-intensity menu that involved hitting his body hard, from set pieces to contact skills and breakdown work. Jones said Hatley is an excellent scrum coach and is particularly good at bringing out the best in young players. He will also join the coaching staff of the Japan national team.

In addition, the BK team, along with coach Ippei Asada of the U20 Japan National Team, coached Jones HC himself, using menus such as 3-on-2 and 4-on-3 to raise awareness of catch passes and carefully checking running courses. The session, which lasted just over an hour, continued in a relaxed mood from start to finish, with HC Jones’ voices echoing around the field, such as “Iiyo!” and “Ichibanjozu!”

The small number of participants allowed for more detailed communication with the coaching staff, and the players commented, “It was an opportunity to feel connected to the Japan national team.” “I was told to make my attack, which is my strength, not just a strength, but the biggest strength in Japan,” said Keito Aoki, FL/NO8, a fourth year student at Teikyo University. WTB Kohaku Ebisawa, a second-year student at Meiji University who had a different menu this time due to an injury, expressed her feelings, saying, “I was given this opportunity to see something that was so far away seem closer.I was happy to be able to participate.” .

It is planned that this program will continue to be held by the 14 people who participated this time, and the next one is scheduled to be held in June.

Keito Aoki (Toin Gakuen → Teikyo University) 187cm/100kg
Yuta Akihama (Toin Gakuen → Meiji University) 174cm/85kg
Chuka Ishibashi (Hotoku Gakuen → Kyoto Sangyo University) 190cm/95kg
Ryunosuke Ito (Kokugakuin Oki → Meiji University) 170cm/76kg
Kohaku Ebisawa (Hotoku Gakuen → Meiji University) 173cm/79kg
Shinya Komura (Hamilton Boys High School → Teikyo University) 179cm/80kg
Kenji Sato (Toin Gakuen → Waseda University) 177cm/108kg
Joji Takagi (Higashi Fukuoka → Kyoto Sangyo University) 168cm/70kg
Kantaro Tajima (Higashi Fukuoka → Meiji University) 195cm/98kg
Asahi Tsuchinaga (Koizumi Catholic → Kyoto Sangyo University) 170cm/73kg
Yuta Hatta (Joto → Kyoto Sangyo University) 185cm/112kg
Yamato Fukuda (Chubu University Kasugaoka → Teikyo University) 188cm/99kg
Takaya Motohashi (Kyoto Seisho → Teikyo University) 182cm/86kg
Yutaka Yazaki (Toin Gakuen → Waseda University) 180cm/85kg