Discovering young players who will play a role in the next generation of Japan’s national rugby team. “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Program” starts | Rugby column

On April 25th (Thursday), the “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD (JTS) Program”, aimed at developing university students, was launched at the initiative of Head Coach Eddie Jones of the Japan Rugby National Team.

Head coach Jones, who took over as the coach of the Japan national team in January, said at press conferences, “We want to create the Otani (Shohei) of the rugby world,” and “Many of the players in the 2023 World Cup squad are older. He said, “We need to reorganize the team,” and “Discovering promising young players is extremely important and is our top priority.” He immediately took action.

In collaboration with the universities where the athletes are enrolled, this program targets 14 selected university athletes and provides them with year-round support in terms of S&C (strength and conditioning) and nutrition, including visits to universities by Japanese national team staff. I do.

With the exception of the official university season, we regularly hold skill sessions with Head Coach Jones and others, and provide advice from various specialist staff, with the aim of developing world-class players who can represent Japan on the world stage. .

◆14 players participating in “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Program”

☆: Participation in training camp in February
*Marked: Selected for April’s “JAPANXV” and participated in the Samoa expedition

PR Yuta Hatta (2nd year at Kyoto Sangyo University/Tokushima/Joto)*
HO Kenji Sato (Waseda University 4th year/Toin Gakuen) ☆※
LO/FL Kantaro Tajima (4th year, Meiji University/Higashi Fukuoka)
LO Chuka Ishibashi (2nd year Kyoto Sangyo University/Hotoku Gakuen) ☆※
FL Keito Aoki (4th year at Teikyo University/Toin Gakuen) ☆※
FL Yamato Fukuda (Teikyo University 1st year/Chubu University Kasugaoka)

SH Asahi Tsuchinaga (4th year at Kyoto Sangyo University/Koizumi Catholic) ☆※
SH Joji Takagi (2nd year Kyoto Sangyo University/Higashi Fukuoka) ☆※
SO Ryunosuke Ito (2nd year, Meiji University/Kokugakuin University Tochigi) *
SO/CTB Takaya Motohashi (2nd year Teikyo University/Seisho Kyoto) *
SO/FB Shinya Komura (4th year at Teikyo University/Hamilton Boys)
CTB Yuta Akihama (4th year, Meiji University/Toin Gakuen) ☆※
WTB Kohaku Ebisawa (2nd year Meiji University/Hotoku Gakuen) *
FB Yutaka Yazaki (2nd year, Waseda University/Toin Gakuen) ☆※