Advertisement
Could Japan join Rugby Championship? Michael Leitch talks tier 1, Asia and Eddie Jones
- Japan need to play stronger opposition more often if they are to keep progressing, talisman says as he targets Jones’ England at 2023 World Cup
- Brave Blossoms also ‘have responsibility to help other emerging teams grow’ despite leaving Asia Rugby Championship, dominated since by Hong Kong
Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
If arguably the toughest thing to crack in international rugby is a glass ceiling, few are better qualified to give career advice than Michael Leitch, of Japan.
Advertisement
Whether aiming to join Europe’s top table, or outwit a southern hemisphere giant, or graduate from whipping boys to knockout kings, it pays in union’s global game to know your place.
But the Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo flanker intends to keep shaking up the world order with club and country, and sees admission to elite competitions as the way to do it.
Leitch’s first target is clinching a semi-final spot with Toshiba as Japan Rugby League One concludes this weekend. Beyond that, the 33-year-old wants to mix it with the best from abroad.
A World Club Cup has been mooted, as has including Japan in loftier test circles such as the Rugby Championship, and Leitch is in favour.
“Go back a few years and we were playing in the Asian Five Nations, which was a great tournament in its own right,” Leitch said. “But for our standard of play, we need to face opposition that are stronger than us. We had a long period playing mostly tier-two teams. The key for Japan is to keep playing tier-one sides.”
Advertisement
Advertisement