WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – Scrumhalf Fumi Tanaka has announced his retirement from international rugby at the age of 39, after one of the most successful eras in Japanese rugby.
Tanaka played in Japan’s victory over South Africa at the 2015 World Cup and at the 2019 World Cup in Japan, where the home team defeated Ireland and Scotland. His international career began in 2008 when Japan was rugby’s lone outpost in Asia and culminated with the recent Japan League One season, which featured some of the best players in world rugby.
Tanaka played under Japan head coach Eddie Jones for three years from 2012 to 2015, ending his career with Jones again in charge of the Japan national team. As Tanaka plans the next phase of his career as a coach, he sees a lesson in Jones’ career path and personal growth.
In his first incarnation as Japan coach, Jones was a hard-nosed and hard worker whose methods alienated many players. Tanaka has seen Jones in his early stages Second term Through experience he believes he has discovered a new and better way.
„The style of training is still tough, but as a man he’s much softer now,” Tanaka said in an interview through a translator from Tokyo on Friday.
„Probably the level of Japanese rugby is higher now than it was when he first coached. Probably the understanding between the players is deeper than before. It makes him more comfortable than before. He’s not frustrated anymore. That’s my impression.”
During the 2012-2015 era, Jones was so angry that even captain Michael Leitch couldn’t approach him and advocate on behalf of the players, Tanaka said.
„But that didn’t happen (this time) in my view,” Tanaka said. „People can talk to him and he really approaches players who have made mistakes. That’s the difference I’ve seen compared to when I was a national team player.
Jones has picked a remarkably young Japan squad for this year’s Tests against England and Georgia. He seems more comfortable setting younger players in their ways than dealing with older players.
Despite Jones’ antics, Tanaka said Japan had made a significant difference to rugby in his first term in charge.
„I played in the national team for 11 years and after we got Ettie, he changed the awareness of the game for me, (Hooker) Shota Hori and all the other players,” he said. „Before he joined us we had a limited awareness of the game and he opened our eyes to see more about the many aspects of the game.”
This culminated in a win over South Africa in Brighton, England in 2015, which Tanaka said changed the world’s view of Japan rugby.
“After that game, (the Japanese fans) saw us and every part of our game was focused. „After that, I realized that people know about rugby very quickly,” Tanaka said.
„In the past, it was a very rare occasion when we would see kids with an oval ball or kids and families with jerseys coming to the stadium. Now we can see all these people coming to the stadium when Japan plays. It’s a very happy thing for us.
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