Brave Blossoms look to bud new talent


The Japan Rugby Football Union announced Monday its long-awaited International Rugby Board-backed plan to develop a high performance unit.


Titled the ATQ Programme--as in advance to the quarterfinals at the 2011 Rugby World Cup--the

"aim of the High Performance Plan is to develop players, coaches, referees, competitions and administrators who will help to achieve our target."

The plan is part of the IRB's aim to develop the so-called Tier 2 nations--which include Canada, Fiji, the United States, Samoa, Tonga, Romania and Japan--and develop a "mid-term strategy to make rugby a major world sport."


With the national team as the focus point, the program will be run by former Waikato prop Tony Philp, who has been the IRB man in Japan for just under a year.

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"I believe Japan can succeed on the world stage," Philp said shortly after arriving in Japan.
"What I have noticed since I have been here is that Japan rugby has some key ingredients that will allow them to reach their true potential.
"It has enough players, resources and passion for the game to become succesful and I am excited about being part of this."

As far as the players are concerned, there are three parts to the development program.


The pre-academy will feature 10 players aged 17 and under who are deemed to "have exceptional talent and the X-factor."


Thirty players aged 18 to 23 will join the academy, which will be based in Japan and will "train in their own environment under the guidance of JRFU staff."


The high performance unit, meanwhile, will feature 10 players aged 19 to 25--four of whom will be company players and six from university teams.


The players will be based overseas with the forwards living and training in Waikato, New Zealand, home to the Chiefs. The backs, meanwhile, will be based in New South Wales, Australia, with the Waratahs.


Besides following an intensive training regime, the players are also scheduled to attend school, take cooking and English lessons and play club rugby.


The JRFU hopes that the players who form the HPU will not only be key players for the Brave Blossoms at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, but will be future leaders of rugby in Japan and Japanese society.


The plan also includes measures to continue and enhance the development of the current coaches' program; implement a Japan Rugby Referee Plan and develop strong international and domestic competitions at all levels.


Source: Rich Freeman / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter