Leitch is new hero for man in sumo suit
The Rugby Paper|October 20, 2019
Nick Cain looks at the impact Japan’s World Cup giant-killing is having on the whole country.
Leitch is new hero for man in sumo suit

THE day after Japan had written a new chapter in their Rugby Union history by reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time, the uplift in the national mood following their enthralling victory over Scotland was palpable.

The sheer elan Japan showed in scoring four tries to win a place in the last eight at the expense of the Scots was a good news story to offset the regular updates on the trail of destruction left by the grim typhoon Hagibis 24 hours earlier.

This opportunity to focus on such a positive international sports story with local heroes at its heart was something Japanese radio and TV stations could not get enough of, and coach Jamie Joseph and his Brave Blossoms for once knocked the country’s two main sports, baseball and sumo wrestling, out of the ground.

Having caught a flight from Tokyo to Oita the morning after watching the 28-21 thriller at the Yokohama Stadium, I switched on the TV in my hotel room in Beppu, 590 miles south of the capital on the island of Kyushu, to find almost every channel showing replays of Japan’s warp-speed rugby.

Not only that, but with quarter-final fever in the air there were non-stop interviews with Japanese players like two-try winger Kenki Fukuoka, dreadlocked hooker Shota Horie, No.8 Kazuki Himeno, centre Ryoto Nakamura, and scrum-half Yutaka Nagare. These included a ‘what’s your favourite meal’ feature in a country even more obsessed with cooking programmes than Britain.

With viewing figures for the match setting records and peaking at 53.7 million on NHK, Japan’s national broadcaster, New Zealander Joseph and his squad are now on their way to becoming household figures – and none more so than Michael Leitch.

Esta historia es de la edición October 20, 2019 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición October 20, 2019 de The Rugby Paper.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE RUGBY PAPERVer todo
Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen
The Rugby Paper

Morris hat-trick lifts Steelmen

HOOKER Ieuan Morris came off the bench to settle matters for Ebbw Vale at Carmarthen Quins with his stunning second half hat-trick completing a 39-11 victory in Super Rygbi Cymru.

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
Joe keen to follow in family footsteps
The Rugby Paper

Joe keen to follow in family footsteps

JOE Ford is leading the charge to take Doncaster Knights to the promised land but says they have a long way to go before that becomes reality.

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry
The Rugby Paper

Robson keen to make it to the top with Coventry

COVENTRY ended the first five-match block of fixtures as the Championship’s only unbeaten side and full-back Charlie Robson has his sights set on promotion, and eventually playing for England.

time-read
1 min  |
October 27, 2024
Hancox joins the 200 club
The Rugby Paper

Hancox joins the 200 club

AFTER 10 years of donning the red, black and yellow shirt for Bournemouth, skipper Grant Hancox made his 200th appearance this month after their Regional 2 South Central clash against Winchester.

time-read
1 min  |
October 27, 2024
Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under
The Rugby Paper

Bear keen to be a big hit Down Under

FORMER Cornish Pirates back row Bear Williams has flourished in making the difficult transition from rugby union to league and has plans to play in Australia’s NRL. `

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
To play in two World Cups was a dream
The Rugby Paper

To play in two World Cups was a dream

RUGBY started quite late for me.

time-read
6 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
Call time on this pantomime ploy
The Rugby Paper

Call time on this pantomime ploy

THIS 60-second shot clock twaddle. If we must continue to plough down this blind alley it needs to apply from the moment the referee awards the penalty. If the authorities are going to put some stick about at least do it properly and with conviction.

time-read
4 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
Coetzee's pulling his weight again
The Rugby Paper

Coetzee's pulling his weight again

WHETHER he starts or comes off the bench, Jaco Coetzee is just happy to be contributing fully to Bath’s revival after an injury-hit start to his career in blue, black and white.

time-read
2 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...
The Rugby Paper

Murray's on a wing - and a prayer ...

BLAIR Murray began the week ‘in a state of shock’ at having gone from nowhere on one side of the world to the starting grid for the autumn Tests on the other.

time-read
3 minutos  |
October 27, 2024
We need to kick on after winning at last
The Rugby Paper

We need to kick on after winning at last

Paul Rees talks to Ethan Grayson who heard from two rugby legends after he helped Newcastle end their 25-match losing run

time-read
5 minutos  |
October 27, 2024