Japanese Top league now stronger than the RABO?

With the influx of top talent into the Japanese Top league over the last 12 months I wondering if it could now be of a higher general quality than the Rabo?

This is not knocking the clubs that participate in the Rabo(Leinster, Ulster etc are top draw) but rather the actual quality of the league throughout the season.

General thought?

It surely can't be long before the JTL receives NH TV coverage?!?!

What do you mean by general quality? Do you mean like a japanese team could beat leinster?

I don't have the full rosters but are a lot of the imports to Japan not ex internationalists who are past their sell by date. In their prime, the players may well be better than the average Rabo player but the Rabo is chokkers with current grand slam winners etc

No not a chance in hell, the image certain people have of the Japanease league is a nothing like the reality.

The Japanease league is still largely part time or semi pro players playing as well as working for their respective companies. They do bring in occasionally players on huge sums to bring prestige to the league and to the companies who own the clubs but crowds are small and interest quite weak in Japanease rugby these days. During the 80's and 90's there was a lot of interest in rugby but coverage of the football J-League has pretty much killed off the interest and coverage in the game of rugby.

Considering the size of the cities many of the clubs are in the crowds are very small from what Iv'e read.

Can you tell me some of the big names currently playing in the Japanese top league?

Currently:

Jaque Fourie, Brad Thorn, Fourie du Preez, Danie Roussow, Jerome Kaino etc

Recent: Peter Grant, Ma'a Monu, James Haskell etc

To play: Alesana Tuilagi, Sonny Bill Williams(?),

But with 14 teams that's about 1 star in every 3 teams. Great for growing interest and bringing on local players, but not good enough to compete with the Rabo teams, no way!

you should also consider that in every club squad they can have a max of 6 non japanease players, 4 of them capped internationals and another 2 qualifying for japan on residency.
Do japans best players really push the tier 1 countries hard in games?

Shifty wrote:you should also consider that in every club squad they can have a max of 6 non japanease players, 4 of them capped internationals and another 2 qualifying for japan on residency.
Do japans best players really push the tier 1 countries hard in games?

no. But they are developing very fast and they aim to be a top 10 team in a couple of years.

A really really naive post or else somebody sowing the seeds of a wum.

red_stag wrote:A really really naive post or else somebody sowing the seeds of a wum.

Yes, I know what you mean, this type of post causes a lot of damage, next thing you know it'll encourage some fool to say that the ROBO is stronger than the ITM or Currie Cup.

Shifty wrote:No not a chance in hell, the image certain people have of the Japanease league is a nothing like the reality.

The Japanease league is still largely part time or semi pro players playing as well as working for their respective companies. They do bring in occasionally players on huge sums to bring prestige to the league and to the companies who own the clubs but crowds are small and interest quite weak in Japanease rugby these days. During the 80's and 90's there was a lot of interest in rugby but coverage of the football J-League has pretty much killed off the interest and coverage in the game of rugby.

Considering the size of the cities many of the clubs are in the crowds are very small from what Iv'e read.

Have you got a source for this? I think your information may be incorrect, almost sure it is.

I think Japan can push into the top 10 of the world. They play great positive rugby and pushed France all the way in the RWC. From my understanding the league is going from strength to strength but there is no way it is better than the Celtic league in any shape or form.

Even if it is a WUM at least it sparks some interest and makes for good reading during the very dull off season!

If you are having a very dull off season, you could always take a look at some Southern Hemisphere rugby, you never know you might find thats its not all that bad.

As a newly graduated student I can not afford the luxury of sky plus and my sleeping pattern dictates that I sleep when all this rugby is on. But thank you for your efforts to brighten up life. It is appreciated.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:With the influx of top talent into the Japanese Top league over the last 12 months I wondering if it could now be of a higher general quality than the Rabo?

This is not knocking the clubs that participate in the Rabo(Leinster, Ulster etc are top draw) but rather the actual quality of the league throughout the season.

General thought?

It surely can't be long before the JTL receives NH TV coverage?!?!

Do you know anything about rugby? Anything at all? Stupid wum.

Well, certainly some talent going to Japan. Its not going to be stronger than the Rabo or the French league, although it's already looking stronger than the English Premiership.

offload wrote:Well, certainly some talent going to Japan. Its not going to be stronger than the Rabo or the French league, although it's already looking stronger than the English Premiership.

Yeah LWs promotion and the influx of "rats fleeing a sinking ship" from across the dyke has dragged the quality average right down.

Free George North!

Might be in a few years. currently only at the level of the premiership in England though.

Some of you have took this the wrong way.

I'm not stating the teams in the Rabo would be at the same level as the Top league but rather the Rabo itself.

On a whole many of the big players for Rabo teams don't play (Ferris, Jones etc) where in the the TL the big players DO play each week.

A full strength Leinster, Ulster etc side would obviously walk the Top league but would a Rabo strength Edinburgh side compete to high standard?

For those who missed it heres that Pacific Nations table again in full

Team W D L PTS
Samoa 3 0 0 12
Fiji 2 0 1 10
Tonga 1 0 2 5
Japan 0 0 3 4


Top 10 or bust!


Pooly I think you are completely overestimating the importance of a few overpaid stars there for the money on the overall quality of the players. The simple fact is the majority are barely professional standard. Drawing comparssion to the MLS and other leagues that have attempted to gain credibility with a few big name buy ins is sound in this case. The underlying quality of the average player in those leagues would make Connacht feel better about themselves. IPL perhaps another example, the difference between the star players and the squad makeweights is deliberately kept high to exaggerate just how amazing the big name players are and add to their marketing potential. the underlying product is a bit ropey.

That Connacht who knocked the English champions out of the HC?

Artful_Dodger wrote:That Connacht who knocked the English champions out of the HC?

Right so its quite reasonable to suggest that Japanse sides arent as good as connacht yes? or would that require stepping out of a celtic/saxon inferiority complex debate for a minute?

I think the Rabo teams we see in the HC are generally a different beast to the ones we see in the Celtic league

Who cares if it is or not. I think the Rabo fans on this board should ignore wums and whingers and just enjoy the league. Next season the Rabo league is going to be stronger than ever. Most of the teams have strengthened their squads so expect to see a further rise in standards. Crowds could be up and more and more the league is being seen as a prize worth winning.

aucklandlaurie wrote:

red_stag wrote:A really really naive post or else somebody sowing the seeds of a wum.

Yes, I know what you mean, this type of post causes a lot of damage, next thing you know it'll encourage some fool to say that the ROBO is stronger than the ITM or Currie Cup.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:That Connacht who knocked the English champions out of the HC?

Right so its quite reasonable to suggest that Japanse sides arent as good as connacht yes? or would that require stepping out of a celtic/saxon inferiority complex debate for a minute?

Whatever you want, I just though there was absolutely no need to have that dig at Connacht as though they are the weakest team in Europe which they clearly arent.

Artful_Dodger wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:That Connacht who knocked the English champions out of the HC?

Right so its quite reasonable to suggest that Japanse sides arent as good as connacht yes? or would that require stepping out of a celtic/saxon inferiority complex debate for a minute?

Whatever you want, I just though there was absolutely no need to have that dig at Connacht as though they are the weakest team in Europe which they clearly arent.

Clealry giants of European rugby, although the only team they scored more pool points than last year doesnt exist anymore.

So they werent the weakest team in the Heineken Cup nevermind Europe - any particular reason you feel the need to have a go at Connacht - which club is it you support?

Connacht

Funny how its the posters that don't like revealing the club they support on their profile or in discussion that are always so quick to have a dig at other clubs isn't it.

LOL

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

When you have something of value to contribute you might get a sensible debate back. When you are just here to provoke stupid bickering about nothing and try to make things personal youll get people like me who have nothing better to do other than annoy you.

Sorry.

No need to apologize to me and the only person making a fool of themselves with comments like "LOL" is you. We were having a debate in the other thread but you suddenly disappeared after you started talking utter bollix and couldn't back up your statements.

Brad Thorn said that he was glad to get games, in the Rabo, under his belt because he hadn't really played competitive rugby since the World Cup. Was he playing in Japan between the World Cup and joining Leinster? If so, it tells it's own story how how strong the Japanese Top League is.