Cane and Kolbe link up for Japan opener
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Just over a month since the Rugby World Cup final, 14 of the players who featured in the showpiece match will suit up for club duty in Japan's Rugby League One opening round.
The tournament kicks off on December 9 with newly promoted Mie Honda Heat travelling to face 2018 Japanese champions, Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
Both teams have ex-international coaches in charge, with former Wallaby boss Dave Rennie having arrived to take the reins at Kobe, while Heat now have the recent Italian mentor, another New Zealander, Kieran Crowley.
A new champion was crowned last season as Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay edged the defending champion Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights by two points in a thrilling final played in front of 42,000 people.
The Spears, who have replaced their injured star South African Malcolm Marx, with All Black hooker Dane Coles, will start their title defence as one of the favourites, especially as they have added Wales fullback Liam Williams to an electric backline that includes last year's breakout star, 17-try winger Haruto Kida.
The 2023/24 season is headlined by World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea joining Kobelco Kobe Steelers, with the All Black joined in Japan by six of his teammates, alongside seven South African world champions.
The two teams who have recruited heaviest sat just outside of the semi-finals last term, with fifth-place Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo bringing in All Blacks fly-half Richie Mo'unga and back row Shannon Frizell, while sixth-place Toyota Verblitz, also shopped in New Zealand, picking up scrum-half Aaron Smith and fly-half Beauden Barrett.
Barrett played for Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath in the final Top League three years ago, as did his international teammate and fellow centurion Brodie Retallick, who has returned to Kobe after playing nine games for the club in the disrupted 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Six Nations-winning Wales coach Wayne Pivac has also signed up for service in Japan with NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu. Ricoh Black Rams To-
kyo possess ex-Wales international centre Hadleigh Parkes and former England No.8 Nathan Hughes.
Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, who missed last year's final after having featured in the previous two deciders, have responded to that disappointment by bringing in superstar wing Cheslin
Kolbe, All Blacks captain Sam Cane and Wales flyhalf Gareth Anscombe.
Cane, 31, who has 94 caps, believes New Zealand Rugby should review their policy which prevents the All Blacks from selecting foreign-based players. He will return to New Zealand prior to their next inter national, so he won't miss any Test matches, but that is not the case for the likes of Mo'unga and Smith.
Mo'unga, 29, has signed a three-year deal in Asia.
Openside Cane thinks NZR can learn lessons from South Africa, who have won the last two World Cups despite changing their overseas policy.
“A lot of the Springboks have shown the ability to play in League One and go back to international rugby fairly quickly and continue to play their best,” Cane said.
“The challenge for us who are on the shorter-term deals in the hope of playing international rugby again is that we play really well here. Should we get the opportunity to represent the All Blacks again, we've got to show we've improved our games. If not, kick off where we left off.
“If we can do that, maybe that conversation can be had with New Zealand Rugby, but I can also see the other side. The fact of having experienced players to bring through young guys in the New Zealand game is equally important. Obviously a lot to consider and well above my pay grade.”
