I may be about to talk a complete load of pigswill, but I've watched a lot of the Japanese team in the RU World Cup over the last couple of weeks, and they seem to come pretty close to demonstrating the speed, handling and skill levels of an RL team playing the 15-man code. This approach has been unique in this WC and took them all the way to the quarter-finals, where they were simply outmuscled by the structure of South Africa....this notwithstanding, they were fast, adventurous and skillful, and had the Boks really scrambling in defence a fair few times. I reckon a couple of the team would be worth a poaching attempt - anybody else see this or have I been drinking too much creosote again?

I agree on the RL aspect, think they’ve shown an RL style of attacking throughout the tournament and have shown teams just how much space there is on the flanks if you just release the ball through a few hands.

Had a decent bet accumulator on the 4 favs winning all the quarters.
Had just about given up on Wales but they just managed to scrape it.
Boks were too physical for the Japanese but they've had a successful tournament.

You are absolutely right about the players.
However there is stacks of money in the Japanese game and they are wanting to be big in RU.

It would take a franchise in the NRL to get them involved imho.

I agree. A team from Tokyo would be wonderful in the NRL.

However it is beyond the thinking capacity of the current leadership of the NRL to consider it. The current members of the Australian Rugby League Commission, which oversees the NRL, can't even see the necessity of a team from Perth, as well as a second Brisbane team, for the near future. So how could they comprehend the value of a team from Tokyo?

Let's see what Mr Peter V'landys -- the current CEO of Racing NSW, who is supposedly a sports management wizard -- does for the NRL when he joins and becomes the Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission next year. Maybe he can revolutionize the NRL and not only promote the acceptance of a team from Perth as well as a second Brisbane team, but maybe even give the Japanese a look in.

I think you have answered your own question here boss, if they cannot necessitate a team from Perth and another from Brisbane, how are they going to fit one in from japan assuming they have the desire to do so.

For many years I have been posting on how the Japanese people, given their lack of size but size of their commitment and allied to great skill, would be more natural rugby league players than union ones.

Mr V'landys reputation as a sports management wizard has taken a bit of a bashing unfortunately as he has recently become embroiled in a major scandal involving the cruelty and slaughter of ex-racehorses in NSW and Queensland despite so called laws to prevent this. The practice was exposed by the National Broadcaster on TV.

I agree right up until the last sentence. I can't see them leaving a sport on the up to one on the decline (in the UK at least).

Said the same myself.
Due to their relative lack of size, they had to play a quick expansive style of rugby and some of their running and handling skills have been superb.

I was really hoping they could beat South Africa but, sadly, it wasn't to be, which is a shame because apart from Japan and NZ, it's been a bloody awful watch.
(I know it serves me right and I do feel a bit grubby for having watched

)

I have enjoyed watching the Japanese side & reading some of the press it has started a big rethink of how their game should be played by some people in that sport. I have experience of playing in Japan in the 1970s & agree that they because of their size (discounting overseas imports) they would be better suited to League. But there lies the problem, they have a long tradition of playing Union that goes deep into their corporate structure & those at the top are fiercely protective of the sport switching codes there is tantamount to treason & can ruin your career prospects. It makes unions campaign against our sport over the last century look like a lovers tiff. You would have to start getting youngsters who have not been involved with Union to play.

Interesting read....
[urlhttps://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/49878877[/url