Why Japan's 19-year-old fullback sensation has been pulled from national duty

On August 30th, team Japan announced its roster for the upcoming matches in the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup for their game against the United States.

The biggest talking point is the exclusion of fullback Yoshitaka Yazaki.

Yazaki, the youngest member of the team at 19 years old, is a sophomore at Waseda University and has been standing out with his running skills and speed since his days at Toin Gakuen High School.

Head coach Eddie Jones recognized his talent, giving him a starting position as a fullback in all six test matches, from the first one against England to the opening PNC match against Canada.

Yazaki's performances in these test matches have shown both potential and inexperience. What’s certain is that Jones has consistently praised him in every press conference. Before the Canada match, Jones openly expressed that, "He is currently the best fullback in Japan."

The reason for Yazaki’s exclusion, despite Jones's strong support, is due to the start of Waseda University's rugby season in September.

It seems there was an agreement between the national team and the university that Yazaki's participation would only be before the university season begins. While it might be puzzling that university games take higher priorities than test matches, this is not uncommon in Japan.

University rugby in Japan has enjoyed deep-rooted popularity since before World War II. The annual fixture between Waseda and Meiji University, held on the first Sunday of December, has historically drawn 60,000 spectators—more than Japan's national team games.

Even today, there are a number of fans who prioritize university rugby over the national team.

In Japan, talented players typically progress from high school to university, where they play rugby for four years before joining a League One team after graduation. During their professional career, they focus on rugby, and after retirement, they remain with their companies as full-time employees. This has been the norm for decades.

However, this trend is slowly beginning to change. The first trailblazer in this shift was Shota Fukui of the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.

Fukui, now 23 years old, made a name for himself at Higashi Fukuoka High School and was selected for every age-group category from U17 onward. While it was expected that he would move on to a top-tier university, Fukui chose the path of becoming a professional player after graduating high school, supported by his strong will and the Wild Knights.

Of course, he didn't become a starting player immediately. However, under the guidance of Robbie Deans, Fukui developed steadily and even played in last year's World Cup. Though currently sidelined due to injury, there’s no doubt he will continue to compete for a regular spot on the national team.

Warner Dearns, who scored two tries and was named Man of the Match in the PNC opener against Canada, followed a similar path.

Born in Wellington and starting rugby at the Napier Pirates at the age of four, Dearns, now 22, moved to Chiba in his youth when his father, Grant, coached NEC Green Rockets. He attended an international school and then went on to Ryutsu Keizai University Kashiwa High School, where he excelled in high school rugby.

While it was expected that he would continue on to Ryutsu Keizai University, he instead joined Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in 2021 after graduation. Last season, Toshiba won the Japanese championship for the first time in 10 years, with Dearns playing a significant role alongside Michael Leitch.

It’s clear that talented players like Fukui and Dearns mature faster as rugby players by joining League One directly after high school. With the global acceleration of rugby's evolution, some are questioning the relevance of university-level sports.

Jones, however, shows respect for and acknowledges the value of Japan's university rugby. "The four years of balancing rugby with academics are important," he says, supporting Yazaki’s university life. In press conferences, he always remembers to thank the university team and emphasizes that "we are always in communication with the clubs," maintaining a good relationship.

There’s another crucial aspect of university rugby. Only a handful of players continue to play rugby at the top level after being part of a strong university team. The majority end their rugby careers at university, with some entering global companies afterward. These individuals pour the same passion they had for rugby into their work and rise to positions of influence within their companies, supporting Japanese rugby. Japan’s corporate-backed rugby scene couldn’t exist without these university alumni.

For example, Mitsubishi Estate, a leading real estate developer and the official sponsor of Japan's national team began supporting rugby thanks to Shinsaku Takada, who captained Keio University to its first university championship in its 100th year in 2000.

Takada joined the company in 2005, starting in tenant sales for office buildings. In 2018, he launched a project within the company to integrate sports and urban development, leading to the successful "Marunouchi 15th Street Project" near Tokyo Station during the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The true value of university rugby in Japan lies in producing such individuals. If university rugby were to decline, the foundation of Japanese rugby would be shaken. Jones understands this well.

The Japan national team will face the All Blacks, England, and France in the autumn series. While Jones would love to give Yazaki more experience, Waseda University also has crucial matches against strong teams during this period.

Whether Yazaki's name will appear on the November roster will depend on the discussions between Jones and Waseda University in the coming weeks.