Japan’s Sunwolves will be ready for Super 18 season, says new Sanzar boss
The new chief of southern hemisphere rugby on Wednesday said he's confident Japan's Sunwolves will take part in the expanded Super Rugby tournament – despite the newcomers not yet appointing a coach.
The new chief of southern hemisphere rugby on Wednesday said he's confident Japan's Sunwolves will take part in the expanded Super Rugby tournament – despite the newcomers not yet appointing a coach.
SANZAR chief executive Andy Marinos said the Sunwolves were likely to name a head coach within the next fortnight, adding they had already contracted a "core group" of 24-25 Japanese players.
However, with just three months before the Super Rugby season kicks off, Marinos admitted uncertainty remained over how both the Sunwolves and the South Africa's embattled Southern Kings would fare.
I’ve learned one thing in rugby – you can never start writing off teams before the competition actually properly gets under way
The Southern Kings are re-entering the competition but have suffered high-profile financial difficulties, forcing the South African Rugby Union to step in and take control of the franchise.
"With the Kings and Japan it's a hell of a lot of the unknown," Marinos, who was appointed this week, told journalists on a teleconference. "How are they going to adapt to the travel, to the schedule?
"But saying that, I've learned one thing in rugby – you can never start writing off teams before the competition actually properly gets under way."
Marinos said the "biggest challenge" for the Sunwolves had been finding a head coach. Former Japan coach Eddie Jones had been lined up for the role but walked away before the World Cup.