Toyota Verblitz have announced their squad for the Round 17 fixture of NTT Japan Rugby League One, where they will face Mie Honda Heat on May 4th. Scrum-half Aaron Smith, who was left out of the previous matchday squad, returns to start at half-back. The team will also enter the match with a 6-2 bench configuration for the first time this season. It’s a clash between 10th-placed Verblitz and 11th-placed Heat, a high-stakes match that could determine which side avoids the relegation playoff. A fierce forward battle is expected.
“We think that's best suits the way we want to play this week and gives us more versatility than going with 5-3.”said Head Coach Steve Hansen. Among the forward reserves, 30-year-old prop Runya Che and 36-year-old hooker Ryuhei Arita have been included in the match day squad for the first time this season. “Both of them have been playing really well for the Mirai. They're both experienced players and we just felt that it was the right time to give them an opportunity. The expectation is they bring something to the team that we haven't had in the last few weeks,” Hansen explained.
One of the keys in this important game is not to lose momentum in set-pieces during the final stages. The closing minutes have been entrusted to these veterans. “We’re treating this like a Grand Final,” said fullback Taichi Takahashi at the press conference—words originally shared earlier in the week by co-coach Ian Foster. “I’ve never really approached a game that way before, but it reminded me of how I felt in the university championship final in my senior year. I was excited, and I had that absolute drive to win the title. I want to bring back that feeling for this week’s match.”
In 2018, Takahashi’s Meiji University team defeated Tenri University 22-17 in the 55th All-Japan University Championship Final, capturing their first title in 22 years. It was Takahashi himself who scored the decisive try off a beautifully executed set play. He has now started at fullback in four consecutive games. “I want to cover the backfield space on defense, even in off-camera moments. That kind of effort is my strength. I want to lead Joey Manu and Viliame Tuidraki with my voice and take charge of the back three.” While taking on a leadership role in the backline, Takahashi also hopes to contribute through his primary strength—scoring tries.
Flanker Koosei Miki, who will start at 7, shared, “There’s pressure, responsibility, and a lot weighing on me. But it’s about overcoming that pressure. I want to enjoy it and give everything I’ve got.” Foster often tells Miki that “a flanker should smile like an assassin.” “Having fun, staying relaxed, and maintaining that smile can be threatening to oppositions,” Miki added. He aims to be that unshakably calm 7—just like the legendary Michael Hooper. Miki started in the season opener but was sidelined by injury in February. In his return match in April against Saitama Wild Knights, he received a red card for dangerous play. With coaching intervention from World Rugby, his suspension was reduced from two games to one, allowing him to return last round. Since joining the team in April last year, he’s had a rollercoaster debut season in League One.
“To make sure we never end up in a losing situation again, I’ve been repeatedly working on the breakdown. The key is how to bring intensity while staying within the laws.” Although Miki says he's not the biggest player physically, Hansen offered high praise. “Miki is actually bigger than Hooper, so it's an optical illusion. Miki's got a big heart so we've got no problem with his size. He is very accurate in the things he does and he is a smart thinker of the game.”
Both teams will be under pressure in this match, but Hansen emphasized. “We've got to walk towards that pressure and actually get excited by it. We've got to channel into that adrenaline to have a very good game of rugby.” With only two games remaining in the regular season, the head coach is maintaining a long-term perspective while staying focused on the task at hand. “Regardless of what happens in the next two games, we still are going to have to look at our physicality. Are we strong enough? Are we big enough? We have to look at ourselves tactically too. All those things are key components to a very good side. We have to keep growing those because we're not the finished product on any of them yet. That will happen regardless of what happens in the next two weeks.”
First things first—score more points than the opponent on Sunday.
Treat it like the Grand Final.Play with joy, and give it everything.
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