It's not what we need to do, Its How we do it.

Mr. Andy Friend is now backing to Sungoliath after 12 years! As you know, Andy was a head coach in Cannon Eagles in this past 2 years. When we interviewed him, we felt that he has the strongest heart to Sungoliath. Let me introduce the new coach Andy Friend.

◆It's my home

—— Andy had coached in Sungoliath from 1999 to 2004. After 12 years later he is back to Sungoliath. How did you feel about this involvement?

As soon as I got here in the team, I feel normal. It feels like coming home. When I was in Canon, I came for OB functioned in Suntory. Even then I felt more familiar and be home again. Then now I came back to work again here, I felt more familiar, missed it this place and realize that this is my House!

—— What do you think about Sungoliath's Players? As Rugby players?

My initial feeling is that this team has a high quality team. There are a lot of very talented players and they all keep good conditions and they all have a good Rugby sense.

—— What is the difference from 12 years ago?

When I was coaching at the time, the team was the strongest team back then....

It has been only 2 and half month since I got back and the players are different but the team's atmosphere has not changed at all. However the program of the team is very good.

Ike (Ikegaya) was the only player who is still here when I was here 12 years ago and all other players are new and whom I did not know... However I knew Ox (Head coach), Ozeki (GM), Katsuo (Okubo) and Kotaro (Tahara-Manager) back then. So there still familiar players and I feel very grateful to see these faces (oldies?!). It feels very similar.

—— Sungoliath had 2 trophies in 2 years a low in 2011 and 2012, how did you see that from outside of Sungoliath?

From outside looking in the team, this team looks very strong. Having got backing in to the team, I could see every programs and the points or issues they need to improve. Once I was in outside, I had a struggled that how do I increase the level of Suntory. Because Suntory had lost 2 games in very important game last year (season), other team might have thought they could beat Suntory... If the other team has thought this idea, we as coaches contradicted these ideas that are our job. We need to prove that Suntory is getting more and stronger to other team and people.

◆More than 20 %

—— After the lost-season is very important and also it is very hard to come back to win again.

The Panasonic had very good forced team and it had to be very difficult and tough to stop this strong momentum. In last season, Panasonic and Toshiba beat Suntory so the other team is also think that we might be able to beat Suntory... Every year we have to step up.

Every one thinks Suntory is dropping a little bit; we need to work harder to improve our skills. Therefore this year is a very important and big challenge for us, we need to take a big steps not only Physical, but also Fitness and Skills and sense of the Rugby all together!

—— To keep winning is very tough but also keeping their energy is tough. After losing the season last year, what do you see the players feeling? Do you see their changing?

Still I have not seen all the players yet, all the players I've seen at the moment is very receptive to change and understood where we were. As we do not need to change everything from last year. What Suntory has been is successful so 80% of what we have done, we keep it then the rest of 20% we need to change it. Everybody's impression I got is that everybody wants to be back up to the champion again. Everybody prepares to do work harder and to get there.

—— What kind of 20% is that you think it needs to change?

The big important of 20% is that It is not what we do, How we do it. Every team does Fitness, catch and pass, contact and basic trainings, but how we do it is important.

Every time we go into the field, we have a focus to get it right. We have the focus to be better than we were before we came into the field. We still do same training or same time sheet but how we doing there inside are different level. So we change the habits and change the level.

We got some attack adjustment, change strategies, conditions and attacks and defense or discipline little by little. But we do not need to change in big, just a small change and how we do this change will lead a more big change and that is more important.

◆Adding the grade to the Penalty

—— Penalty looks more noticeable to Sungoliath, even though they won the game...

You can not win if we have too many penalties. This is same for other sports and competitions; the number one team is always a good defensive team.

In Rugby, if we take a penalty, it would give them 3 points. At the Playoff last year, we had 24 points for penalties and that you can not win so the discipline needs to be good. The part of Discipline does not start on the game day, its everyday to build.

Everyday's training makes better discipline. This is very simple part of the player's responsibilities, for examples, we have this rules that weight your body before and after the training. We give the penalty if the players forget it, just a simple thing. So they know that is their responsibility.

Then we introduced to grade the penalties which have 3 levels of penalties. The hardest/worst penalty is the red penalty. The Red penalty is dum penalty like offside or high tackle. Orange, the middle that is a gray area such as I can see what you are doing and also I understand what Referee would say... In Rugby we have lots of Gray area. Then Green, the lightest penalty that is Referee's error.

So we grade the penalty, if the player has 4 red penalties at the game, that's just ok, But they have 5 or red penalties, No! That's not good, so we teach all players like that.

—— Did you use these penalties training in different team?

Yes, I used before. The penalty is very important and if you keep doing Red Penalty, you could not win. Players need to understand these.

In these penalties, Orange and Green are happens all the time. Fact that in this pre season, we only had 19penalties in total, we aimed 10 so we are doing better, I believe.

◆Forward moving strong

—— After getting 2 trophies in 2 years in a low, lost the season last year, coming to coach in this team, what is the best thing you enjoy the most?

I enjoy responses from the players because we started new things/trainings. It is a small thing like changing call, changing structures I enjoy watching them and it worked out, if worked, they were happy.

The first time with Yakulut, we won but the contents of the game was not good, as well as Honda. But then we had a really good training session against Teikyo University. Also we have a new forward coach Mark Bakewell, He introduced a different line out structure and free malls (getting try through the mall), and so the forwards are moving forward!

So this season, we need to be the thread through the entire different zone on a field.And if so we will be more difficult team than last year.

—— This will have more choices/ abilities/options for the players but also will be big challenge for a team.

Yes, the players will have more variety but we are trying to do simple as possible at the game. We would not have all the options to all the area, looking at the game and choose the options we have. That's the most fun part of coaching to me!

◆Rugby is topic I can always have!

—— You retired as a player in young age and became a coach, did you decided to become a coach immediately?

Firstly, I went to college to learn the sports coaching then learned outdoor education. Then I met my wife and had sons. I just knew that I would not be able to live with out door educations so I just learned more rugby which I love and decided to be a coach.

—— Did you think any different job?

No. Becoming a coach was very natural to me.

—— When you were a player, did you feel or have sense that you become a coach?

I love Rugby so much and when I was 15 years old, I coached for the first time. Then When I was 16 years old, there was a survey for the future. Everybody wrote to become a doctor but I wrote that I did not know... So my teacher asked me that...

"If you were in the situation that you enter the room and were asked to talk about something you like or the most favorite thing you can talk about, what would you be??? "

I answered its Rugby. But I said so; my teacher said that "you are not professional so you could not play rugby".

Even though my teacher had said so, I thought that was a good question. Because the topic I can talk about most comfortably is Rugby. Since then I wanted to be a Rugby Player even though I could not make it there, I wanted to be a Rugby coach. Now, look at me, I did!

—— You did decide your future in early ages, didn't you?!?

I really believed that the question my teacher asked was very good and made me decided. Also I already knew the Rugby and really like it. Rugby is only thing for me.

—— Now you are a coach of Rugby and a teacher, would you do that to other players or young players???

I talk about this sometime.

—— Now you are actually a coach, do you enjoy as you imagined?

Yes, I still like Rugby and really enjoy it. However the toughest thing would be apart from family. Especially, when I was with Super Rugby Team, I always had to be oversea. Being over seas and being away from family was the most difficult thing. Because my boys were little, my wife was with them and raised them. She was very understanding and very thankful for that.

—— How about your family?

My wife lives with me but my sons are living in Australia.Both of my sons play Rugby, my older son Josh is 19 years old and his position is FB. He goes to University of Sydney. My younger son Jackson is 17 years old and He does Lock and No.8. He goes to school in Canberra (where we are from) but he is going to Scotland next year.

◆Getting to know Rugby and Players

—— As becoming a coach of Rugby, How did you learn / study Rugby for teaching.

I first studied in university. After I graduated university, because I wanted to have more experiences, I went to see lots of coaches in different places/teams, reading, and talked to a lot of people. I got to meet a lot of good teams and people, I was pretty lucky about that.

—— Do you have any person or team that gave you strong influences?

I got to meet a lot of good coaches and they taught me that Head coach management is very hard. When I joined the Suntory for the first time, Tsuchida san (Mr. Tsuchida) was such a great head coach and good with management as well as Eddie Jones, I think of a good coach is that who talks to the players a lot and whom have a good conversation skills. Even though I met a lot of coaches, I have few coaches that I would never be like them! Lol

—— What kind a coaches would be??

There were few coaches who were in Super Rugby, coaches like they do not keep the promises from players or disrespectful to others and did not tell important things to players etc... ashamed...

—— What is your charm point of coaching?

I think I have a good communication with players. For me, I am always willing to know more about Rugby as a person and it is very important for me as a coach to get to know all the players. Each player has different characters and skills so I always think that what is the best plan for the players to play their best.

◆Looking at eyes

—— For very interesting that every time I am talking to you, it makes me feel very comfortable. What is your trick?

I always look at eyes, some people finds uncomfortable to look at their eyes. But you can always tell what they are thinking about when you see the eyes.

Few years ago, I was teaching for the Fiji's players, He was always looking down when he talk to people. I thought that if they are not looking at your eyes, they were lying or they were not trusting you.... So I told him "please looking at me/ my eyes when you talk to me.!" Then the player answered me that one of his coaches taught him that do not look at the coaches or their eyes when you talked to the coaches. When I heard this, I was very surprised but I got to know these culture differences... However you can always tell something when you look at the eyes.

—— Did you ever get very emotional?

Yes, of Course. When the players do good play, I praise them very highly. On the other hand, when they play badly, you will see it...lol. But I might not get any emotional normally... So that I am good with playing poker- poker face.

—— So you are very social and able to mange your feelings or emotions?

Yes, I think so. Also I think trust others. Trusting other is a good point but also a bad point to me... Some people think it is not a good idea to trust people but I would not stop it. So if somebody betrays my trust.... That would be a big and bad!!!

◆Each Players needs to realize their potential!

—— What was the happiest thing since you became as a coach?

Won the Championship. The last year of my coaching in Suntory last time, we were able to win The Wales. Also as a Suntory, we beat Kobe at the final of Japan Cup and got the championship. I still clearly remember the moment; it is always great to see all the players achievement which it does not matter if that is in Super Rugby, Nationals or any Japanese teams.

When I was in Brumbies (AUS), I brought Michel Hooper to be in the team He was very young back then but I said to him that you will be very good at the Wallabies. Few years later, he became a captain of Wallabies and he is still in a good position at the Wallabies. I am very grateful to see all the players like that.

I am not saying that I did something; I am very happy that he realizes his potential and expands his potential. The happiest thing for being a coach is that players realize or find his potential his possibility.

—— Do you have any players in the team who has a potential?

For Backs, Shohei (Takeshita) is very good and Taro (Takeshita) is good too. For forwards, Ozawa, he is very tough. I think these players will lead the team for the futures. There are a lot of other players that has potentials in a team. Even though it will take a time to realize, it will become more special and talented players.

—— What is the different from Kantoku and Head Coach?

For my responsibility is that making training schedule and I am in charge of the defense at the training. I look at other things in the training, Hewy (Peter Hewat) is in charge for attacking and March is in charge for Forwards. They both works really hard and Ox and I always have communicated to each other and discussing some ideas together. It has been very positive progress to us.

—— Do you think that coaching also set in a good team?

Yes very much. I believe we have a good working group!

—— This year's slogan is [We want it back!], did you make this? Or who make this?

I and Ox decided together, Of course we want to get the trophy back, but also there is a meaning that getting a ball back. Attacking Rugby is always our strength however our defense is not strong either. When they had a ball, they attacked very good and strong. On the other hand, when they do not have a ball, they were not menace... not a threat... So this year, we are thereat to others either with ball and no balls.

There are 5 different meanings for [ We want it back,]

First, Bring back our convictions: we lost 2 important games last year which made us lost our confidence and faith, so we need to bring back them.

Second, Bring back the Fitness. We used have a strong-high fitness lever however unfortunately we are not right now. So we bring back No.1 Fitness back!

Third, Bring back the attacking team as attacking power. Suntory's attack is long and strong threat to all other team, but Mall or Lack were not strong or threat last year.,,,, so we bring back the threat!

Then, Forth, Bring back the balls. If we could complete all of these meanings, we are able to get to Fifth reason of, Getting back the titles!

◆Enjoying the Japanese activities!

—— Do you understand the Japanese? If you do, how much?

I think I understand 90% of Japanese but still taking a Japanese lesson.

—— Once you left Japan but you came back for Canon? What makes you decided to come back?

Yes, I came back to work for Canon. I like Japan so much. It's beautiful and safe and very efficient country. The Environment is great. I like what Japanese do that is they all work so hard and after work, they all go to the Izakaya to drink! Also I think that style of Japanese Rugby is the attacking rugby which I really like.

In may games here, the have a tough/high score game and also the ball moves a lot. My favorite part is that the players listens and receptive very well. That is Japanese culture I believe. I am not saying that all the coaches is right and they have to accept everything, all the players are all hard worker and serious and trying to understand what we are trying to say. I do not think they would do that in other country.

—— Since we have Rugby World Cup in 2019, it seems not heaping up yet. Also the audience is not increasing much these days in Top league. What do you think we should do?!?

I think we need to focus on the children. We should teach small children what is Rugby? Japan has taken a good care for college football but for younger age do not have a good system or environment yet.

For my opinion, Teaching and growing the younger age is very important. For example, Mr. Honda (Soccer), everybody knows if you are Japanese. But not many people know Shiro Tanaka from High Landers (Super Rugby), Even though he is such a talented player and playing a world level rugby, media would not pick.... So no wonder that child would not know him...

I have a friend who works for IRB and they are very concerned about 2019 world cup. Japan Rugby Union is trying to raise the people together to this event and IRB has supporting them. I think its important how they put together and convey to the people.

—— As a Sungoliath, what do you think we should do?

We had a coaching conference before this season start and we discussed about Fan service. My wife and I are thinking about join the fan club member. I think it is important that we have a same view as fan, if we are not in same view or level as fans, no body will support us. Every small thing leads a big staff.

If there is a small part that have all yellow at the ChiChibunomiya Stadium, Panasonic will surprise how we are! Then other team will do that same things and it will leads to a lot of people. If so, the stadium will be filled up with Rugby fans!!! I think these work is very important.

(Interview & constructed by Kazuyoshi Hariya / Edited by Yutaro Igarashi)
[Picture ：Aki Nagao]