Special Edition -『 I want to be unpredictable in my play 』　

The "Beauden Barrett - Official Joining Press Conference" was held in Tokyo early January. We will guide you through first with some comments of Masato Tsuchida, Senior Director of Suntory Sungoliath, who took the stage with Barrett and gave an opening speech. Followed by some comments from Barrett, including Q&A session from the press.

Tsuchida Senior Director - Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule at the beginning of the year to gather here today with so many members of the press. I have experienced this kind of press conference several times, and I am pleased to see that there are more than three times as many members of the press here as there were for George Gregan and George Smith. Thank you very much. As you all know, Suntory Sungoliath will have an exceptionally reliable addition, Beauden Barrett as we prepare for the start of the Japan Rugby Top League 2021. Probably no need to mention but he is an 88 capped player for New Zealand National Team (All Blacks). He was also named World Rugby's Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and played an active role in the Rugby World Cup 2019 held in Japan the year before last, making him the number 1 player in the world in both name and reality.

I feel very honored to have such a player officially joining Sungoliath. I also had the opportunity to watch two trial games, and he came on in the last 20 minutes of the Toshiba game and played a big role already. He scored a try right away. I thought that he was indeed a star player, and a week ago we had a trial game with Panasonic, and I was able to see his defensive capabilities in a test match like game. I was happy to see some of his great jackal skills where he made turnover, and I felt that he is really an exciting player. But it is not just his play as a player, what I expect from him is his attitude towards games and practices, and his daily behaviors. I have heard that he behaves very well, and I think this will have a great impact on Sungoliath.

This season will be the last for the current Top League format. Next year, it will be reborn as a new league. With five Top League championships to date, Sungoliath is tied with Toshiba for the most championships won by a team in the Top League, and I hope his performance this season will help the team win a sixth championship and finish the current Top League nicely. Finally, although various places have been affected by the spread of the new coronavirus, I hope that the Top League will somehow be held safely this season, and that many rugby fans and sports fans will watch him play to energize Japan and boost the sports world and the rugby world. I hope we can bring excitement to the world of sports and rugby.

◆"Aggressive Attacking Rugby"really suits me

Barrett - （In Japanese） Thanks Tsuchida san. Hi everyone. （In English） Firstly, it is great to be here in Japan, and my family and I are enjoying our experiences so far. I am very much looking forward to the start of the Top League season, and I feel very honored to be a part of such a great team as Suntory Sungoliath. I believe that the style of rugby played by Sungoliath, "Aggressive Attacking Rugby," really suits me, and I am very much looking forward to the future with the club.

I played in two preseason trial games and was impressed with the skill level and with my goal to keep improving as a player, I want to improve my game and make it a great experience with the club. I am sure the fans are also looking forward to supporting for the team now that the Top League season is soon to be started, and the support of the fans is part of the energy and strength of the team, so I would appreciate your continuous support.

（Q&A session）

◆I'm looking forward to seeing these young talented players grow

Q：Please tell us how you decided to come to play in Japan?

About 16, 17 months ago, when I was reviewing my contract with New Zealand Rugby, they allowed me to take a sabbatical from my four-year contract and gave me the opportunity to play overseas, so I chose to play in Japan. I had been to Japan for Rugby World Cup 2019 and had very good impression of Japan and Tokyo, so I wanted to play in Japan and take on a new challenge. At that time, I had the chance to go to France, but I was not quite ready, and I had good impression of Japan, so I chose Japan.

Q：Could you tell us your impression of Japanese rugby?

I believe Japanese rugby is now at a strong position in the world. I have heard from fellow All Blacks and other players about the high level of skill, and I've also heard that the intensity is high. I am also looking forward to seeing the growth of the young talented players like who we have in Sungoliath, and I'd like to keep a close eye on them as they develop.

Q：Are there any Japanese players who left a strong impression?

Among the many talented players in Sungoliath, I am amazed with the physicality of Ryoto Nakamura (Captain). As for young players with potential for growth, Naoto Saito (Half-back) and Shogo Nakano (Center, Wing) are two players with great potential that I am looking forward to seeing in the future.

Q：Can you tell us if some Japanese that you have learned?

（In Japanese） Please. Thank you. Good morning. Good evening. How are you? （In English） At the moment, I'm trying to have smooth daily conversations among the players, so the Japanese I'm learning is mainly the basics like greetings, but if I get the chance next time, I'd like to be prepared to show off some interesting Japanese (laughs).

Q：Please tell us if there is any Japanese food that you have grown to love?

I've been amazed how fresh Japanese food is, and Sashimi, Sushi, Tonkotsu Ramen, and Yakiniku are some of my favorite Japanese foods. I only had a few chances to eat out in these difficult Corona conditions, so my teammates have invited me to eat out, but I haven't been able to yet.

◆I want to be aggressive in my style

Q：Please give a message to your fans on how you'd want them watch you play?

There are times when I make last-minute decisions about how to play, so I want to show the fans something unpredictable. I want them to see how I choose between the run, kick, and pass options.

Q：To Tsuchida Senior Director - What kind of impact do you expect Beauden Barrett to have on the team, and even more so on Japanese rugby?

I am also excited to watch his games, and I am thrilled that the world's number 1 active player will be playing in Japan, and as I mentioned earlier, I am excited and expectant that he will work hard on the field without cutting corners that is how I see after watching his past two trial games. And surely for the team, I also expect that he will have a positive impact on Japanese rugby and Japanese sports world, not only on the field, but also in daily activities, lives and in many other ways.

This year is our 40th Anniversary at Sungoliath. In that time, players like George Gregan, George Smith, and Matt Giteau, who had over 100 caps and national team games under their belts, came and made a great history with us. And they have been supporting us even after they left Sungoliath. We wanted to build that kind of relationship, and that is why we asked Barrett to join us.

Q：How are you going to prepare under Coronavirus crisis?

As a player, I am always prepared to adjust well with unexpected things that happen, so even if something negative happens to us, I want to deal with it well, and I want to do it well with confidence and responsibility.

Q：How do you feel about Suntory's style of play and how well do you think you can match it?

We played Panasonic over the weekend (January 2nd), and there were several times when the speed of their defensive line made it difficult for us to move forward, so we need to make effective use of kicks in those situations. However, my own style is to attack aggressively, and I think this matches the style of Sungoliath. In the preseason, I would move the ball a lot and quickly moving the ball from fast rucks, but as the season progresses and the competition gets tougher, I feel that there will be situations where we will have to adjust and use smart kicks.

◆The position I'd like to play is number 10

Q：We get the impression that you are very humble. What is your personal guideline for staying humble off the field?

You might get the impression that I am a bit boring and quiet (laughs), but I like to have fun on and off. I sometimes get excited drinking "The Premium Malts" with my teammates (laughs), and I believe that I need to thank and owe my current personality to my family and my parents who raised me. I always keep in mind that I want to perform with high standards, both as a human being and as a player.

Q：What stadiums would you like to play in or places would you like to visit in Japan?

I would like to play with the support of as many Sungoliath fans as possible. I would like to play in large stadiums such as Toyota Stadium and Yokohama International Stadium (Nissan Stadium), but I would most like to be in an environment where I can be supported by lots of fans.

Q：With All Blacks, you often play at No.15 but please tell us what you are aware of particularly when you play at No.10 and No.15, and which position you prefer?

The position I want to play the most is No. 10, fly-half, which is also said for All Blacks. As for the role of No. 10, I have been playing at No. 15 for about two years, so I want to work on my combination with No. 9 and communication with the center/midfield.

◆How do you come up with solutions under pressure

Q：Why did you make the decision to play in Japan when you had the chance to play in France?

I made my decision, calculating back from my goal of playing in the 2023 World Cup in France, and in discussions with New Zealand Rugby, we agreed that I would be allowed to go to Japan for one year on sabbatical within the four-year contract.

（Tsuchida Senior Director） I would like to add that he had been to Japan about 6 times before joining Sungoliath, and he loves Japanese food such as Sushi, Japanese hospitality, and the humanity of the Japanese people. I heard that this was the reason why he chose to play in Japan. Also, I cannot tell you about the annual salary, but I think it was higher offer/package in France. In that sense, I think the experience of having been to Japan 6 times before, including Rugby World Cup 2019, was important. I also think it was important that the quality of rugby will not drop with current Top League competition.

Q：Playing at No.10, you have Nagare, Saito and other great half-backs in Suntory, what kind of communication do you usually have with them?

We are getting along well and have good communication. We have three excellent Japanese half-backs, and Juddy (Richard Judd), who played with me at Hurricanes in New Zealand is with the club too. Communication is very important, not only with the half-back, but also with the center/midfield players and the wingers on the outside, so I can judge which spaces are open and decide where to attack. There is a language barrier now, so I think I need to work on how to communicate better under pressure and come up with solutions.

◆In the future, I would like to come back to Japan and play again

Q：Think you will only be playing in Japan for one year, but what do you envision for next season and after? Also, how much do you think you can live up to Suntory's expectations in this season?

I do not have any specific plans for the next season on, but I am focused on my immediate goal of winning the Top League this season and competing in 2023 Rugby World Cup. Besides, I want to spend good time with my teammates and family, and I also want to improve as a player. I may only play one season, but in the future, I would like to come back to Japan and play again. I do not know what future holds, but I have that feeling.

Q：What players or teams are you looking forward to playing against?

I know that every match will be a tough one, so I want to be well prepared and enjoy the game. The players I would like to play against are Brodie Retallick, Ben Smith (both Kobe Steel) and TJ Perenara (NTT Docomo). These three are the top three players I am looking forward to play against. The teams I am looking forward to play against are Kobe Steel and Panasonic.

Q：Are you aiming to play your opening game as an starter?

There are certain rules for the use of foreign players, and I would like to play as a starter within those rules. There are no trial games this week, but we have already started preparing for the opening game, so I really want to play as a starter.

(Structure: Kazuyoshi Hariya /Translator: Yuji Yamaguchi /Editing: Yutaro Igarashi)
[Photo: Aki Nagao]