HARRY HOCKINGS "Strong tackle, strong carry"

Hockings is a player who always plays to help his team win. What is the secret to his continued growth? (Interviewed on: Jan 2024)

◆We want to improve our lineout defense

――Against the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars, a lineout steal by Hockings started the comeback try. It was a great try!

With the analysis of Ao-san (Yusuke Aoki/assistant coach), we were able to predict some of their moves. In addition to that, not only the jumpers but also the lifters were able to get in and we were able to do what we had been preparing for all week and get the ball. As Sungoliath, we also want to improve our lineout defense, so we are still in the preparation stage for that, but I think we made a good start. We would like to improve little by little from here.

――It's not often that you can steal the ball that cleanly.

We have been trying to improve it for a long time and I think we are finally seeing results.

――Can we expect to see more plays like that after this?

I will do the best I can (laughs).

――What were you thinking at that point in the long attack from that steal to the come back try?

I was really nervous and was thinking about not making mistakes. As I have been saying since practice, I think it is important to always work on fine details with a high level of precision, and from there to keep putting pressure on the opponent.

◆You have to take risks to get results.

――In those situations, do you not want to touch the ball if possible?

I think it's no good not wanting it (laughs). You have to want it. Perhaps the strength of Sungoliath is that even in a situation like that, everyone wants to get the ball. Our strength is that we are not passive, but rather we are able to go forward on our own, so I think you have to take risks to get results. I think that is part of the DNA of Sungoliath.

――What do you pay most attention to in such situations?

The first thing I do is to catch the ball properly (laughs). I try not to drop the ball when I make the catch and then make contact, and if I go into contact with a strong posture, it is easier for the supporting players to go in, so I always think about having a strong posture in mind.

――Is that how everyone played in that scene, including you?

Yes, I think so.

◆Attack your opponent on the defensive.

――In the last interview, you mentioned that everyone has to improve their individual performance, Have you been able to improve that through the games this season?

We have won five of our six games, which is good, but I don't think we are satisfied with our wins yet. I am still not satisfied with my performance, so there are still areas where I need to improve. However, there is room for growth, so it is exciting.

――What parts of the game do you want to improve?

Right now, as a team, we are talking about focusing on defense. There are many elements to defense, but for the forwards it is set piece defense and team defense. We can score tries, so we are trying to strengthen our defense in order to limit the number of tries we concede.

――What sorts of things are you doing to achieve this?

We did some tough maul sessions in training today, and the focus from training is to focus on defense and playing defense at a high intensity. We were also able to focus on connections and tackling in phase defense, so it's like we are changing our focus in training both as a team and individually.

――You can't do it alone on defense, so isn't it fun when you are able to defend according to how you thought it would play out?

Yes. I also enjoy the idea of attacking an opponent on defense.

――Will you play defensively in your next game?

More than a win or loss in defense, we are currently trying to grow our defense, so that's where we are focusing on. I want you to keep watching our attack (laughs), but the defense is a point we are trying to grow as a team.

◆Competition makes everyone grow.　

――In the last interview you gave yourself a score of 51, what would you give yourself now?

This question is always difficult (laughs). I think there is always room to grow, so I would not change my score from 51.

――I think you are growing every season and every game, what is the reason for your continued growth?

Sungoliath is a very competitive team, and even among the locks, the competition is still always very high. There are a lot of good players, and because of that competition, I have to grow as well. That is why we all grow.

――Is that also your motivation for joining Tokyo Sungoliath?

I had heard that the environment in Sungoliath was tough, so I expected that and was looking forward to it. I really like that kind of challenge.　

――Do you enjoy that competition?

Yes, I enjoy it. Personally, I am highly competitive and hate to lose. I enjoy the daily competition.

◆I want to win even in training.

――In what ways do you consider yourself competitive?

On the golf course (laughs). On the days off season, I go golfing with Nagare and Ryoto (Nakamura), and all three of us are about the same level. I joke about golf, but I always want to beat my teammates. All of the players hate to lose, so everyone always has the desire to win. For example, in the gym, if the person next to me is working hard, I want to work harder too. Even during training, I want to win in maul sessions, etc., and I also want to win in scrums.

――If you lose there, do you work even harder in the next training or the next day?

Yes, I do.

――You like competition and you enjoy winning even more. When did you become aware of such a personality in yourself?

I have four older brothers, and I never wanted to lose there, so I always hated to lose, even as a child.

――How old are your brothers?

My brothers are 38, 36, 33, and 31 from the top, and I also have a sister who is 28, and I am 26 this year.

――Are they all tall?

Yes but I am the tallest among them. I win there (laughs).

――What kind of competition did you have between the five brothers?

We played a variety of sports, but we all played rugby, so we would all play together. We also fought at home. I always lost the fights, though.

――Are your father and mother both tall?

Yes. My father also played rugby.

――Are your parents happy that you are playing rugby in Japan?

My parents have come to Japan several times to support me, and my oldest brother used to play for Kintetsu. I have always been a fan of Japanese rugby, so they have always supported me.

――When do you think your parents will next come to Japan?

They will be coming in late February to watch the Ricoh game.

◆I would like to lead the maul more.

――What are your goals for the season ahead?

Our goal is always to win the championship and we will work hard against that. Also, this weekend we have a match against the New Zealand Blues, which I am really looking forward to, and we will be able to represent Japanese rugby, so that will be our focus first. After that, we have a training match against Honda, and then against Panasonic, so we have a series of matches to look forward to.

――Will you win them all?

Yes, we will win them all.

――What is your role as vice captain?

Communication between forwards and foreign players, I think it is going well.

――Is there an area of yourself that you would like to improve now?

There are a variety. First of all, the set pieces. I would like to lead more, especially at the maul.

――There are times when the opponent pushes you quite a bit at the maul.

Yes. That is the part we need to focus on.

――What other areas do you personally want to improve?

Defense. I want to be able to get into more dominate tackles and stronger tackles. In attack, I want to be able to go forward more with my ball carry.

――I think we are seeing an increase in dominate plays, but do you want to increase it even more?

Yes, I do.

――What do you want your family and fans to see when they come to Japan?

As for my play, I am not a standout player, but I always keep playing hard and tough, and that is where I want to have an impact on the team.

――You are the tallest and powerful player, so I think you stands out.

That's right (laughs). I want to play as strong as possible, so that's what I want people to see.

(Interview & Structure: Kazuyoshi Hariya /Translator: Jesse Okitaro Hino)
[Photo: Aki Nagao]