HARRY HOCKINGS "I want to keep on growing"

Hockings' level is steadily improving every season. Looking back on the past season, what is he aiming for next season? (Interview date: early July 2024)

◆Relax and recover

--It's been a while since the 2023-24 season ended. What have you been up to?

After the season ended, I was relaxing and recovering. I went on a trip to Europe and visited my older brother and sister who live in London, and had a great time. I came back to Japan from there and have started training little by little.

--Do you like London?

I prefer Tokyo.

--Speaking of family, are you married?

I'm getting married in Australia next month.

--What! I just happened to ask, but congratulations! !

(In Japanese) Arigatou.

--What kind of person is she?

She's Australian and we've been together for 10 years. Since high school. We're getting married on the Sunshine Coast near Brisbane, and I'm looking forward to it.

--When will you be coming back to Japan?

I'll be back at the beginning of August.

◆ The desire to win

--I'd like to ask about the season that just finished. How did you feel after the third-place match?

In the third-place match, everyone on the team was determined to win, so I'm glad that we won that match. However, looking at the overall picture, our goal was to win the league, so it was disappointing that we didn't.

--Towards the end of the season, we had a string of matches where we couldn't win, so how did it feel playing?

We couldn't beat the top teams in the second half of the season, but I think that was because of small plays, missed tackles, missed skills, not being able to score tries, and other things that prevented us from winning. We have the skills and player depth to win, but I think it's those small details that make the difference between winning and losing.

--When you can't win, does that mean you can't get those small things right?

That's basically what we talked about in the review. We weren't able to score when we could have.

--You had been talking about defense as an issue since the beginning of the season, but what are your thoughts on the defence?

Looking back at the season, I think we still have a lot to work on in terms of defense, so I think we need to work on that even more next season. Looking at Toshiba, who won the championship, I think they are a team that is also at the top of the defense, so I think we need to strengthen our defense in order to win the league.

◆ I want to improve my tackling and carrying.

-- Personally, you played in every game and scored four tries. I think you had set having strong carries and strong tackles as your targets for the season, but you were third in the league in successful tackles and sixth in ball carrying. I think you achieved some of your targets,, but what do you think?

I didn't know those numbers (laughs). Personally, there are still some areas I haven't achieved, and it hasn't led to a championship, so I don't think I've achieved it yet. Next season, I would like to improve my tackling and carrying.

-- You have to become number one in everything.

I think that's the target (laughs).

-- You said that when you have strong tackles and strong carries, you are also conscious of a strong posture. Is a strong posture the base of everything?

Hugh (Hogan), who was the defense coach, was very conscious of posture in defense, and I've also talked to Ao (Aoki Yusuke/assistant coach) about posture, so I think that's important. It's difficult to say whether that's the base of everything, but I think posture is important.

--You were the most successful player in lineouts by far.

Rather than looking at individual numbers, lineouts are meaningless unless we win the ball as a forward pack, so looking at the overall success rate of our lineouts, I think we are still lacking. I want to improve on that next season.

◆52

--As these rankings show, I think you're steadily improving every season, but do you feel that way?

Personally, I think that continuing to grow is one of the values of this team, so I set a goal to grow every year, and other teams are also trying to grow. I think the most important thing is which team can grow the most, so I want to keep growing.

--Last time you gave yourself a score of 51, but what's your current score?

(In Japanese) 52 (laughs).

--What motivates you to push yourself?

Personally, I haven't been able to win for four years, and I've lost in the semi-finals and finals, so that's what motivates me, and when I see all the players and staff around me working hard and doing their best to win, I feel like I have to work hard too. That's what motivates me.

--What is your biggest challenge for next season?

I haven't thought about it specifically yet, but I'm going to talk to the coaches at the start of the preseason and ask them what the work-ons are, and then I'll decide what to work on.

◆Vice Captain was a lot of fun

--After the next season, you will be eligible to represent Japan.

From next season, I will be in Category A, but I will be eligible to represent Japan after the season.

--Will you target the Japan national team?

That is always a target. However, if you do not perform well and are not selected, it is meaningless, so I would like to prepare my body well, perform well, and do my best to be selected.

--And I think you will be expected to show more leadership within Sungoliath. What do you think?

I was given the opportunity to serve as vice captain in the 2023-24 season, and I enjoyed that role very much. I really love this team, so if there is a role I can play, I would like to contribute, and if I am given such a role again, I would like to lead the team.

--What did you enjoy about it?

It was fun, but there are also parts where the responsibility increases, so when the team is doing well and winning, it is very fun, and it is fun to see everyone grow. However, when we are losing or not doing well, I think that thinking about how to improve it is also one of the fun and good parts.

◆ Must win

--It seems like there's no limit to your growth as a player or as a leader.

I think there will always be a limit (laughs). You just have to keep working hard to improve as much as you can.

--Have you ever had a limit in golf?

I'd like to think there isn't, but my scores just keep getting worse (laughs).

--You previously said that you were on par with Nakamura Ryoto and Nagare?

Ryoto has gotten so good that it's scary (laughs).

--Please give a message to the fans who have been supporting us for this season.

I am always humbled by the support from our fans. I am truly grateful. In terms of average attendance, the Sungoliath fans were the most, so I am truly grateful for that, and seeing the stadium filled with yellow jerseys and shirts every game gave me energy. I want to win the championship next season so that I can celebrate with everyone.

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