COFFS HARBOUR, Australia — Japan is preparing for its second-round match in the Pacific Nations Cup against Tonga this Saturday with the Brave Blossoms having much to prove.
Japan's Christian Loamanu practices ahead of Saturday's Pacific Nations Cup game against Tonga. Loamanu is getting ready to play against his birth nation for the first time.
ZILIA PAPP PHOTOFor one player, however, the game carries an extra edge.
Japan's youngest player, Christian Loamanu, who turned 21 last week, is looking forward to lining up against his home country.
Loamanu was selected for a prestigious rugby scholarship with the Saitama Institute of Technology after graduating Tupou High School in Tonga at 15.
After playing three years in Japan, the center and winger was eligible to play in tests against Uruguay and Hong Kong as the youngest player ever to represent Japan.
This Saturday will see him earn his fifth cap.
Loamanu is following in the footsteps of players such as No. 8 Sinali Latu and Nofomuli Taumoefolau, Japan representatives in the 1987, 1991 and 1995 World Cups.
But while Tongan players such as Loamanu have a chance to prove themselves overseas, the game in their home country is still struggling.
"The Tongan team is in a difficult position," says international test match referee Taizo Hirabayashi.
Hirabayashi, one of Japan's few A level refs, officiated last week's game in the Cup, when Tonga was thrashed 60-15 by Australia A.
"The level of game was inconsistent, the players lacked discipline and made trivial mistakes. Rugby is still an amateur sport in Tonga, and the local players are seemingly not very comfortable with the professional returnees," said Hirabayashi.
Key players such as lock Maama Molitika and flanker/No. 8 Lotu Filipine, who play for Japanese club IBM Big Blue, were sorely missed by Tonga.
Loamanu explained his reasons for plumping for representing Japan instead of Tonga: "It was a decision I had to make when I turned 18," says Loamanu. "It wasn't easy, but I know that it would have been very hard for me to be picked for Tonga."
While the domestic game in Tonga is in a difficult state, rugby players are the island country's second largest export after sugar.
Still, even though the small nation with a population of 10,000 has only 800 registered rugby players, the country has managed to qualify for five World Cups to date.
This year Tonga was selected for pool A after repechage and will play alongside England, South Africa, Samoa and the United States.
Rugby relations between Tonga and Japan date back to 1976, when the late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV met Daito Bunka University professor Toshio Nakano, who was researching agricultural development on the island.
According to rugby lore, Nakano introduced the king to the Japanese abacus (soloban), which the king found to be an excellent device to improve the mathematical skills of young children on the islands.
The king's interest in Japan was overwhelming, and soon rugby scholarship systems were established between the island country and Japanese universities. Loamanu is the youngest product of this exchange. He has just one concern.
"I don't know what I'm going do when they perform the Sipi Tau war dance before the game. I want to join in," he says jokingly.
"Last time I performed it for sumo yokozuna Musashimaru's retirement ceremony. It will be interesting to be on the receiving side this time."