Michael Leitch rugby player
Michael Leitch rugby player

Michael Leitch

7th Oct 1988 1.88m/115kg Blindside Flanker

Japan Rugby League One: Round 9 review

1 month ago by Ultimate Rugby

Division One – Matsuda Rides High in Battle of the Sharpshooters Brave Blossoms flyhalf Rikiya won the battle of the international tens as Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights edged All Black Richie Mo’unga’s...

Eddie Jones names his first training squad for Japan

2 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

Eddie Jones has named a whopping 24 uncapped players in the squad   Shogo Miura (Toyota, 9 caps), Takayoshi Mohara (Shizuoka, 0 cap) Mamoru Harada (BL Tokyo, 0 cap), Kenji Sato (Waseda Univ.,...

A look at round four in Japans Rugby League One

3 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

Division One – Spears Slide Continues Things aren’t getting any better for Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay. Today’s 24-20 loss to Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo has left the defending champions...

Japan: Rugby World Cup 2023 review

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

The legacy, culture and dreams will be carried on - the Brave Blossoms’ dream of “getting to the top of the Everest” continues after losing their final pool match to Argentina. Abiding...

Stats review - what do the figures reveal about the teams heading home?

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

Scotland and Australia were the two topped-rank teams to miss out on the knockout stage at Rugby World Cup 2023, but there was plenty to be positive about for teams such as Portugal, Georgia and Tonga. Pool...

JPN eve of match (v ARG): assistant coach Mitchell, Leitch, Yamanaka

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

John Mitchell, defence coach On Argentina’s winning record and what Japan need to do to get the win:  “Argentina are a very organised, committed, defensive side. I think they are very...

Match Preview: Japan v Argentina

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

The equation is simple for both sides at Nantes on Saturday. Victory equals quarter-final qualification and a match next Saturday against the winner of Pool C in Marseille. The consequences of a defeat...

Fifita in for Naikabula on the wing - Japan name team to play Argentina

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

Japan head coach Jamie Joseph has announced his squad to face Argentina in Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes on Sunday 8 October. Japan head coach Jamie Joseph has named his matchday 23 to face Argentina...

Fernández Lobbe (ARG) - 'Japan will be a great battle

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

LA BAULE-ESCOUBLAC - Comments from Argentina assistant coach Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe at a media briefing on Sunday after their 59-5 win over Chile in Pool D on Saturday.   Juan...

Japan reaction (head coach Joseph, captain Himeno, Lemeki, Leitch, Cornelsen, Naoto, Fukuda)

6 months ago by Ultimate Rugby

MIXED ZONE Michael Leitch, back rowOn how Japan are progressing:“Building up to the World Cup, we lost five games, against some quality opposition. But as the World Cup has gone on, we have grown...