Usually a centre or fullback, longtime Queenstown rugby pro Michael Collins wore the No14 jersey for the first time this month — for his Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo team in the final of Japan’s League One comp in which they beat Kubota Spears 18-13 to claim back-to-back titles.
The 32-year-old, who’s just finished his second season with the team and has signed on for two more, says he’d only played wing once before, for the same team last year, in his 14-year professional career.
He took the spot due to injuries to a couple of good Japanese wingers, and because they had a spare place for a foreign player.
As in his first season, Collins played more games off the bench than he started in because teams are restricted to four foreigners.
He notes Toshiba’s already blessed with three internationals — including former All Black stars Richie Mo’unga and Shannon Frizell — "and then often there’s a foreign lock because that’s where you get your height from".
"You sort of just bide your time, and when you get the chance to play you play."
He confirms Mo’unga, man of the match in the final despite a broken right hand, and Frizell "are a big part of why the team’s had success".
Collins, who’s formerly played for Otago, the Blues, the Highlanders and two Welsh clubs, says the standard of the Japanese comp is "really high".
"It’s impressive how physical Japanese players are."
Most teams also field strong overseas talent, he adds — "you get to test yourself against top athletes in the world".
Collins says he still enjoys rugby, and Japan, and lives in "sort of central-ish" Tokyo with his partner.
He was also thrilled his dad Kelvin and brother Rhys could make the final, which drew 50,000-plus to Tokyo’s National Stadium.
He says his body’s still "there or thereabouts, obviously not what it was when you were 22", and, touch wood, he’s been lucky with injuries.
"Hopefully we’ll try to keep playing as long as we can."
