Former NHK announcer Kenjiro Toyohara talks about the highlights of "The Rugby Championship" which starts on August 16th

The Rugby Championship, a competition between the four strongest nations in the Southern Hemisphere, kicked off on August 16th, with world number one South Africa, number two New Zealand, number six Australia, and number seven Argentina battling it out over the course of two months. WOWOW will exclusively broadcast and stream all 12 matches live. Ahead of the opening, former NHK announcer and Caster Kenjiro Toyohara spoke about the highlights of the tournament in an interview with WOWOW.

--First, let's talk about your first live commentary for WOWOW, the "Rugby Test Match 2025 International Series" match between New Zealand and France (match number 3) on July 19th. How was it commentating on rugby after such a long time?

I was reminded once again that rugby is really fun! Aside from the Rugby World Cup, this was my first time commentating on a test match between overseas teams that did not involve the Japanese national team, and it was also my first time commentating on such a high-level match at this time of year, but it really brought home to me how great test matches are.

--The Rugby Championship will soon begin, and you will be commentating on the final match, Argentina vs. South Africa, on October 4th. First of all, please tell us your impressions of this tournament.

When I was a player, the Southern Hemisphere was at the forefront of rugby. In particular, I felt that the Bledisloe Cup, featuring New Zealand and the strong Australia, and the Tri Nations (the predecessor to the Rugby Championship, a competition between three Southern Hemisphere countries, including South Africa), were the "strongest in the world." Even now, South Africa and New Zealand are considered the favorites to win the Rugby World Cup. In that sense, I believe that the Rugby Championship is the pinnacle of the test match series. It will be a very interesting battle, especially as we look ahead to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

- New Zealand has been a leader in world rugby since the Tri Nations and even before that. What is your impression of the current national team?

I'm not in a position to say anything arrogant, but I feel that New Zealand is a country where the generational change never stops. Even though former national team locks Sam Whitelock (currently an advisor to the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights) and Brodie Retallick (currently with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers) are gone, we now have Scott Barrett (current captain) at lock, so our fighting strength hasn't declined much. We've also seen the emergence of exciting young players like fullback Reuben Love, so I think New Zealand has a deep roster.

And, above all, New Zealand rugby is fascinating. Maybe it's because I'm from a generation that grew up thinking the All Blacks were the best, but the ball moves well and the defense is highly disciplined. It's also amazing that they have not just one, but several "game-changer" players who can change the course of a game in an instant, as shown by center Jordie Barrett. I think what's great about New Zealand is that they can make a play that decides the game with just one chance, even in a balanced game.

--Several names have been mentioned so far, but which player are you particularly paying attention to?

This is not an expert's perspective, but just a general one, but I'm a big fan of FL/No. 8 Ardie Savea. I'm embarrassed to say that I used to play in the back row (third row of the forwards), so I pay close attention to his movements in both attack and defense. If he were a little taller he might have been the strongest, but I think it's precisely because of his size (190 cm, 99 kg) that he excels in terms of mobility. He's the perfect player.

One concern is the fly-half (stand-off). Beauden Barrett will be 36 years old by the 2027 World Cup. Damien McKenzie is certainly not young either (30 years old as of August 16th). Richie Mo'unga (Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo; eligible for national team selection for the first time in three years from the second half of 2026) will also be delayed in joining the team, so without them (from the national team in the future), the half-backs' experience will decrease. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

-What is your impression of South Africa, last year's champions and currently on a consecutive World Cup winning streak?

They're really strong right now. I think the secret to their strength is that their members haven't changed much, but I'm worried about whether they can make it to the 2027 World Cup with the current members. Of course, it would be amazing if they could make it, but on the other hand, I wonder whether young players will emerge (to replace the current main players), and whether new strength will need to emerge, especially in preparation for the World Cup.

The squad for this tournament also includes 24 players with World Cup experience and five who just made their national team debut in July, but for example, Argentina (who they will face in the fifth and final round) still has some young players, and it looks like many of them will be in their prime for the next World Cup. So if this tournament is a good match, Argentina may be better in two years. I think South Africa is still strong, but that's an interesting perspective to take.

--South Africa is full of experienced and talented players, but who are the players that are attracting the most attention?

It may be a cliché, but it's FL/No.8 Quagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs). I'm sure everyone in Japan is paying close attention to how he will perform among that team. I was also a back row player who didn't have much size, so I'm happy to see a player like him perform well. I think Japanese players have a lot to learn from him.

They also have Handre Pollard as their fly-half. They also have fly-half Manny Reebok (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners), who played alongside them in the 2023 World Cup, but I don't think his performance was that good. South Africa can't rely on Pollard forever, so I think they'll need a fly-half who can become their core player in the future, just like New Zealand.

--Next, please tell us your impression of Argentina, who will face South Africa in the fifth and final round. Last year they came in third, but with three wins and three losses, they were the only team to lose to the eventual champions, South Africa.

They used to compete with the Japanese national team, but they've quickly become a powerhouse. As I mentioned earlier, Argentina's current players have a good age range, and I think they'll maintain their current momentum until the 2027 World Cup. I think what's fascinating about Argentine rugby is that "their style is that they have no style." While they are characterized by their physical strength and extremely fast backs, their attacks are explosive, thanks to a certain kind of inspiration, for example, when they score a try in one go on a counter attack, and recently they've also become very disciplined defensively. In other words, it's the difficulty of defining their rugby style that makes them so interesting.

I will be commentating on the final match, "Argentina vs South Africa," and South Africa cannot afford to lose to Argentina again, just like last year. I think they will be well prepared, so I expect it will be a very exciting match.

-What do you think about some of the notable players in Argentina?

It's flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez, who left an impression on me at the last World Cup. In addition to his excellent tackling, he's also mobile, physically strong, and has a great fighting spirit. He's such an appealing player. Argentina's overall strong contact is also one of their charms, and when flanker/No. 8 Pablo Matera (Mie Honda Heat) goes wild, it naturally becomes exciting. As for the backs, rather than a specific player, they are all very fast, and I think they will be a threat to opposing teams.

--Next, I'd like to ask about your impressions of Australia. Unfortunately, last year we finished last.

Former head coach Eddie Jones (current head coach of the Japan national team) rejuvenated the team for the 2023 World Cup, and those young players are still with the team. Preparations are underway as the host country for the 2027 World Cup, two years from now, so in that sense, this is a team worth keeping an eye on from now on.

Joe Schmidt (who was scheduled to retire) has extended his contract until the middle of next year, so it will be interesting to see how he develops the team. Just like when he was in charge of Ireland, the rugby itself is solid and exciting. I think they will probably play faster than Ireland, so I hope they will become even stronger.

Furthermore, Australia has long been a rival to New Zealand and South Africa, and historically has an image of being a country that generates innovation, so I am hoping that they will create some new trends. If they succeed, I think we will see good results.

--Please also tell us about some players to watch.

Center Joseph Aukso-Suaalii is a very good player. I'm looking forward to seeing him create a sensation. Also, in my generation, I'm interested to see how fly-half Tom Lyner, son of (former Australian captain and legendary fly-half) Michael Lyner, will perform (though he was not selected for the national team at the start of the tournament due to a concussion), but as with other countries, I think it will be important to see how the half-backs, including scrum-half Tate McDermott, perform.

--You will be commentating on the final match, Argentina vs. South Africa, which is expected to be a "heated match," but are there any other matches you are looking forward to?

I'm looking forward to all the matches, but I'm particularly excited for the match between New Zealand and Australia (Round 5, the final round). This match is traditionally an interesting one, and I'm looking forward to seeing how well Australia can do against New Zealand.

-What do you want to convey to viewers through your rugby commentary?

The fun of rugby is that individual matches and team matches are always progressing simultaneously and in tandem. Players with various characteristics make the most of their individual strengths within a team, and that's how a team is formed. I think that if we can convey this with the help of commentators, people will be able to feel the appeal of rugby even more.

On the other hand, rugby is a contact sport, so the outcome is decided by "passion." In other words, while there is a logical element, the most important thing is the mental aspect, which is a very human aspect to the sport - in other words, it's like a microcosm of human society - and I feel that this is what makes it so interesting, so I hope to be able to convey that appeal through my commentary.

◇Broadcast and streaming schedule for The Rugby Championship, a Southern Hemisphere four-nation competition

Matchday 1: South Africa vs. Australia - August 16, 11:55 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand) ▽ Argentina vs. New Zealand - August 17, 5:55 AM (WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand) Matchday 2: South Africa vs. Australia - August 23, 11:55 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand) ▽ Argentina vs. New Zealand - August 24, 5:55 AM (WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand)

Matchday 3: Australia vs. Argentina - September 6th, 1:15 PM (WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand) ▽ New Zealand vs. South Africa - September 6th, 3:50 PM (WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand) Matchday 4: Australia vs. Argentina - September 13th, 12:45 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand) ▽ New Zealand vs. South Africa - September 13th, 3:50 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand)

Round 5: New Zealand vs. Australia - September 27, 1:50 PM (WOWOW Prime, WOWOW On Demand) / 11:55 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand) Round 6: Australia vs. New Zealand - October 4, 6:30 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand) / Argentina vs. South Africa - October 4, 9:45 PM (WOWOW Live, WOWOW On Demand, commentary by announcer Kenjiro Toyohara)