‘If you’re smaller you can be lower in the tackle area … if you’re lighter you can be quicker’

Like many of the best answers, it seems almost obvious when Yuka Kanematsu, the still relatively new head coach of the Sakura Sevens, highlights why Japan are now genuine contenders any time they step on an HSBC SVNS pitch. 

“We Japanese always tended to be seen as smaller than other countries and we tended not to be confident about our individual strengths. These were seen as negatives, so I wanted to turn that around,” explained Kanematsu, who has lifted her team to sixth in the league, four points behind fourth-placed Canada. 

“If you are smaller than your opponent you can be lower in the tackle area and if you are lighter you can be faster. If we can’t compete one-on-one in a situation, we just put more numbers in there. 

“We wanted to change our weaknesses into strengths.” 

‘A target and a theme for every tournament’

This change of perception has been allied to an equally straight-forward change of approach. 

“We have a target and a theme for every tournament and all the players and management try to hit that target and theme every tournament,” Kanematsu, appointed in August 2024, said. 

“We were ninth in the rankings at the Paris Olympics, so our target for Dubai was eighth. Our theme was to focus from the start. Because it was the first tournament for some of the squad, the first experience for some players of an international stage, it was really important to take the initiative from the first play.”

“And then every new tournament, the theme for the last one is the foundation for the next one. We build on it. And our target changes. This has made our team stronger, I believe.” 

Focus on the squad not the team

It certainly seems like that. The Sakura Sevens, who had to come through the 2024 HSBC Playoffs to secure their position on the HSBC SVNS circuit this season, went one better than their target in Dubai, finishing seventh. They followed this up with sixth in Cape Town, fifth in Perth and fourth in Vancouver. 

A rampant France put a stop to this seemingly inexorable rise in the quarter-finals last weekend in Hong Kong – but only after an unfortunate final-minute knock-on in the pool stage had denied Japan a chance to beat Australia for the first time. 

As far as Kanematsu is concerned there is one more reason for this uptick in results.

“We always change our squad for each tournament,” the 42-year-old, who competed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for Japan, said.

“If someone can only put out 80 percent or 70 percent of their (best) performance, we don’t want to stick to that. We want to find another player who can play 100 percent. 

“To compete in all seven [HSBC SVNS] tournaments in a good condition, as a team, we can’t limit it to some players. We want all the 19 squad members to play.” 

This rotation also extends to the captaincy, with Kanematsu and her staff selecting a new skipper each tournament. 

‘It makes us unite more as a team’

Marin Kajiki, captain in Vancouver before returning to the ranks in Hong Kong, is loving life under the former player. 

“We are never lost in how to play or compete, those focus points are something to go back to, so we can be ourselves,” the centre explained. 

“The advantage of having a different captain is each of us can take responsibility, both in training and each tournament. Each of us can understand what the job of a captain involves. By understanding this, it makes us unite more as a team and we can support each other more. 

“Compared to previous teams, now we have an atmosphere where everyone can voice their opinions to each other.”

Another difference to the previous regime that Kajiki can identify is “more full contact in training” which has helped with “confidence in the tournaments”. 

‘We will aim for a medal’

The team have already secured their spot in the Los Angeles Grand Final, on the weekend of May 3. This, on its own, is quite the achievement considering their ninth place finish last season. But players and coach alike want a whole lot more. 

“Our ultimate goal for this season is to get a medal, we want to achieve that,” Kajiki said, before her boss sort of agreed. 

“The very next target is third – but that means we will lose a semi-final,” Kanematsu laughed. “So, of course we will aim for a medal of some colour.” 

They have two more chances to make it happen. Given what they have done so far, you would be brave to bet against them.