Co-Head Coach Ian Foster:  “Have belief and stay committed to our strengths” 

Toyota Verblitz announced their 23 members for Round 5 of League One, in which they will face Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay on January 17th. The starting XV remains unchanged from the previous round, while the bench shifts from six forwards to five. In the backs, scrum-half Aaron Smith, fly-half Rikiya Matsuda, and fullback Tiaan Falcon are newly named in the squad.

The Spears sit at the top of the table after Round 4, boasting an impressive points difference of +110. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, co-head coach Ian Foster said, “We understand that they’re playing good rugby and we know their strengths. We’re also playing a good style of rugby ourselves.”

In the previous round against BlackRams Tokyo, Verblitz went into halftime leading 29–10, but failed to score against an opposition reduced to 13 men in the second half and ultimately lost 29–37. Despite the result, Foster assessed the performance positively.

“We’re playing good rugby. The key is how we control the game in high-pressure situations. We’re strongly committed to improving our mentality at the end of matches.”

Starting fly-half Shinya Komura reflected similarly: “How to control the game under pressure—communication and leadership—was a big learning experience.”

Komura will again wear the No.10 jersey next round. Facing an opponent renowned for their physicality, he said, “The most important thing is to win territory. How we use the kick, when to increase the tempo—that balance is something I want to control together with Kaito.”

During his time at Teikyo University, many matches were dominated by the forwards. But in League One and at international level, the forwards are not always on top, and Komura is still searching for solutions in those situations.

“We need to use our kicking game well and spend as much time as possible in the opposition half. Using quick throws at lineouts and not over-relying on the forwards.”

This week, Rikiya Matsuda is named on the bench.

“His presence is huge. He has a lot of experience, so it allows me to play more freely first.”

The aim is to build momentum with the rising young playmaker and then hand it over to the battle-hardened veteran.

As in the previous round, hooker Schalk Erasmus—who joined the team this season—will start. Having spent three seasons with the Spears, this will be a match against his former club.

“Of course, my time with my previous team was fulfilling, but every match is the same. I’ll just do my best for the team.” 

The opposition features Malcolm Marx, widely regarded as the world’s best hooker and last season’s World Rugby Player of the Year.

“He doesn’t say much, but he leads through his actions. I learned a lot from him.”

Marx has been named among the reserves, and Erasmus wants to force a situation where he is brought on.

“We were all close, but I was especially close with centre Rikus Pretorius. I want to put a tackle on him.”

After four matches, the team sits at one win and three losses. In every game, they have been unable to seize key critical moments, leading to a frustrating stalemate. Foster emphasized what matters most now:

“To have belief and stay committed to our strengths. Even if the referee’s decisions don’t go our way, we can’t be swayed by that—we must focus on what’s working for us as a team.”

That focus is on physicality. Against the league leaders, Verblitz wants to take them on at 120 percent.