Matt McGahan: “We must not get comfortable with where we are now”

Toyota Verblitz’s eighth Mirai Match of the season took place on the 5th of April at the Sports Center against Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay.

This was the first Mirai Match between the two sides. With teammates who had played in the League One match the previous day watching on, kickoff came at 11 a.m. As expected Kubota Spears brought the same physical intensity, and the battle at the collision area mirrored the previous day’s clash.

It was the Spears who struck first, scoring just 90 seconds into the game. Verblitz responded in the 17th minute, when inside center Keisuke Moritani crossed the line from a scrum to level the scores. However, they fell behind again in the 29th minute after conceding from a lineout maul, making it 7–14. Despite multiple entries into the opposition’s 22, they were unable to capitalize. Just before halftime, winger Kota Oyabu finished off a backline move to tie the game at 14–14.

The second half began with sustained defensive pressure in their own half, but in the 50th minute, winger Caston Michaels sparked a breakthrough with a smooth run from deep inside his own territory. Scrum-half Kippei Taninaka finished the move, giving Verblitz the lead. That try shifted the momentum completely, as Verblitz went on to score three consecutive tries, extending the lead to 36–14 before securing a 43–28 victory.

After the match, co-head coach Ian Foster praised the team:

“It was like an arm wrestle in the first half, but it was outstanding how we adjusted in the second.” 

Taninaka, who scored the pivotal try, reflected on his performance:

“In the first half, I hesitated in my decision-making and slowed the tempo, but I was able to bring energy in the second half.”

This marked his fifth appearance and third consecutive start in the Mirai Matches. Despite gaining valuable experience as a No.9, he remained self-critical:

“I’m always ready, but Kaito (Shigeno), Nuggy (Aaron), and the others are all performing really well. It’s clear what I need to improve—my decision-making, and the accuracy of my kicks and passes as a scrum-half.”

His daily efforts to refine his specialist skills continue.

“Of course I want to play this season, but first I want to earn my way in.”

Leading the Mirai team recently has been fullback Matt McGahan, known as “Gandy,” whose Japanese communication from the back is now familiar even at the League One level.

“I’ve been in Japan for 10 years now (laughs). Personally, I prefer speaking in Japanese. It shows respect for the country, and with so many Japanese players, it communicates better.”

Looking back on the first half, he described it as “a game where we were running in the dark.”

“We struggled to adjust and missed a few chances, but in the end, we found the solution.”

The 32-year-old veteran, with 60 League One caps, also expressed gratitude to the players who featured the previous day:

“They could have rested, but they came out in the morning to support us. I think we’re supporting each other really well.”

While he has found a good balance between pushing for selection and supporting the Mirai team, he offered a clear warning:

“We must not get comfortable with where we are now. Our current position comes from everything we’ve learned so far, but that doesn’t mean we have all the answers. The moment you think you’re in a safe place, problems start. We have to stay sharp every game.”

Words of wisdom from a seasoned leader.

This week marks the final bye week of the regular season—a crucial period of recovery before the last four matches and the battles that lie beyond.