Greig Laidlaw Discusses Plans For Urayasu D-Rocks As Head Coach

Greig Laidlaw, the newly appointed Head Coach of Japanese top-flight JRLO club Urayasu D-Rocks, spoke at his first press conference on 28th August 2024 in Japan, which was also live-streamed. The former D-Rocks and Scotland international unveiled his coaching team and captain while explaining their ambitions and vision for the club.

Feature Photo Credit – Urayasu D-Rocks  Head Coach – Greig Laidlaw

Urayasu D-Rocks Coaching Setup 2024-2025

Image Credit: Urayasu D-Rocks

Laidlaw took over the Head Coach role from South African Johan Ackermann at the club, who was in charge as the side was promoted to division one for the upcoming Japan Rugby League One season which is due to start in December 2024. Ackerman has now moved into the Team Advisor role.

At the Japanese-language press conference, with Laidlaw’s the only English voice to be heard, he welcomed his new coaching team, which in addition to Ackerman, sees Isaac Ross return as Assistant Coach, along with Takuma Asahara and Satoru Endo as the two other assistant coaches, and Toru Kurihara as Coaching Coordinator.

Ross previously played in Japan for the NTT Shining Arcs from 2011–2020 (the former rendition of the existing D-Rocks), as well as in his homeland of NZ and in the US. He played for both the NZ Maori and the All Blacks.

Ackerman said via a video clip, “We are back into the First Division in the [JRLO] and it’s a great challenge ahead playing the best teams of this competition. We look forward to seeing you at the stadium, the supporters and the sponsors. A big part of our theme is to connect and let’s connect together as a team and as a unity, to support Greg and the team for this big challenge lying ahead, it is an exciting challenge, and we look forward to seeing you all at the stadium.”

Laidlaw On His Vision and Goals

Laidlaw said, “The vision I want to create and the environment for the players to have, is a place to come and really strive to be the best version of themselves, and that connection part is very important to myself and to the team.

We want to be connected between players and coaches, but also to NTT as the company as well. I feel that’s an important part of the history of NTT teams, and now, obviously as a D-Rocks. That connection, going forward, both between players, coaches and the company, is going to be a vital part of how we succeed.”

He spoke of his excitement about the squad and players they have but stressed that “an important part of that is we want to have good people as well as good players. That’s a very important part of our environment. So I am looking forward to trying to develop good people as well as good players.”

He was very focused on ensuring his job is to make the team the best they can be and he is relishing the mix of young exciting Japanese players with some more experienced overseas players.

“It’s, I believe, my job to allow the players to express themselves on the rugby field and give them the real confidence to do that. I’ve had a lot of experience over the years and working with different coaches, so it’s now time for me to really draw on that experience and try and lead that into my coaching career.”

Image Credit: Urayasu D-Rocks

On the captaincy, Ren Iinuma (scrumhalf) was introduced as the club captain continuing on from last season, and for Laidlaw, it was an easy decision. “We need to keep going forward. And Ren was a big part of that, I think, as the captain. He played really well last season and he led the team really well….He very much deserved that spot.”

On getting the team environment right, the Urayasu D-Rocks Head Coach added, “I truly believe, that people who are having fun, do their job better. So striking that balance with the players and with coaches and to really set that environment from day one in preseason – the players have worked extremely hard and it’s been really good.”

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2024 New Signings – Urayasu D-Rocks

Feature Photo Credit – Urayasu D-Rocks  Head Coach – Greig Laidlaw

As part of the video clips shown at the press conference, Laidlaw was introduced to the playing squad where the Scot told them, “I think we’ve got extremely talented players in the room, some very good young leaders, looking forward to seeing the good progress going forward.”

He said of his role as a young coach “What’s fun is challenging the players and passing my knowledge onto the players, especially their minds, and just working closely with them and developing relationships.  I guess, from my experiences of travelling the world and different cultures, I think that the most important thing is you understand the people first in the country.”

He expanded on the path ahead in the Q&A at the session in front of the Japanese media.

“Everybody in the club’s extremely excited, as am I. Obviously I’m a young coach, so I’ve got a lot of energy, and I’m probably going to need that because it will be difficult at times as well. We’re going back into the top league, and we’re obviously going to be playing against the best teams in Japan, but we’re very focused, and the players are looking forward to that challenge.”

On the development of the squad, the Head Coach said that they would need to keep developing right across the board but he signalled our the forward pack.

“We need to develop in terms of being really tough. We did really well last season in terms of the promotion/ relegation games and our forwards stood up. We’ll need to develop over 18 games this season to be steely and tough, but also smart as well.”

Image Credit: Urayasu D-Rocks

The full Urayasu D-Rocks press conference can be seen here although there was no English for the Japanese spoken parts.

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