Japan’s Kiwi lock Warner Dearns puts hand up for Super Rugby stint
Attention all New Zealand rugby chief executives and head coaches, big Warner Dearns would like to have a crack at Super Rugby.
Dearns, the Wellington-born son of former Silver Fern Tanya Dearns, is currently playing a key role for Toshiba Brave Lupus in Japan Rugby League One, with the Richie Mo’unga-inspired side already locked in for a playoffs spot.
But Dearns, the 202cm and 122kg lock, remains a Kiwi boy at heart and told Stuff that he would jump at the chance to play in the competition he grew up watching.
“I'd like to have a season overseas, so I can better my craft and better my skills, but at the moment I'm committed to Japan, and I'm enjoying playing for Japan,” he said from Japan.
“[But] I'd love to come and have a crack at Super. Obviously, I grew up in New Zealand and watched a lot of Super Rugby growing up, and playing for a Super team would be awesome.
"I think it would be an awesome challenge for me as well, as much as going over to Europe and playing for a club over there.“
Dearns is one of the most fascinating stories in the broader New Zealand rugby landscape, having moved to Japan to complete his schooling while his father, Grant Dearns, worked in Japanese rugby.
At just 22 years old, he has already been capped 11 times by Japan, scored a try against the All Blacks and played at a Rugby World Cup.
Given the exits of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock from the All Blacks’ picture, Dearns may be the one who got away, although the door is still ajar with World Rugby eligibility laws allowing Dearns to switch back to New Zealand after a threeyear stand-down period from test rugby.
Like all good Kiwi mothers, Tanya Dearns - who is now the chief executive of the Mid Canterbury provincial union - had been gently encouraging her boy to pursue the black jersey, although Warner says her campaign has eased slightly.
"There was quite a bit of pressure from Mum early on a couple of years ago when I first got into the Japan squad,“he said. “It sort of died down a bit since I've played in the World Cup, that pressure from Mum, but she wants me to come back and have a season playing Super.”
Right now, Japan suits Dearns nicely. Due to the influx of overseas talent into the JRLO, he can benchmark himself against world-class locks as Retallick (Kobe Steelers) and Lood de Jager (Saitama Wild Knights).
Coached by Todd Blackadder, he is also learning from the likes of the veteran Michael Leitch as he adds the “nitty gritty” to his game to go with his natural ball-playing skills.
Then, there is the Mo’unga factor. Recently described by All Blacks coach Scott Robertson as the “form player” in Japan, Mo’unga has enjoyed a strong first season in Japan.
It’s nothing less than Dearns expected. “I know he's a really incredible player, and he's really influential to the teams that he plays for,” he said. “I expected that we'd have a pretty good pretty good go at things this year, and it's happened.
“He's won a lot of championships with the Crusaders, and it feels like he wants to win.
“Obviously, we all would love to win a championship, but he's really determined, and he knows how to do it.
“It's been really good for the team, and the standard in Japan.”
Dearns will get plenty of chances to continue his own development this year, with the Brave Blossoms set to face England (three times), the All Blacks and France.
But, don’t bet against him coming back to New Zealand for a year, and showing the All Blacks what could have been.