Episode 61

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Published on:

17th Feb 2025

Bringing NZ Leadership to Japan on and off the field with Steve Hansen

Sir Steve Hansen, the former All Blacks Coach and current Head Coach of Toyota Verblitz joins us on Jandals in Japan and we were thrilled when he shared his favorite treat from a Japanese convenience store on treat night! We also dive into his experience in Japan and insights into coaching and team dynamics here, his deep respect for Japanese culture while making changes and questioning norms to take the Toyota Verblitz to the next level.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about Steve Hansen's coaching philosophy this is the episode for you.

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In this episode you’ll hear:

  • Steve’s early years on a dairy farm to a family run pub and what it taught him about people
  • The importance of flexibility, communication, and positive reinforcement in fostering a high-performance team
  • The challenges of integrating multinational players and the significance of mentoring
  • The future of rugby in Japan and improvements that would transform the competition
  • Unexpected mentors in shaping Steve’s journey  

About Steve

Sir Steve Hansen is the Head Coach of the Toyota Verblitz Rugby Team. He was a former New Zealand rugby union coach and a former player. He famously led the All Blacks to victory during the 2015 Rugby World Cup as their head coach, a role that he held from 2012 to 2019. He built the All Blacks in this era to be not only the world’s most successful rugby team but also the most successful sports team at the time.

Steve was born in Mosgeil to dairy farming parents who had a farm on the Taieri Plain. He did his secondary school education and Christchurch Boys’ High School and spent six years in the New Zealand Police working at the Hornby Police Station. He played centre in rugby union representing Canterbury at first-class level on 21 occasions. 

He began his coaching career with the Canterbury provincial rugby union team from 1996 to 2001, coached the Wales National Team, then returned to New Zealand as assistant coach for the All Blacks, rising to Coach of the team in 2012. 

Steve ventured to Japan in 2020 to take up his assignment with Toyota Verblitz in coaching consultant for Top League side Toyota Verblitz serving as an advisor and mentor and was appointed Head Coach in 2024.  

Steve became Sir Steve Hansen after being awarded a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby in the New Year’s Honours list in 2020. 

Jandals in Japan is brought to you by Catherine O’Connell Law and PodLaunch with Jayne

Links:

Japan Rugby Weekly Podcast: https://redcircle.com/shows/japan-rugby-weekly

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jandalsinjapan 

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About the Podcast

Jandals in Japan
Bringing The Land of the Long White Cloud to The Land of the Rising Sun
The best show about New Zealanders doing business in Japan, bringing The Land of the Long White Cloud to The Land of the Rising Sun
How do you build a brand in Japan and nurture a loyal customer base?
What do you need to have in your tool belt if you are thinking of coming to Japan to launch a business here?
Japan is often considered to be in the "too hard" basket but we are here to open up the black box of doing business in Japan.
We will share stories from successful Kiwis selling their products and services here in Japan.
They'll tell you their tips for success and pitfalls to avoid.
They'll share their challenges and what they did to overcome them.
They will tell you things you can't find in textbooks or on the internet.
We will also be sharing the latest intel and insights on Japan from our on-the-ground presence
And you'll hear some super business culture and other tips from us sprinkled throughout.
Grab a glass of sake and let's get into it.
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About your hosts

Jayne Nakata

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Jayne Nakata is a Southland girl who arrived in Japan in 2002, planning to stay just two years. 20 years later she is still living in Fukushima Prefecture with her Japanese husband and two children. When the triple disaster hit in 2011, Jayne made the commitment to stay in Fukushima and contribute to rebuilding the area. She is the host of the award winning podcast Transformations with Jayne, which is a favourite with international women living in Japan. She is also the double award winning podcast producer and manager for PodLaunch with Jayne.

Catherine O’Connell

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Originally from Christchurch, Catherine O'Connell has lived in Japan since 2002. Catherine has over 20 years working at brand-name Japanese corporations as legal counsel. In 2018, Catherine launched her own boutique law firm in Tokyo, which has become become a multi-award-winning business. She is Vice Chair of the Australian & New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Audit & Supervisory Board Member at TOYOTA Motor Corporation & FUJITSU Limited. As well as the Jandals in Japan Podcast, she hosts the award-winning Lawyer on Air Podcast.