Former Wallaby Berrick Barnes has revealed how even Springboks and All Blacks greats “hero-worshipped” Mark Nawaqanitawase upon his arrival in Japan.
Fresh off becoming the only player to capture this year’s NRL premiership after completing an Ashes and State of Origin series-winning double, Nawaqanitawase has begun the latest chapter of an already-decorated career at the Saitama Wild Knights.
Barnes is the backs and attack coach under the club’s director of rugby, former Wallabies mentor Robbie Deans, and couldn’t be happier to have the freakish code-hopper on board.
“We’re so lucky to have him. Forget the player, there’s an aura and energy about him which is rare. He’s a rare human being,” Barnes told AAP from just outside Tokyo.
“He’s just really positive around the group and lifts the Japanese boys up. He only lobbed on Thursday and already knew a lot of the boys’ names.
“He’d even watched some footage and was over how we played. Not many guys come in and do that. Like, you’d think that’s the bare minimum, mate, but that’s pretty rare.”
Barnes, a one-time Wallabies vice-captain after starting in the NRL as a teenage wonder at the Brisbane Broncos, has played with and under an endless list of legends of both codes.
Yet he was still blown away by the way Nawaqanitawase was feted by teammates and Wild Knights staff, including two-time Rugby World Cup winners Damian de Allende and Sam Whitelock.
“The aura he’s got, he walks into a building and he even gives you belief as a coach, which is pretty rare from a player,” Barnes said.
“I’m just excited for him to be around the boys. They’re a great bunch we’ve got here and they’ll welcome him in, but I’ve never seen a bunch of foreigners in our team actually genuinely excited to see someone in the building — and genuinely nervous.
“The Kiwi boys included. They deal with some pretty famous Kiwi guys — All Blacks or whatever — but Mark’s status in what he’s done in rugby league, it’s ridiculous and, for a lot of those boys, there’s a bit of hero worship there.
“We’ve got Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, two players probably most considered like Mark in South Africa. We have Sam Whitelock, who came up and coached.
“So guys who’ve done a lot in the game, but I’d say there’s not many that have had that ‘Marky Mark’ presence with guys. It’s like ‘holy shit, this guy’s that good and we get to have him on our team’. That’s pretty bloody cool.”
Barnes believes the dual international will revel in Japan — and become an even superior player without the spotlight, glare and pressures from NRL or Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific fans.
“Honestly, he’ll get around with anonymity, seriously,” Barnes said.
“That’s what people don’t get about Japan. It is an island unto itself. It’s culturally unique.
“Yeah, on game day for sure he’ll get mobbed by fans. The rugby fan base here is strong and they’re passionate. But outside of games, he’ll get around as if he’s just an everyday bloke.
“After a while fans will recognise him, but people have to understand no-one watches rugby league over here. It’s a weird thing because in Australia it’s on everything and it’s our main sport, especially on the east coast.
“But over here, mate, no one even knows who Nathan Cleary is.”
AAP
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