Japanese fly-half still chasing All Blacks dream despite League One move

New Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars fly-half Shun Miyake is still committed to chasing his dream of playing for the All Blacks despite leaving New Zealand to play in League One for the first time.

Kobe-born Miyake, who turned 24 on Sunday, started playing rugby at Ashiya Rugby School at the age of five and boldly moved to New Zealand on his own as a teenager to accelerate his development and to experience a different culture.

Miyake immersed himself in the game in Christchurch as he negotiated the country's unforgiving youth system and played three seasons for Christ's College before being spotted by scouts from the Crusaders.

Miyake continued to forge his own path, one that few budding Japanese players have experienced, and represented the Canterbury U19 team in 2020 and the Crusaders U20 side in 2021. 

Miyake in action in round one v Urayasu D-Rocks - © JRLO

The highly-rated League One newcomer, who stands at 170cm and weighs 88kg, played in New Zealand’s premier domestic competition, the National Provincial Championships, for Tasman in 2023 and for Toshiba star Richie Mo’unga’s former side Canterbury in 2024 and 2025.

Miyake was an intriguing acquisition by Glenn Delaney’s Mitsubishi side for the 2025-26 season and despite returning to his homeland, he’s unwavering in his ambitions.

“I haven’t given up on New Zealand,” said Miyake who has started all three of his new club’s games his season.

“That goal hasn’t changed.”

Returning to Japan is not an admission of defeat in his ultimate goal, but a strategic reset as he aims to establish himself in Japan’s top-flight and flourish with the opportunity for regular game time.

Miyake is playing alongside South Africa’s double World Cup winner Lukhanyo Am and ex-All Black Jackson Hemopo with veteran scrum-half Brad Weber set to be unveiled next week after arriving from from French giants Stade Francais. 

Miyake won the NPC with Canterbury in October

Crucially, Miyake remains eligible for New Zealand under World Rugby regulations. That reality keeps the All Blacks dream alive, however distant it may appear.

Miyake’s case is unusual: Japanese-born, New Zealand-developed, bilingual, and already comfortable in both rugby cultures.

In an era where national eligibility pathways are increasingly fluid, Miyake represents a modern hybrid — a player shaped by two systems, yet not fully defined by either.

The All Blacks hopeful is currently in the process of obtaining permanent residency in New Zealand, which requires him to stay in the country for at least 184 days a year.

He chose this path despite knowing that it would mean a gruelling schedule, including having to return to New Zealand during off-weeks in the Japanese competition.

"The team was flexible in accommodating my schedule, including the discussion about permanent residency.

“I also wanted to show my family in Japan how I played, so I decided to play here.”

Miyake’s burning desire to play for New Zealand has meant that he’s turned down several opportunities to play for Japan’s U20 and A sides.

"I still have a dream, but I'm not in a rush. First of all, I want to see how well I can do in League One.

“I don't want to compare myself to others, I want to do what I have to do and contribute to the team."

For now, Japan is where he plays. New Zealand is where his ambition still lives.

And until the door is definitively closed, Shun Miyake is determined to keep pushing it open.