Born in New Zealand but a resident of Japan since he was 15, Leitch captained a multicultural squad that represented a nation often perceived, by the Japanese as much as anyone, as monocultural.
Three straight wins over Russia, Ireland and Samoa set the World Cup alight and triggered a mania that engulfed Japan for a few glorious weeks.
Central to their success, Leitch says, was the 'One Team' ethos, bringing together players born in seven different countries to present an entirely new face of Japanese sport.