rugby world cup 2019

Japan in line for more Tier One games

15 Comments
By Richard CARTER

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15 Comments
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I am a big fan of Japanese rugby and it is exciting that they have beaten Ireland and Scotland. Before we get too carried though look at how the Sunwolves performed in Super Rugby this year. Well behind the other 15 teams and a points differential of -290. About 20 points a game on average. Teams have to fly all the way to Tokyo to play them in one off games but still managed to thrash them. Sunwolves had practically the whole Japanese World Cup squad and coaching team. They also had several other regular players including their top scorer Hayden Parker, who are not available to play for Japan.

The change to a 5 year qualifying period will hit them quite hard too.

The Sunwolves have been dumped from the competition after 4 years of perpetual failure. Japanese rugby refused to pay the annual licence fee any more and want to put the money into their own competition from 2021.

Am not sure that this will improve the performance of their national side, it is not doing much for France for example.

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The Sunwolves had several national members of their team away training for most of this years Super 15 season to prepare for the World Cup. They had some good starts and inevitably fell short most games but they did manage to beat the Waratahs in Sydney and took the Hurricanes the full 80 minutes. The annual participation fee was a hefty one billion yen and only the Sunwolves were asked to pay it, Basically Sanzaar showed them the door right there. Making it a Team to represent Asia and setting up Singapore as a home venue was a failure. Who knows, the people that have jumped on the rugby bandwagon might give them some support for the 2020 season??

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Well done Japan!

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WR are trying to turn rugby into cricket i.e it's all about test footy, domestic leagues are struggling. That's not a healthy approach, look what's happening in oz, nz and sa, dwindling crowds & tv numbers (SR and national leagues) even test footy's stagnating.

Imo Japan should invest in grassroots/ club footy first, get proper domestic comps and clubs (engage the local community. Ppl no longer want to support docomo, Panasonic and other brands they want proper clubs with their own identity ).

Test footy should be the cherry on top not the be all and end all of ppl's footy season.

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I see two foreigners representing Japan in that pic.

Rugby needs to align its player rule with the Olympics or FIFA.

Living in Japan for three years qualifies someone playing for Japan regardless of citizenship?

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Rugby needs to align its player rule with the Olympics or FIFA.

Living in Japan for three years qualifies someone playing for Japan regardless of citizenship?

The rule applies to all countries and other countries also have foreigners in their teams.

I think being 3 years in a country and qualifying one to play for that country is too soft and an utter joke and needs to be changed to eligibility through naturalization like soccer and other sports. It is NT and not some private club, steps should be taken so that poorer nations don't lose their best talents to the richer nations as it would be counter productive and not help the growth of rugby.

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As for Japan, Beaumont vowed to set up more fixtures between the Brave Blossoms and Tier One teams, stressing that the Japanese could now pull big crowds.

Hope Beaumont doesn't follow the money so much and go the route of FIVB as it won't help spread rugby internationally.

For the past 35 years all major volleyball tournaments have been held in Japan and that has not helped the popularity internationally or even here in Japan.

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Great news! The Brave Blossoms should be invited to the 6 Nations Tournament in Europe. They are a fellow N Hemisphere team, and much better than Scotland or Italy. They beat Ireland. Japan would bring enormous money, fan base and TV revenue to the 6 Nations.

Living in Japan for three years qualifies someone playing for Japan regardless of citizenship?

Actually, there were 16 Foreign born players in the Scottish squad that Brave Blossoms beat.

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To sustain this, as others said, they have to invest in the grassroots. Schools rugby, club rugby based on geographic locations not companies, Japan joining the rugby championship etc. That will take time to develop. I hope it does.

But more likely, the tier 1 nations will cherry pick the star players and coaches from this team post World Cup and Japan rugby will suffer.

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"Ganbare Japan!Today  12:06 pm JST

Great news! The Brave Blossoms should be invited to the 6 Nations Tournament in Europe. They are a fellow N Hemisphere team, and much better than Scotland or Italy. They beat Ireland. Japan would bring enormous money, fan base and TV revenue to the 6 Nations.

Living in Japan for three years qualifies someone playing for Japan regardless of citizenship?

Actually, there were 16 Foreign born players in the Scottish squad that Brave Blossoms beat."

What? now you claim that Japan must put it's nose even in Europeans competitions?

Never going to happen,because the 6 nations is an EUROPEAN competition.

You better make your asian one.

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redelmotalkingToday  12:54 pm JST

To sustain this, as others said, they have to invest in the grassroots. Schools rugby, club rugby based on geographic locations not companies, Japan joining the rugby championship etc. That will take time to develop. I hope it does.

It already has. The all Japan high school championship held in winter is as popular the all Japan high school soccer championship. Collage rugby has always been aired and gathers a large crowd of fans at the stadium.

Company teams are not pros they started and always been extra curriculum activities for employees.

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