Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament

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Global Stadium at Global Arena during the World Rugby Youth Tournament 2006

The Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament is a prestigious international rugby union tournament for 15-a-side youth teams which is held every year during the Golden Week holidays (April 29 - May 5) in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan. Participation is by invitation only, and the overseas schools selected by their respective unions are expected to be of a high standard and considered among the top five in the country. The event is hosted by the JRFU and supported by various local bodies.

The Global Arena in Munakata, Kyūshū is the venue for this tournament between eight top Japanese and eight top foreign high school teams from various countries. The first one was held in 2000. It is a unique competition in world rugby for high schools, and is almost a "mini World Cup".

Four of the Japanese teams are from the local area Kyūshū, where high school rugby is particularly strong. The rest are from elsewhere in Japan. Previously Dollar Academy from Scotland has participated and a Scottish pipe band used to be a regular fixture, though there was no pipe band in 2007 and no English commentary. (There was Japanese commentary for games played in the stadium, except on the final day.) No Argentinian, Italian or Welsh teams have yet participated.

Christian Brothers College (Ireland) plays Fushimi Technical High School (Japan), 2006

1 Eighth Annual Tournament (2007)
2 Seventh Annual Tournament (2006)
- 2.1 Participating teams
- 2.2 Final
3 Past Champions and Runners-up
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Eighth Annual Tournament (2007)

[edit] Participating teams

Eight foreign, eight Japanese teams

Carson Graham Secondary School (Canada), Tarbes HS (France), Saint Michael's College (Ireland), Gyeong San HS (South Korea), Westfields Sports High School (Australia), Christchurch Boys High School (New Zealand), Dr. E.G. Jansen High School (South Africa), Avele College (Samoa), Toin Gakuen HS (Kanagawa), Fushimi Technical HS (Kyoto), Osaka Technical HS (Osaka), Tokai University Gyosei HS (Osaka), Oita Maizuru HS (Oita), Nagasaki Kita HS (Nagasaki), Saga Technical HS (Saga), Higashi Fukuoka HS (Fukuoka)

The tournament starts with four pools of four teams which all play each other. The pools for 2007 were:
Group A: Carson Graham, Christchurch Boys, Toin, Oita Maizuru
Group B: Tarbes, Westfields, Osaka Technical, Saga
Group C: St Michaels, Avele, Tokai, Fushimi Technical
Group D: Gyeong San, E.G. Jansen, Higashi Fukuoka, Nagasaki Kita

After this each team plays two matches in the final tournament. The top teams of each pool play to decide the final order 1-4, the second-placed teams play to decide the final order 5-8, the third-placed teams play to decide the final order 9-12 and the fourth-placed teams play to decide the final order 13-16.

[edit] Final

Westfields Sports HS 36 Higashi Fukuoka 19

[edit] Final order

Westfields, Higashi Fukuoka, Christchurch Boys, Avele, Tarbes, E.G. Jansen, Tokai, Oita Maizuru, Saga, Toin, St Michael's, Nagasaki Kita, Fushimi, Osaka, Carson Graham, Gyeong San

[edit] Seventh Annual Tournament (2006)

The 2006 competition was held from April 29th to May 5, 2006. (May 1st was the day off as usual.) Bob Dwyer was one of the invited guests, along with Tony Philp the Waikato prop newly arrived in Japan as the IRB High Performance adviser responsible for improving the skills of the top players.

[edit] Participating teams

Christchurch Boys High School (NZ), Ivybridge Community College (England), Marist College Canberra (Australia), Lycee Bellevue (France), Monument High School (South Africa), Pai Chai High School (Korea), Tonga College (Tonga), Christian Brothers College (Ireland) and the following Japanese teams: Nagasaki Kita H.S., Toin Gakuen H.S., Saga Technical H.S., Tokai University Gyosei H.S., Ōita Maizuru H.S., Osaka Technical H.S., Higashi Fukuoka H.S., Fushimi Technical H.S