Japan at the Rugby World Cup

Japan playing Australia at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Map of nations best results, excluding nations which unsuccessfully participated in qualifying tournaments

The Japan national team have competed in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987. Japan will host the tournament for the first time at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. They are so far the first of only three teams from Asia to reach the World Cup, the only other national team being Georgia, who compete in the European Nations Cup and take part in European qualification.

Despite their multiple appearances in six tournaments so far, they have recorded just one victory, a 52 points to 8 win over Zimbabwe at the 1991 tournament in Belfast under coach Hiroaki Shukuzawa. They have yet to progress past the pool stage of the tournament. Their worst defeat so far came at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when they lost to New Zealand by 145-17, in a defeat blamed for setting the development of rugby union in Japan back by several years.

Since then, Japan has beaten Chinese Taipei 155-3 in an Asia qualification match for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, which was seen as a redemption for their earlier defeat.^[1] In the 2003 World Cup itself, held in Australia, Japan coached by Shogo Mukai was hailed as the best of the so-called 'minnow' nations, gaining many new Japanese and overseas fans in the process, though the team still failed to win any games. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Japan managed a last-minute conversion from the boot of Shotaro Onishi to draw with Canada, and avoided coming last in Pool B. They did not win any games however, and did not reach the knockout stage of the tournament.

By position

Year	Round	Position	Played	Won	Drew	Lost	For	Against
1987	Pool	–	3	–	–	3	48	123
1991	Pool	–	3	1	–	2	77	87
1995	Pool	–	3	–	–	3	55	252
1999	Pool	–	3	–	–	3	36	140
2003	Pool	–	4	–	–	4	79	163
2007	Pool	–	4	–	1	3	64	210
2011	Pool	–	4	–	1	3	69	184
2015
2019
Total	–	–	24	1	2	21	428	1159

By match

1987

Team	P	W	D	L	PF	PA	Pts
Australia	3	3	0	0	108	41	6
England	3	2	0	1	100	32	4
United States	3	1	0	2	39	99	2
Japan	3	0	0	3	48	123	0

1987-05-24

Japan	18 – 21	United States
Tries: Taumoefolau (2) Yoshinaga Pen: Yoshinaga Kutsuki		Tries: Nelson Purcell Lambert Con: Nelson (3) Pen: Nelson

Ballymore, Brisbane Referee: Guy Maurette

1987-05-30

England	60 – 7	Japan
Tries: Harrison (3) Underwood (2) Salmon Richards Redman Rees Simms Con: Webb (7) Pen: Webb (2)		Try: Miyamoto Pen: Matsuo

Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Rene Hourquet

1987-06-03

Australia	42 – 23	Japan
Tries: Slack (2) Burke (2) Tuynman Grigg Hartill Campese Con: Lynagh (5)		Tries: Kutsuki (2) Fujita Con: Okidoi Pen: Okidoi (2) Drop: Okidoi

Concord Oval, Sydney Referee: Jim Fleming

1991

Team	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Points
Scotland	3	0	0	122	36	9
Ireland	2	0	1	102	51	7
Japan	1	0	2	77	87	5
Zimbabwe	0	0	3	31	158	3

1991-10-05

Scotland	47 – 9	Japan
Tries: S. Hastings, Stanger, Chalmers, White, Penalty Try, Tukalo, G. Hastings Con: G. Hastings (5) Pen: G. Hastings (2), Chalmers		Tries: Hosokawa Con: Hosokawa Drop: Hosokawa

Murrayfield, Edinburgh Referee: Ed Morrison

1991-10-09

Ireland	32 – 16	Japan
Tries: Mannion (2), O’Hara, Staples Con: Keyes (2) Pen: Keyes (4)		Tries: Hayashi, Kajihara, Yoshida Con: Hosokawa (2)

Landsdowne Road, Dublin Referee: Laikini Colati

1991-10-14

Japan	52 – 8	Zimbabwe
Tries: Yoshida (2), Mashuho (2), Kutsuki (2), Horikoshi, Luaiufi, Matsuo Con: Hosokawa (2) Pen: Hosokawa (4)		Tries: Tsimba, Nguruve

Ravenhill, Belfast Referee: Rene Hourquet

1995

Team	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Points
New Zealand	3	0	0	225	45	9
Ireland	2	0	1	93	94	7
Wales	1	0	2	89	68	5
Japan	0	0	3	55	252	3

1995-05-27

Japan	10 – 57	Wales
Tries: Osamu Ota (2)		Tries: Gareth Thomas (3), Ieuan Evans (2), Andrew Moore, Hemi Taylor Con: Neil Jenkins (5) Pen: Neil Jenkins (4)

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Attendance: 12 000 Referee: Efrahim Sklar

1995-05-31

Ireland	50 – 28	Japan
Tries: Neil Franis, Simon Geoghegan, David Corkery, Eddie Halvey, Niall Hogan Con: Paul Burke (6) Pen: Paul Burke		Tries: Sinali-Tui Latu, Ko Izawa, Seiji Hirao, Masanori Takura Con: Yoshihito Yoshida (4)

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Attendance: 15 000 Referee: Stef Neethling

1995-06-04

Japan	17 – 145	New Zealand
Tries: Hiroyuki Kajihara (2) Con: Keiji Hirose (2) Pen: Keiji Hirose		Tries: Marc Ellis (6), Eric Rush (3), Jeff Wilson (3), Robin Brooke (2), Glen Osborne (2), Richard Loe, Simon Culhane, Paul Henderson, Craig Dowd, Alama Ieremia Con: Simon Culhane (20)

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein Attendance: 17 000 Referee: George Gadjovic

1999

Team	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Points
Wales	2	0	1	118	71	4
Samoa	2	0	1	97	72	4
Argentina	2	0	1	83	51	4
Japan	0	0	3	36	140	0

1999-10-03

Samoa	43 – 9	Japan
Tries: Brian Lima (2), Steven So'oialo (2), Silao Leaegailesolo Con: Silao Leaegailesolo (3) Pen: Silao Leaegailesolo (4)		Pen: Keiji Hirose (3)

Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Referee: Andrew Cole

1999-10-09

Wales	64 – 15	Japan
Tries: Mark Taylor, (2) Robert Howley, Scott Gibbs, David Llewellyn, Gareth Thomas, Allan Bateman, Shane Howarth Con: Neil Jenkins (8) Con: Neil Jenkins		Tries: Patiliai Tuidraki, Daisuke Ohata Con: Keiji Hirose Pen: Keiji Hirose

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Referee: Joel Dume

1999-10-16

Argentina	33 – 12	Japan
Tries: Diego Albanese, Agustín Pichot Con: Felipe Contepomi Pen: Gonzalo Quesada (7)		Pen: Keiji Hirose (4)

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Referee: Stuart Dickinson

2003

Team	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	BP	Points
France	4	0	0	204	70	4	20
Scotland	3	0	1	102	97	2	14
Fiji	2	0	2	98	114	2	10
United States	1	0	3	86	125	2	6
Japan	0	0	4	79	163	0	0

2003-10-11

Scotland	32–11	Japan
Tries: Paterson (2), Grimes, Taylor, Danielli Con: Paterson, Townsend Pen: Paterson		Tries: Onozawa Pen: Hirose (2)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 19,170 Referee: Stuart Dickinson

2003-10-18

France	51 – 29	Japan
Tries: Michalak, Rougerie (2), Pelous, Dominici, Crenca Con: Michalak (5), Merceron Pen: Michalak (3)		Tries: Konia, Ohata Con: Kurihara (2) Pen: Kurihara (5)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 21,309 Referee: Alan Lewis

2003-10-23

Fiji	41 – 13	Japan
Tries: Tuilevu (2), Ligairi (2), Vunibaka Con: Little (2) Pen: Little (4)		Tries: Miller Con: Miller Pen: Miller Drop: Miller

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 17,269 Referee: Nigel Whitehouse

2003-10-27

Japan	26 – 39	United States
Tries: Kurihara, Ohata Con: Kurihara (2) Pen: Kurihara (4)		Tries: Hercus, Eloff, Schubert, van Zyl, Khasigian Con: Hercus (4) Pen: Hercus (2)

Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford Attendance: 19,653 Referee: Steve Walsh

2007

Team	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/-	BP	Pts
Australia	4	4	0	0	30	215	41	+174	4	20
Fiji	4	3	0	1	14	114	136	−22	3	15
Wales	4	2	0	2	23	168	105	+63	4	12
Japan	4	0	1	3	7	64	210	−146	1	3
Canada	4	0	1	3	6	51	120	−69	0	2

8 September 2007 15:45

Australia	91 – 3	Japan
Tries: Sharpe 18' m Elsom (3) 24' c, 34' m, 41' c Ashley-Cooper 46' c Latham (2) 53' c, 72' c Barnes (2) 57' c, 75' c Mitchell (2) 59' c, 66' c Smith 62' m Freier 80+' c Con: Mortlock (7/10) Giteau (3/3) Pen: Mortlock (2/2) 10', 16'	Report	Pen: K. Ono (1/1) 38'

Stade de Gerland, Lyon Attendance: 40,043 Referee: Alan Lewis

12 September 2007 18:00

Japan	31 – 35	Fiji
Tries: Thompson (2) 51' c, 78' c Soma 62' m Con: Onishi (2/3) Pen: Onishi (4/4) 18', 30', 40+', 43'	Report	Tries: Qera (2) 36' c, 49' c Rabeni 56' m Leawere 71' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (3/3) 4', 55', 74'

Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse Attendance: 34,500 Referee: Marius Jonker

20 September 2007 21:00

Wales	72 – 18	Japan
Tries: A. W. Jones 11' c Hook 24' c T. R. Thomas 31' c Morgan 40+' m Phillips 42' c S. Williams (2) 48' m, 80' m D. James 52' c Cooper 59' c M. Williams (2) 64' c, 74' c Con: S. Jones (5/7) Sweeney (2/4) Pen: S. Jones (1/1) 23'	Report	Tries: Endo 19' m Onozawa 57' c Con: Robins (1/1) Pen: Onishi (2/2) 4', 37'

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Attendance: 35,245 Referee: Joël Jutge

25 September 2007 18:00

Canada	12 – 12	Japan
Tries: Riordan 48' m van der Merwe 65' c Con: Pritchard (1/1)	Report	Tries: Endo 12' m Taira 80+' c Con: Onishi (1/2)

Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux Attendance: 33,810 Referee: Jonathan Kaplan

2011

Japan lost to New Zealand, Tonga and France, but managed a draw with Canada.

Hosting

At a special IRB meeting held in Dublin on 28 July 2009, Japan was announced as the host for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.^[2]

List of planned stadia

In addition to the nine venues located in Japan, one venue each from Singapore and Hong Kong have also been proposed to host five matches respectively.^[3]

• Nissan Stadium, Yokohama (72,000)
• Nagai Stadium, Osaka (50,000)
• Olympic Stadium, Tokyo (57,000)
• Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo (27,000)
• Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai (20,000)
• Level-5 Stadium, Fukuoka (23,000)
• Toyota Stadium, Toyota (45,000)
• Sapporo Dome, Sapporo (41,000)
• Home's Stadium, Kobe (34,000)
• Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong (40,000)
• Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore (50,000)

References

• Davies, Gerald (2004) The History of the Rugby World Cup (Sanctuary Publishing Ltd, (ISBN 1860746020)
• Farr-Jones, Nick, (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup, Australian Post Corporation, (ISBN 0-642-36811-2)