Japan national rugby union team

"Japan national rugby team" redirects here. For the national rugby league team, see Japan national rugby league team.
Japan
Union Japan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s) The Cherry Blossoms / Brave Blossoms
Emblem(s) the Sakura
Coach(es) Eddie Jones
Captain(s) Michael Leitch
Most caps Hitoshi Ono (85)
Top scorer Ayumu Goromaru (505)
Most tries Daisuke Ohata (69)[1]
Team kit
Change kit
First international
 Japan 9 – 8 Canada 
(31 January 1932)
Largest win
 Japan 155 – 3 Chinese Taipei 
(1 July 2002)
Largest defeat
 New Zealand 145 – 17 Japan 
(4 June 1995)
World Cup
Appearances 7 (First in 1987)
Best result third in pool 1 win 1991

The Japan national rugby union team (often known as the Cherry Blossoms or more recently the Brave Blossoms) represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. Rugby union in Japan is administered by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), which was founded in 1926. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup and the Asian Five Nations. They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987. However they have only ever won one game at the tournament, against Zimbabwe in 1991.

Rugby was introduced to Japan in 1899 and Japan's first international was a match against a Canadian team in 1932. Notable games for Japan include a victory over the Junior All Blacks in 1968, and a narrow 6–3 loss to England in 1971. Famous wins by Japan include a 28–24 victory over a Scotland XV in 1989 and a 23-8 victory over Wales in 2013. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Japan drew 12–12 against Canada, their second best result in the tournament. In 2011, Japan displayed its progress by winning the 2011 IRB Pacific Nations Cup, played against Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Further progess was displayed in 2014 when Japan completed a string of ten consecutive test wins (a record for a tier 2 team) to rank in the world's top 10 teams.[2]

History

Main article: Rugby union in Japan

The first recorded instance of rugby being played in Japan was in 1874, when British sailors staged a game in Yokohama. The sport was introduced to students at Keio University in 1899 by Professor Edward Bramwell Clarke and Tanaka Ginnosuke. Japan's first international match took place on 31 January 1932 when a trade delegation from Canada brought the Canada national rugby union team, who were also playing their first game. The Japanese won 9–8.

Japan beat the Junior All Blacks 23–19 in 1968 after losing the first four matches on a tour of New Zealand, but they won the last five. The Japanese (coached by Waseda University Professor Onishi Tetsunosuke) lost by just 3–6 to England in Tokyo on 29 September 1971 in the RFU's centenary year. The 1973 Japan rugby union tour of Wales, England and France was less successful with the side winning only two of their eleven matches, and losing the international matches against Wales and France. Ten years later Japan gave Wales a fright in losing by a slim five-point margin, 24–29, at Cardiff Arms Park on 2 October 1983.

On 28 May 1989, a strong Japan coached by Hiroaki Shukuzawa defeated an uncapped Scotland, missing nine British Lions on tour in Australia, for the first time at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, 28–24. The Japan team included such Kobe Steel stalwarts as centre Seiji Hirao (captain), and locks Atsushi Oyagi and Toshiyuki Hayashi (38 Japan caps and a member of Oxford University's all-time best XV). Sinali Latu at No. 8 was then a fourth year student at Daito Bunka University, and speedy Yoshihito Yoshida on the wing (no. 14) was a third year at Meiji University. Scotland missed an incredible seven penalties and refused the kicking tee which was generously offered – as a surviving video of the game shows. It was almost the same Japanese team which defeated Zimbabwe in RWC1991.

Under Shogo Mukai (2001−2003)

After Hirao resigned, Toshiba Brave Lupus coach Shogo Mukai was appointed in March 2001 to lead Japan up to the 2003 Rugby World Cup. After mixed fortunes in his first two years in charge, Japan put in some impressive performances at the tournament with good efforts against Scotland and France, nevertheless they still left the tournament having failed to reach their target of winning some matches but still won admirers for their exciting brand of play. Mukai left his post after the tournament to spend more time with his family.

Under Mitsutake Hagimoto (2004−2005)

After Shogo Mukai left after the 2003 Rugby World Cup, the JRFU initially tried to appoint Eddie Jones from his post with Australia but were unsuccessful and instead appointed Mitsutake Hagimoto in March 2004 after he won the inaugural Top League with the Kobelco Steelers. Under Hagimoto, Japan decided they would not select foreign born players after Mukai had been criticised for playing too many at the World Cup.

Hagimoto's first match in charge was a disappointing draw with Korea, but his first few matches in charge after that were promising with wins over Russia and Canada to win the Super Powers Cup and pushed Italy close losing 32−19.

However in November 2004, Japan went on a disastrous tour to Europe where they were embarrassingly thrashed 100−8 by Scotland and 98-0 by Wales and also were comfortably defeated by Romania. Japan's performances were described as "pathetic", and the squad was called "a joke" with some key players ignored or not given permission to travel.

This disastrous tour forced a rethink from Hagimoto and foreign born players were brought back into the side in 2005, but after losing twice to Ireland in June he was sacked and with just 5 wins from 15 matches was the least successful coach for Japan in the professional era.

Under Jean-Pierre Élissalde (2005–2006)

Japan play Tonga at Honjo stadium on 4 June 2006

After Hagimoto left his post at the end of June 2005, Jean-Pierre Élissalde who had been appointed backs coach three months earlier took full charge and became the first foreigner to be the head coach for Japan. His first match in charge was a 44−29 win over Spain in November 2005.

In 2006, despite a disappointing campaign in the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup in June where Japan lost all their matches, and also lost to heavily to Italy 52-6, Élissalde was backed to lead the side to the 2007 Rugby World Cup. But Élissalde was later sacked in September after he took on a job with Bayonne without consulting the JRFU and then refused to give up his job with them.[3] Assistant coach Osamu Ota took over as caretaker coach for two Rugby World Cup qualifiers in November 2006.

Under John Kirwan (2007–2011)

Japan plays Australia A on 8 June 2008

John Kirwan was appointed head coach on in October 2006 after Elissalde was sacked. He initially worked as an advisor to caretaker coach Osamu Ota before taking over the job completely in 2007.

After starting with large wins over the Asian opposition, Japan only won one of their remaining 10 fixtures in 2007, although in the 2007 Rugby World Cup they did gain a draw with a last minute touchline conversion from Shotaro Onishi against Canada to end a long losing streak of World Cup matches stretching back to 1991.

Results began to pick up after the 2007 World Cup and Kirwan led Japan up to a high of 13th in the IRB Rankings and to win their first ever Pacific Nations Cup title in 2011 after they beat Fiji away for the first ever time in Japan's history.

However despite more positive results in between World Cups, Japan had a disappointing 2011 Rugby World Cup, losing 31−18 to Tonga who they had beaten four consecutive times in a row since 2008, and drawing again to Canada who they had beaten 46−8 and 27−6 in 2009, and Japan left the World Cup winless meaning they still hadn't won a match at the tournament since 1991. Kirwan came under pressure after the tournament and he resigned from his post after his contract came to the end at the end of the year.

The tenure of Kirwan as coach was notable for a large amount of imports he selected. Players who originated from New Zealand such as James Arlidge, Bryce Robins, Shaun Webb, Ryan Nicholas, Luke Thompson or Tonga such as Alisi Tupuailei and Sione Vatuvei all featured prominently under Kirwan. The large percentage of foreigners in the national team also caused criticism for Kirwan. However despite failing to bring Japan a World Cup win, Kirwan left his post as the most successful Japan coach of the professional era with a win rate of 58.18% from 55 matches.

Under Eddie Jones (2012–)

Kirwan chose not to renew his contract as head coach when it expired at the end of 2011, and the Japan Rugby Football Union announced that former Australia coach, Eddie Jones, would be his successor.[4] Jones stated that his intention was to take the Japanese national team into the top 10 on the international rankings, and that they must develop a style of play to allow them to win games against teams such as Scotland and Wales.

Jones made his debut as Japan head coach against Kazakhstan. He had selected a total of 10 uncapped players out of the 22 selected players. They went on to win the match 87−0. They then had a big win over United Arab Emirates where young 18 year old Yoshikazu Fujita set a new Asian Five Nations record for the most tries in a single match with a total of 6. This was also Fujita's international debut.[5]

In 2013, Jones led Japan to their sixth consecutive championship win in the Asian Five Nations, where Japan achieved a tournament record score of 121−0 against the Philippines. In May, the nation lost their opening match of the 2013 IRB Pacific Nations Cup to Tonga, followed by a defeat to Fiji in the second round. Following these matches, Japan faced a 2-test series against Wales (although due to lions duty 15 players were in Australia) of which the series ended in a 1−1 draw. Japan lost narrowly, 18−22, in the first test, but won the second test 23−8. This was the first time that Japan had recorded a victory over the Welsh.

On 16 October 2013, Jones was hospitalised after having a suspected stroke and was released from hospital 2 days later on 18 October 2013.[6][7] With the announcement of his release from hospital, it was announced that Jones will miss Japan's 2013 end-of-year rugby union tests against New Zealand, Scotland, Gloucester, Russia and Spain, and former Australia skills coach and current technical adviser for Japan Scott Wisemantel will interim coach Japan for their 2013 end-of-year rugby union tests.[8]

Rugby World Cup

Japan has participated in the Rugby World Cup since its inception in 1987, and has made appearances in all tournaments thus far. Despite this, they have experienced little success, with just one victory over Zimbabwe in 1991, and two draws with Canada in 2007 and 2011. They will be the home team for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, which is to be held in Japan.

World Cup record World Cup Qualification record
Year Round P W D L F A P W D L F A
AustraliaNew Zealand 1987Pool Stage300348123Automatically qualified
United KingdomRepublic of IrelandFrance 1991Pool Stage3102778732016563
South Africa 1995Pool Stage300355252440021052
Wales 1999Pool Stage300336140330022125
Australia 2003Pool Stage400479163440042047
France 2007Pool Stage401364210660037960
New Zealand 2011Pool Stage401369184440032630
England 2015-------880065841
Japan 2019To be determinedTo be determined
Total 8/8 24 1 2 21 428 1159 32 31 0 1 2279 318

Overall

Top 25 Rankings as 27 April 2015[9]
RankChange*TeamPoints
1 Steady  New Zealand 93.70
2 Steady  South Africa88.23
3 Steady  Ireland 85.76
4 Steady  England 85.40
5 Steady  Wales 84.07
6 Steady  Australia 82.95
7 Steady  France 79.74
8 Steady  Argentina 78.23
9 Steady  Samoa 75.39
10 Steady  Scotland 74.79
11 Steady  Japan 74.70
12 Steady  Fiji 74.57
13 Steady  Tonga 74.12
14 Steady  Georgia 72.16
15 Steady  Italy 71.85
16 Steady  United States 67.61
17 Steady  Canada 66.83
18 Steady  Romania 66.23
19 Steady  Russia 64.65
20 Steady  Uruguay 63.58
21 Steady  Spain 62.59
22 Increase1  South Korea 58.38
23 Decrease1  Namibia 58.27
24 Decrease1  Portugal 57.40
25 Steady  Belgium 56.47
*Change from the previous week
Japan's Historical Rankings
Source: World Rugby - Graph updated to 27 April 2015[9]

Below is table of the representative rugby matches played by a Japan national XV at test level up until 30 November 2014.[10]

Opponent Played Won Lost Drawn Win % For Aga Diff
 Arabian Gulf 3 3 0 0 100% 256 20 +236
 Argentina 5 1 4 0 20% 139 205 −66
 Australia 4 0 4 0 0% 58 220 −162
 Australia A [N 1] 4 0 4 0 0% 51 242 −191
Australia Australian Universities [N 1] 6 2 4 0 33.33% 60 90 −30
Canada BC Bears [N 1] 6 2 2 2 33.33% 103 82 +21
England Cambridge University [N 1] 4 1 3 0 25% 52 110 −58
 Canada 23 13 8 2 56.52% 566 553 +13
 Chinese Taipei 4 4 0 0 100% 474 27 +447
Australia Emerging Wallabies [N 1] 2 1 0 1 50% 41 39 +2
 England [N 1] 6 0 6 0 0% 78 191 −113
England England Saxons [N 1] 2 0 2 0 0% 30 92 −62
England England Students [N 1] 1 0 1 0 0% 0 43 −43
England England Under-23's [N 1] 2 0 2 0 0% 25 77 −52
 Fiji 15 3 12 0 20% 265 402 −137
 France [N 1] 9 0 9 0 0% 99 400 −301
 Georgia 3 2 1 0 66.67% 81 64 +17
 Hong Kong 23 19 4 0 82.61% 989 333 +656
 Ireland [N 1] 7 0 7 0 0% 111 332 −221
Ireland Ireland Students [N 1] 1 0 1 0 0% 12 24 −12
 Italy 6 1 5 0 16.67% 90 199 −109
New Zealand Junior All Blacks [N 1] 8 1 7 0 12.50% 98 337 −239
 Kazakhstan 5 5 0 0 100% 418 23 +395
 South Korea 30 23 6 1 76.67% 1220 435 +785
 Netherlands 1 0 1 0 0% 13 15 −2
 New Zealand [N 1] 5 0 5 0 0% 34 462 −428
 Māori [N 1] 1 0 1 0 0% 22 65 −43
New Zealand New Zealand Universities [N 1] 15 2 11 2 13.33% 221 417 −196
England Oxford and Cambridge [N 1] 3 0 3 0 0% 30 113 −83
England Oxford University [N 1] 4 0 4 0 0% 28 130 −102
 Philippines 2 2 0 0 100% 220 10 +210
Australia Queensland Reds [N 1] 1 0 1 0 0% 6 42 −36
 Romania 5 4 1 0 80% 119 98 +21
 Russia 5 4 1 0 80% 237 90 +147
 Samoa 14 3 11 0 21.43% 247 477 −230
 Scotland [N 1] 8 1 7 0 12.50% 109 389 -280
 Singapore 1 1 0 0 100% 45 15 +30
 Spain 3 3 0 0 100% 114 43 +71
 Sri Lanka 3 3 0 0 100% 266 29 +237
 Thailand 1 1 0 0 100% 42 11 +31
 Tonga 15 7 8 0 46.67% 359 409 −50
 United Arab Emirates 3 3 0 0 100% 310 6 +304
 United States 21 8 12 1 38.10% 480 614 −134
 Uruguay 1 0 1 0 0% 18 24 −6
 Wales [N 1] 13 1 12 0 7.69 185 722 −537
Wales Welsh Clubs [N 1] 1 0 1 0 0% 9 63 −54
 Zimbabwe 1 1 0 0 100% 52 8 +44
Total 306 125 172 9 40.85 8482 8789 −307
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 Japan has awarded international caps for several games against national XV selections, A and B teams, U23 teams, club sides and invitational teams.

Tour

Wins against Tier 1 nations

Current squad

On 5 March, head coach Eddie Jones named a 31-man squad for the 2015 Asian Rugby Championship.[12]

On 11 April, Chihito Matsui and Ryohei Yamanaka was added to the squad.


Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of Birth (Age) Caps Club/province
Ryuhei Arita Hooker 21 March 1989 7 Japan Coca Cola West Red Sparks
Takeshi Kizu Hooker 15 July 1988 30 Japan Kobelco Steelers
Hiroki Yuhara Hooker 21 January 1984 18 Japan Toshiba Brave Lupus
Kensuke Hatakeyama Prop 2 August 1985 59 Japan Suntory Sungoliath
Hisateru Hirashima Prop 15 January 1983 35 Japan Kobelco Steelers
Ryu Sioapelatu Holani Prop 29 December 1982 0 Japan Panasonic Wild Knights
Shinnosuke Kakinaga Prop 19 December 1992 1 Japan Suntory Sungoliath
Masataka Mikami Prop 4 June 1988 23 Japan Toshiba Brave Lupus
Yusuke Nagae Prop 19 July 1985 17 Japan Toyota Industries Shuttles
Hiroshi Yamashita Prop 1 January 1986 37 Japan Kobelco Steelers
Shoji Ito Lock 2 December 1980 28 Japan Kobelco Steelers
Hitoshi Ono Lock 6 May 1978 87 Japan Toshiba Brave Lupus
Luke Thompson Lock 16 April 1981 49 Japan Kintetsu Liners
Kazuhiko Usami Lock 17 March 1992 0 Japan Canon Eagles
Michael Broadhurst Flanker 30 October 1986 16 Japan Ricoh Black Rams
Justin Ives Flanker 24 May 1984 23 Japan Canon Eagles
Tsuyoshi Murata Flanker 15 December 1988 0 Japan NEC Green Rockets
Ryu Holani Number 8 25 October 1981 35 Japan Panasonic Wild Knights
Hayden Hopgood Number 8 30 July 1980 3 Japan Kamaishi Seawaves
Atsushi Hiwasa Scrum-half 22 May 1987 38 Japan Suntory Sungoliath
Keisuke Uchida Scrum-half 22 February 1992 8 Japan Panasonic Wild Knights
Yuki Yatomi Scrum-half 16 February 1985 14 Japan Yamaha Júbilo
Yuu Tamura Fly-half 9 January 1989 26 Japan NEC Green Rockets
Harumichi Tatekawa Fly-half 2 December 1989 28 Japan Kubota Spears
Male Sa'u Centre 13 October 1987 20 Japan Yamaha Júbilo
Craig Wing Centre 26 December 1979 7 Japan Kobelco Steelers
Ryohei Yamanaka Centre 22 June 1988 1 Japan Waseda University
Yoshikazu Fujita Wing 8 October 1993 18 Japan Waseda University
Kenki Fukuoka Wing 7 September 1992 11 Japan Tsukuba University
Karne Hesketh Wing 1 August 1985 2 Japan Fukuoka Sanix Blues
Toshiaki Hirose Wing 17 October 1981 23 Japan Toshiba Brave Lupus
Chihito Matsui Wing 11 November 1994 0 Japan Doshisha University
Ayumu Goromaru Fullback 1 March 1986 43 Japan Yamaha Júbilo

Notable former players

Coaches

  • Japan Shigeru Kayama 1930-1934
  • Japan Chuji Kitajima 1936, 1956
  • Japan Takenosuke Okumura 1952-1953
  • Japan Kozo Nishino 1958
  • Japan Tomoo Chiba 1959
  • Japan Masao Wada 1959
  • Japan Kasai Yasujiro 1963
  • Japan Onishi Tetsunosuke 1966-1971
  • Japan Hitoshi Oka 1972, 1975, 1985-1986
  • Japan Hisashi Yokoi 1972, 1976, 1978-1979
  • Japan Ryo Saito 1974, 1976-1978, 1980-1981
  • Japan Hiroshi Hibino 1976, 1982-1984, 1987-1988
  • Japan Katsumi Miyaji 1978, 1984, 1987
  • Japan Ryozo Imazato 1979
  • Japan Iwao Yamamoto 1980, 1982, 1996
  • Japan Hiroaki Shukuzawa 1989-1991
  • Japan Osamu Koyabu 1992-1995
  • Japan Seiji Hirao 1997-2000
  • Japan Shogo Mukai 2001-2003
  • Japan Mitsutake Hagimoto 2004-2005
  • France Jean-Pierre Élissalde 2005-2006
  • Japan Osamu Ota 2006 (Caretaker)
  • New Zealand John Kirwan 2007-2011
  • Australia Eddie Jones 2012-
  • Australia Scott Wisemantel 2013 (Caretaker)[8]

Individual all-time records

Most matches

# Player Pos Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
1. Hitoshi Ono Lock 2004- 85 68 17 65 13 0 0 0 53 29 3 64.11
2. Hirotoki Onozawa Wing 2001-2013 81 73 8 275 55 0 0 0 41 37 3 52.46
3. Yukio Motoki Centre 1991-2005 79 73 6 45 9 0 0 0 31 47 1 39.87
4. Takashi Kikutani Number 8 2005- 68 57 11 160 32 0 0 0 41 26 1 61.02
5. Takeomi Ito Number 8 1996-2005 63 40 23 30 6 0 0 0 26 36 1 42.06
6. Daisuke Ohata Wing 1996-2006 58 55 3 345 69 0 0 0 27 30 1 47.41
7. Kensuke Hatakeyama Prop 2008- 57 42 15 45 9 0 0 0 40 16 1 71.05
8. Masahiro Kunda Hooker 1990-1999 48 45 3 5 1 0 0 0 20 28 0 41.66
Takuro Miuchi Number 8 2002-2008 48 47 1 35 7 0 0 0 20 27 1 42.70
Luke Thompson Lock 2007- 48 39 9 35 7 0 0 0 28 18 2 60.41

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[13]

Most tries

# Player Pos Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop
1. Daisuke Ohata Wing 1996-2006 58 55 3 345 69 0 0 0
2. Hirotoki Onozawa Wing 2001-2013 81 73 8 275 55 0 0 0
3. Takashi Kikutani Number 8 2005- 68 57 11 160 32 0 0 0
4. Terunori Masuho Wing 1991-2001 47 46 1 147 29 1 1 0
5. Yoshikazu Fujita Wing 2012- 18 13 5 110 22 0 0 0
6. Toru Kurihara Wing 2000-2003 28 23 5 347 20 71 35 0
Alisi Tupuailei Centre 2009-2011 20 13 7 100 20 0 0 0
8. Ryu Holani Number 8 2008-2014 35 30 5 95 19 0 0 0
Tadayuki Ito Wing 1963-1974 19 18 1 63 19 0 0 0
Yoshihito Yoshida Wing 1988-1997 31 30 1 97 19 7 1 0

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[14]

Most points

# Player Pos Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop
1. Ayumu Goromaru Fullback 2005- 41 36 5 505 15 128 58 0
2. Keiji Hirose Fly-half 1994-2005 40 34 6 422 5 77 79 2
3. Toru Kurihara Wing 2000-2003 28 23 5 347 20 71 35 0
4. Daisuke Ohata Wing 1996-2006 58 55 3 345 69 0 0 0
5. James Arlidge Fly-half 2007-2011 32 23 9 286 8 78 28 2
6. Hirotoki Onozawa Wing 2001- 81 73 8 275 55 0 0 0
7. Shaun Webb Fly-half 2008-2011 35 26 9 198 18 45 6 0
8. Ryan Nicholas Centre 2008-2012 38 37 1 193 9 53 14 0
9. Takashi Kikutani Number 8 2005- 68 57 11 160 32 0 0 0
10. Terunori Masuho Wing 1991-2001 47 46 1 147 29 1 1 0

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[15]

Most points in a match

# Player Pos Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Opposition Venue Date
1. Toru Kurihara Wing 60 6 15 0 0  Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Tainan 21/07/2002
2. Daisuke Ohata Wing 40 8 0 0 0  Chinese Taipei Japan Tokyo 21/07/2002
3. Ayumu Goromaru Fullback 37 1 16 0 0  Sri Lanka Japan Nagoya 10/05/2014
4. Ayumu Goromaru Fullback 36 1 14 1 0  Philippines Japan Fukuoka 20/04/2013
5. Toru Kurihara Wing 35 2 11 1 0  South Korea Japan Tokyo 16/06/2002
6. Keiji Hirose Fly-half 34 1 1 9 0  Tonga Japan Tokyo 08/05/1999
7. Ayumu Goromaru Fullback 32 2 11 0 0  Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Almaty 28/04/2012
8. Keiji Hirose Fly-half 31 0 11 3 0  Hong Kong Japan Tokyo 08/05/2005
9. 4 players on 30 points

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[16]

Most tries in a match

# Player Pos Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Opposition Venue Date
1. Daisuke Ohata Wing 40 8 0 0 0  Chinese Taipei Japan Tokyo 07/07/2002
2. Toru Kurihara Wing 60 6 15 0 0  Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Tainan 21/07/2002
Daisuke Ohata Wing 30 6 0 0 0  Hong Kong Japan Tokyo 08/05/2005
Yoshikazu Fujita Wing 30 6 0 0 0  United Arab Emirates Japan Fukuoka 05/05/2012
5. Terunori Masuho Wing 25 5 0 0 0  Chinese Taipei Singapore Singapore 27/10/1998
Kosuke Endo Wing 25 5 0 0 0  South Korea South Korea Daegu 01/05/2010
Alisi Tupuailei Centre 25 5 0 0 0  Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Colombo 21/05/2011
8. 10 players on 4 tries

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[17]

Most matches as captain

# Player Pos Span Mat Won Lost Draw % Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop
1. Takuro Miuchi Number 8 2002-2008 45 17 27 1 38.88 30 6 0 0 0
2. Takashi Kikutani Number 8 2008-2013 34 21 12 1 63.23 110 22 0 0 0
3. Toshiaki Hirose Wing 2012-2013 18 13 5 0 72.22 45 9 0 0 0
4. Masahiro Kunda Hooker 1993-1998 14 5 9 0 35.71 0 0 0 0 0
5. Yukio Motoki Centre 1996-1997 12 4 8 0 33.33 5 1 0 0 0
6. Seiji Hirao Centre 1989-1991 11 5 6 0 45.45 0 0 0 0 0
7. Toshiyuki Hayashi Lock 1986-1987 10 1 8 1 15.00 0 0 0 0 0
Andrew McCormick Centre 1998-1999 10 4 6 0 40.00 5 1 0 0 0
Akira Yokoi Centre 1970-1974 10 3 6 1 35.00 0 0 0 0 0
10. Tsukasa Takada Prop 1976-1978 9 1 8 0 11.11 0 0 0 0 0

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[18]

Youngest players

# Player Pos Age Opposition Venue Date
1. Yoshikazu Fujita Wing 18 years and 210 days  United Arab Emirates Japan Fukuoka 05/05/2012
2. Christian Loamanu Wing 18 years and 338 days  Uruguay Uruguay Montevideo 16/04/2005
3. Ayumu Goromaru (Fullback) 19 years and 46 days  Uruguay Uruguay Montevideo 16/04/2005
4. Terunori Masuho Wing 19 years and 95 days  United States United States Chicago 04/05/1991
5. Seiji Hirao Centre 19 years and 129 days New Zealand New Zealand Universities New Zealand Pukekohe 30/05/1982
6. Kenji Shomen (Fly-half) 19 years and 165 days  South Korea South Korea Ulsan 13/10/2002
7. Yoshihito Yoshida Wing 19 years and 226 days England Oxford University Japan Tokyo 01/10/1988
8. Yukio Motoki (Centre) 19 years and 243 days  United States United States Blaine 27/04/1991
9. Tsuyoshi Fujita Hooker 19 years and 251 days  Netherlands Netherlands Hilversum 04/10/1980
10. Kousuke Fujii (Lock) 19 years and 306 days  Samoa Samoa Apia 10/06/2000

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[19]

Oldest players

# Player Pos Age Opposition Venue Date
1. Wataru Murata Scrum-half 37 years and 145 days  Ireland Japan Tokyo 19/06/2005
2. Hitoshi Ono Lock 36 years and 46 days  Italy Japan Tokyo 21/06/2014
3. Ross Thompson Number 8 35 years and 341 days  Canada Canada Vancouver 21/06/1998
4. Hirotoki Onozawa Wing 35 years and 71 days  Wales Japan Osaka 08/06/2013
5. Glen Marsh Flanker 34 years and 316 days New Zealand Junior All Blacks Japan Tokyo 24/06/2007
6. Goshi Tachikawa Fullback 34 years and 219 days  Samoa Japan Tokyo 02/07/2011
7. Takashi Kikutani (Number 8) 34 years and 82 days  South Korea South Korea Incheon 17/05/2014
8. George Konia Centre 34 years and 79 days  United States Australia Gosford 27/10/2003
9. Robert Gordon Lock 34 years and 70 days  Argentina Wales Millennium Stadium 16/10/1999
10. Takeomi Ito (Number 8) 34 years and 69 days  Ireland Japan Tokyo 19/06/2005

Last updated: Japan vs Italy, 21 June 2014. Statistics include officially capped matches only.[20]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Japan national rugby union team.

References

  1. ↑ This is his total number of tries for Japan. His total against Test sides is 67. For more details, see List of leading Rugby union Test try scorers.
  2. ↑ Brave Blossoms break into top ten
  3. ↑ "Elissalde sacked as Japan coach".
  4. ↑ "Eddie Jones appointed coach of Japan". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. December 26, 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  5. ↑ JRFU (May 2, 2012). "Fujita in line for historic debut".
  6. ↑ "Eddie Jones hospitalised after Japan rugby coach suffers suspected stroke - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Retrieved 2013-10-17.
  7. ↑ "Eddie Jones released from intensive care after stroke but will miss Japan's Test with All Blacks". Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Scott Wisemantel is interim coach for Japan". Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "World Rankings". World Rugby. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Japan rugby stats
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Italy lose 26–23 to Japan in Tokyo" (in Italian).
  12. ↑ Jones announces 31-man Brave Blossoms squad for Asian Rugby Championship
  13. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/most_matches.html?id=23;type=team
  14. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/most_tries.html?id=23;type=team
  15. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/most_points.html?id=23;type=team
  16. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/most_points_match.html?id=23;type=team
  17. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/most_tries_match.html?id=23;type=team
  18. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/most_matches_captain.html?id=23;type=team
  19. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/youngest_appearance.html?id=23;type=team
  20. ↑ http://stats.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/records/player/oldest_appearance.html?id=23;type=team

External links