Japanese Super Rugby team

Japanese Super Rugby team
Union JRFU
Founded 2015
Location Tokyo, Japan
Ground(s) Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo /
Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore
Chairman Yoshitaka Tashiro
CEO Yuichi Ueno
Director of Rugby Eddie Jones
League(s) Super Rugby
2016 To be played
Union website
jrfu.org

The Japanese Super Rugby team is a professional rugby union team based in Tokyo, Japan, but also playing matches in Singapore. They will make their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2016 Super Rugby season.

As of April 2015, the team does not have a name, colours, jersey design or contracted players.

History

Since its launch in 1996, the SANZAR-organised Super Rugby competition (previously known as Super 12 and Super 14) was limited to teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 2011, it was announced that SANZAR would expand its international Tri Nations competition to include Argentina, which resulted in that competition being rebranded as The Rugby Championship.[1] This led to rumours that Argentina would also seek to have teams included in the Super Rugby competition[2][3] and SANZAR confirmed that they would explore expansion to other regions in future. However, since SANZAR sold the existing Super Rugby package to its broadcasters for the period 2011–15, it meant that no changes to the format would be permitted until the 2016 season.[4]

In 2013, SANZAR CEO Greg Peters announced that Super Rugby would be expanded from the 2016 season onwards, adding that South African franchise the Kings would be one of the expansion teams.[5] In early 2014, SANZAR confirmed that Super Rugby would be increased from 15 to 18 teams starting from the 2016 season, with Argentina each getting one of the additional spots. It was confirmed that both Argentina and the 18th team would participate in the South African Conference.[6]

Asia emerged as the preferred destination for the final license and Japan and Singapore emerged as the main contenders to get the franchise.[7] With a number of factors counting in Japan's favour – such as their domestic professional league (the Top League) going from strength to strength, with the country being awarded the hosting of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and their national team breaking into the top ten of the World Rugby rankings for the first time in their history in 2014[8] – they were subsequently granted the license for the 18th franchise in October 2014[9] – with an agreement reached that Singapore would host three of their home matches each season at the Singapore Sports Hub.[10] The new expanded format and three new teams were formally approved by the SANZAR Executive Committee in November 2014.[11]

In April 2015, the JRFU established a corporation called Japan Super Rugby Association that would manage the operations of the team. A number of key appointments were also made; Yoshitaka Tashiro was appointed as chairman, Yuichi Ueno as the CEO and on the playing side, the Japan national team's head coach Eddie Jones was appointed as the director of rugby for the team.[12]

Current squad

As of April 2015, there are no players contracted to the team for 2016, but the JRFU chairman Tatsuzo Yabe confirmed that the team would consist of players playing for the national team, as well as foreigners playing in the Top League.[13]

Six Japanese players – Keita Inagaki, Michael Leitch, Kotaro Matsushima, Fumiaki Tanaka, Hendrik Tui and Akihito Yamada – all signed to play for Super Rugby teams during the 2015 Super Rugby season. Shota Horie also has previous Super Rugby experience.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ ""The Rugby Championship" to replace Tri Nations". rugby.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  2. ↑ "Super Rugby may accept Argentinian teams in 2016". Guardian. 8 August 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Pichot: Argentina in Super Rugby is a no brainer". SuperXV. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Super Rugby going global". Sydney Daily Telegraph. 11 February 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "SANZAR boss Greg Peters confirms South Africa will get a sixth Super Rugby franchise from 2016". Herald Sun. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  6. ↑ "Search begins for 18th Super Rugby team" (Press release). SANZAR. 2 May 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Singapore and Japan still in a race for 18th team". SuperXV. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  8. ↑ "Brave Blossoms break into the top ten". Asian Rugby Football Union. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "Super Rugby: Japan chosen to host new franchise from 2016". BBC. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Japan's entry into Super Rugby is 'dream come true'". JRFU. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  11. ↑ "Japan and Argentina officially join Super Rugby" (Press release). SANZAR. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  12. ↑ "Eddie Jones lands Super Rugby role". SANZAR. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2015.
  13. ↑ "Super Rugby faced a major overhaul". New York Times. 17 April 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "Japan ups presence in Super Rugby". Asia One Sports. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2015.

External links