Rugby World Cup News

We bring you here the U20 Japan squad named by manager Takashi Hasunuma:
Masataka Mikami, Koichi Nitta, Shinsuke Ono, Keiichi Tanaka, Ryuhei Arita, Motoki Yamazaki, Takaya Kato, Pohiva Lotoahea, Keisuke Matsuda, Tsuyoshi Murata, Eiri Nakada,
Michael Leitch, Shohei Maekawa, Hiraoki Sugimoto, Shuhei Oshima, Mizuki Yanagihara,
Ryohei Yamanaka, Shingo Yoshida, Aisea Havea, Takuya Nakajima, Katsuyuki Sakai, Yasutaka Sasakura, Kanzo […]

Canada head coach Ric Suggitt has announced his team to play Japan in the IRB Rugby World Cup Pool B match at Chaban Delmas Stadium, Bordeaux on Tuesday. Suggitt has selected a mobile team to try and combat the nippy Cherry Blossoms.
Canada Team V Japan
Backs: Mike Pyke, Dth van der Merwe, Craig Culpan, Dave Spicer, […]

Japan head coach John Kirwan has announced his team to play Canada in the IRB Rugby World Cup Pool B match at Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux on Tuesday. There are no particular surprises with the biggest change being Philip O’Reilly coming in at open side and moving Hare Makiri to six. Kirwin is also hoping […]

John Kirwan has made two changes from the team defeated by Fiji with Tongan-born Christian Loamanu switching from wing to full-back instead of the injured Go Aruga. Hirotoki Onozawa comes in on the wing for the game against Wales in the Millennium Stadium on Thursday.
Japan Team V Wales
Backs: Christian Loamanu, Kosuke Endo, Yuta Imamura, Shotaro […]

Wales coach Gareth Jenkins has made 10 changes to the side to face Japan at the Millennium Stadium on Thursday. Scrum-half Mike Phillips gets his first start and there is an entirely new front row from the team which faced Australia. Alix Popham returns at number 8 while Will James replaces Ian Gough.
Kevin Morgan replaces […]

This World Cup is proving a real feast for the fans.  Fiji won a tight contest against a well drilled Japanese team who did not know anything about form books.  It is pretty certain most people expected Fiji to blow Japan away but they stayed in touch and even led a couple of times.  However […]

Fiji open their World Cup campaign on Wednesday against Japan and field a full strength side except for Maleli Kunavore, Filimone Bolavucu and Ifereimi Rawaqa because of injury. Head coach Ilivasi Tabua has gone for a massive front five to out muscle the small Japanese. The only major surprise comes at full back, where Saracens […]

John Kirwan has rung the changes and starts a completely new 15 against Fiji on Wednesday afternoon. Takuro Miuchi the No.8 takes over as captain in place of the injured Tamichi Sasaki, while New Zealand born players Phillip O’Reilly and Bryce Robins both start. Kirwin is fielding his strongest combination as he targets this […]

The Wallabies were just too big and physical for the Japanese who played with great heart but were outgunned 91-3.  The result was never in doubt, even though Australia took until the second half to run riot.  There is no doubt that the Aussies will face stiffer tests but probably apart from Wales, not in […]

Japans coach John Kirwan announced his team on Thursday for the IRB Rugby World Cup Pool B match against Australia in Lyon on Saturday. Flanker Takamichi Sasaki will wear the captains armband.
Japan V Australia Team
Backs: Tatsuya Kusumi, Tomoki Kitagawa, Koji Taira, Nataniela Oto, Hirotoki Onozawa, Kosei Ono, Yuki Yatomi.
Forwards: Masahito Yamamoto, Taku Inokuchi, Ryo Yamamura, […]