RiJ Volume 7, No.16

Contents:

¡ Asian Five Nations

¡ Japan A & Japan U20 Coaches

¡ Odds & Sods:

s IRB Ranking: 13 (70.59, 19 April 2010)

s The Think-tank:

¡ Looking Ahead:

s Sanix Youth; HSBC Asian Five Nations 2010; IRB JWT 2010; ANZ PNC 2010

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HSBC Asian Five Nations 2010

Japan Squad for Korea

The 2010 HSBC Asian Five Nations also doubles as the final Asian qualification round for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The top placed finisher will qualify directly for New Zealand as Asian 1 and will join hosts New Zealand, France, Tonga and Canada in Pool A. The runner-up still has a chance of qualifying through the Final Place Play-off for a spot on Pool B.

In preparation for the test against Korea in Daegu on Saturday, 1 May 2010, the Japan squad will go into camp at the Sawayaka Sports Ground in Fukuoka city in Fukuoka prefecture from Friday, 23 April to Wednesday 28 April 2010.

The squad will fly out of Fukuoka Airport for Daegu on Wednesday 28 April. The team will have a captain’s run at the Gyeongsang Stadium on Friday 30 April on the eve of the test. The squad will fly out of Pusan for Narita Airport on Sunday 2 May and move to Saitama to prepare for the test against the Arabian Gulf in Tokyo on Saturday 8 May 2010.

Korea v Japan

Date: Saturday, 1 May 2010.

Venue: Gyeongsang Stadium, Daegu, Korea.

Kick-off: 14:00 (local Korean time is the same as Japan time).

Japan v Arabian Gulf

Date: Saturday, 8 May 2010.

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo.

Kick-off 14:00.

Japan v Kazakhstan

Date: Saturday, 15 May 2010.

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo.

Kick-off 14:00.

Japan v Hong Kong

Date: Saturday, 22 May 2010.

Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo.

Kick-off 14:00.

The Japan squad for the tour to play Korea in Daegu on Saturday, 1 May 2010.

Position	Name	Club	Age	Hgt/Wgt	Caps
Loose head prop	Hisateru HIRASHIMA	Kobe Steelers	27	180/115	10
Hookers	Shota HORIE	Sanyo Wild Knights	24	180/104	2
	Takeshi KIZU	Tokai Univ.	21	183/110	1
	Hiroki YUHARA	Toshiba Brave Lupus	26	173/105	-
Tight head props	Kensuke HATAKEYAMA	Suntory Sungoliath	24	178/122	10
	Shinsuke NAKAMURA	Suntory Sungoliath	22	190/115	2
	Nozomu FUJITA	Honda Heat	25	191/115	-
Locks	Hitoshi ONO	Toshiba Brave Lupus	31	192/105	37
	Toshizumi KITAGAWA	Toyota Verblitz	29	195/110	25
	Luke THOMPSON	Kintetsu Liners	29	195/108	18
	Shinya MAKABE	Suntory Sungoliath	23	192/110	1
Flankers	Takashi KIKUTANI (c)	Toyota Verblitz	30	187/100	28
	Toetu’u TAUFA	Kintetsu Liners	29	183/108	9
	Michael LEITCH	Tokai Univ.	21	189/99	9
	Sione VATUVEI	Sanyo Wild Knights	27	189/100	-
No8s	Ryu Koliniasi HOLANI	Sanyo Wild Knights	28	188/111	8
	Masakazu TOYOTA	Coca-Cola Red Sparks	23	189/108	5
Halfbacks	Tomoki YOSHIDA	Toshiba Brave Lupus	28	172/78	20
	Fumiaki TANAKA	Sanyo Wild Knights	25	166/75	14
	Koji WADA	Toyota Verblitz	25	173/78	-
Five-eighths	James ARLIDGE	Newport Dragons (Wales)	30	187/93	16
	Shaun WEBB	Coca-Cola Red Sparks	28	180/90	16
	Ryohei YAMANAKA	Waseda Univ.	21	187/95	-
Wings	Kosuke ENDO	Toyota Verblitz	29	186/90	25
	Yasunori NAGATOMO	Suntory Sungoliath	24	176/85	-
Centres	Ryan NICHOLAS	Suntory Sungoliath	30	192/100	17
	Koji TAIRA	Suntory Sungoliath	27	185/95	17
	Alisi TUPUAILEI	Canon Eagles	29	187/116	2
	Ryo KANAZAWA	Ricoh Black Rams	28	174/86	-
Fullbacks	Goshi TACHIKAWA	Toshiba Brave Lupus	33	183/94	14
	Kaoru MATSUSHITA	Toyota Verblitz	26	185/86	2

Head Coach: John Kirwan (NZ).

Round	Date	Teams	Venue	Kick-off
Round 1	Saturday, 24 April 2010	Hong Kong v Korea	HKFC, Hong Kong	16:00
		Kazakhstan v Arabian Gulf	National University Stadium, Almaty	16:00
		Japan bye
Round 2	Friday, 30 April 2010	Arabian Gulf v Hong Kong	Bahrain Sports Club, Bahrain	19:00
	Saturday, 1 May 2010	Korea v Japan	Gyeongsang Stadium, Daegu,	14:00
		Kazakhstan bye
Round 3	Saturday, 8 May 2010	Hong Kong v Kazakhstan	HKFC, Hong Kong	16:00
		Japan v Arabian Gulf	Prince Chichibu, Tokyo	14:00
		Korea bye
Round 4	Friday, 14 May 2010	Arabian Gulf v Korea	The Sevens, Dubai	19:00
	Saturday, 15 May 2010	Japan v Kazakhstan	Prince Chichibu, Tokyo	14:00
		Hong Kong bye
Round 5	Saturday, 22 May 2010	Japan v Hong Kong	Prince Chichibu, Tokyo	14:00
		Korea v Kazakhstan	Munhak Stadium, Incheon	14:00
		Arabian Gulf bye

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Japan A and Japan U20 Coaches for 2010

On 19 March 2010 the Japan Rugby Football Union announced the coaches for the Japan A and Japan U20 sides for 2010.

Masahiro Kunda has been appointed as coach of Japan A with Ryuji Nakatake coaching director while Yukio Motoki has been appointed as coach for the Japan U20 side.

Comments by general manager Osamu Ota

With a view to the 2019 Rugby World Cup (RWC) to be hosted in Japan in nine years time, the Japan Rugby Football Union has taken steps to develop players for the national level through mid and long term strategies. The formation of the Japan A side is seen as an important measure in this process of bringing fringe and younger players through to the full national level. Masahiro Kunda, who was previously in charge of the U20 side has been given the role of Japan A head coach with a tour of Europe tentatively planned for later in the year.

In order to develop the next generation of U20 level coaches and players, Ryuji Nakatake has been appointed as coaching director. He will be looking after the development of coaches through coaching programmes, coaching curricula and training methodology while also helping in the planning of development programmes for U20 level players.

Finally, Yukio Motoki, who recently announced his retirement as a player with Kobe Steelers has been appointed as head coach of the Japan U20 side to replace Masahiro Kunda. He will take the Japan U20s to the IRB Junior World Trophy in Moscow in May.

Comments by Masahiro Kunda

Although there is the RWC in New Zealand in 2011, we are looking to develop players ahead of the 2015 and 2019 RWCs. We are wanting to put together a team targeting players with the potential to make the 2015 RWC. We will be looking at a lot of the younger players coming through Top League last season and also fringe players not required for the full national side.

We have been using the tri-region games as part of our selection process along with performance evaluations from the past season. We are trying to put in place a tour of Europe with as many games as possible against equivalent oppositions from top ranked countries.

Profile

Masahiro Kunda (43) was born in Gifu prefecture on 29 September 1966. He represented Japan High Schools on the 1985 tour of Wales as a hooker before going on to make his debut in the full Japan side against Western Samoa in 1990. He played in the 1991, 1995 and 1999 RWCs and was captain in the latter. He earned a total of 44 caps for Japan before retiring in 2000.

In 2002 Kunda starting his coaching career with his former club, Toshiba Fuchu, now known as Toshiba Brave Lupus. Over his five years in charge of Toshiba, the team won the National Championship three times, the Top League title three times and the Microsoft Cup twice. In 2007 he was appointed ATQ coaching director and coach of Japan U23. In 2008 and 2009 he was head coach of Japan U20 in Wales and Japan respectively.

Comments by Ryuji Nakatake

As coaching director there are now a lot of things that I have to think about in order to build the national coaching and player base. Part of this is putting in place a unified system for analysing, appraising and developing the skills and potential of coaches. Although I was head coach at Waseda University for four years, I did not always have much opportunity to exchange views and opinions with the many and varied coaches throughout the country. However, this is something I intend to now do in my new role as coaching director. We are not only aiming to develop excellent coaches at age grade levels but also world class coaches that are highly competitive on the world stage.

Profile

Ryuji Nakatake (36) was born in Fukuoka prefecture on 8 May 1973. He played with Waseda University as a flanker where he was captain in his final year in 1996. After graduation be undertook post-graduate studies at Leicester University in England. Upon returning to Japan in 2001 he coached the club side Tamariva taking them through to the National Championship. In 2006 he was appointed head coach at Waseda University and over his four years in charge, Waseda won the University Championship twice.

Comments by Yukio Motoki

Although this is my first time in this capacity as a coach I have a lot of knowledgeable and experienced people around me and if we can bring even one young player of distinction through this programme into the national side it will be a job well done. I intend to give this my all. Our aim for the Japan U20s this year is to win the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy and thereby qualify for the IRB Junior World Championship for next year.

Profile

Yukio Motoki (38) was born in Osaka on 27 August 1971. He played with Meiji University as a centre after which he played his senior rugby with Kobe Steelers. He made his international debut for Japan against the USA in 1991 while still at university and he went on to earn a total of 79 caps for Japan that included attending four RWCs. His last appearance for Japan was against the visiting Irish in 2005. Motoki holds the record for most caps for Japan and he has also captained his country on 13 occasions. Motoki has played in all seven seasons of Top League to date and was named in the Best XV twice while winning the Top League MVP award in the inaugural 2003-4 season.

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Odds & Sods

Odds & Sods brings the reader weekly news shorts, gossip and general happenings from the world of Rugby in Japan.

News in Japan: Catching the headlines in Japan this week are – the eruption of a volcano in Iceland has disrupted world travel to and from Europe and Japan too is well and truly affected.

IRB ranking on 19 April 2010 - Japan were 13 (70.59).

The Think-tank:

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Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead gives the reader future dates for the diary and other great things to look forward to in Rugby in Japan.

The 11^th Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament 2010

This annual high school international tournament is again set for the Golden Week period from 27 April to 5 May 2010 at the Global Arena in Munakata in Fukuoka prefecture. Eight overseas schools chosen by their respective unions compete with eight top Japanese schools.

The sixteen schools will compete in four pools of four teams.

The Dax Landes High School from France will return in 2010 as the defending champion after they defeated Higashi Fukuoka High School from Fukuoka prefecture 38-30 in the 2009 final. The win for the French school was also the first time for a school other than from Australia, New Zealand or South Africa to take the title. To date, no Japanese school is yet to win the tournament with Higashi Fukuoka the only local school to make a final, on three occasion in 2009, 2007 and 2004.

Schedule

Pool Games

Games are of 25 minute halves.

Four points are awarded for a win, two for a draw, one point for scoring four tries or more and one point for losing by seven points or less.

Day 1: Wednesday, 28 April 2010.

Day 2: Thursday, 29 April 2010.

Day 3: Saturday, 1 May 2010.

Play-off Games

Games are of 30 minute halves.

The top two place getters in each pool play-off for places first to eighth while the remaining schools play off for places ninth to sixteenth.

Day 4: Sunday, 2 May 2010.

Day 5: Tuesday, 4 May 2010.

Day 6: Wednesday, 5 May 2010.

Overseas Schools

The Hills Sports High School (Australia), Truro College (England), Ratu Kadavulevu School (Fiji), Dax Landes High School (France), Korean High School Select (Korea), Hamilton Boys’ High School (New Zealand), Marais Viljoen High School (South Africa) and The British School (Uruguay).

Japanese Schools

Ryutsu Keizai, Kashiwa High School (Chiba), Toin Gakuen High School (Kanagawa), Kyoto Seisho High School (Kyoto), Fushimi Technical High School (Kyoto), Osaka Chosen High School (Osaka), Saga Technical High School (Saga), Kokura High School (Fukuoka) and Higashi Fukuoka (Fukuoka).

Previous Winners

2009: The Dax Landes HS (France)

2008: Glenwood HS (SA)

2007: Westfields Sports HS (Australia)

2006: Christchurch Boys’ HS (NZ)

2005: Christchurch Boys’ HS (NZ)

2004: Rotorua Boys’ HS (NZ)

2003: Rotorua Boys’ HS (NZ)

2002: Boland Agricultural College (SA)

2001: Grey College, Bloemfontein (SA)

2000: The King’s School, Sydney (Australia)

IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy 2010

18-30 May 2010, Moscow.

Full details of the eight team Under 20 tournament soon.

The winner of the Junior World Rugby Trophy 2010 will be promoted to the Junior World Championship 2011.

Japanese referee Akihisa Aso is one of twelve match officials named on the tournament panel.

Pools

Pool A: Italy, Uruguay, Romania and PNG.

Pool B: Canada, Japan, Russia and Zimbabwe.

Schedule

Day 1: Tuesday, 18 May 2010, Russia v Japan, 18:15, Slava Stadium, Moscow.

Day 2: Saturday, 22 May 2010, Japan v Zimbabwe, 16:00, Fili Stadium, Moscow.

Day 3: Wednesday, 26 May 2010, Japan v Canada, 18:00, Slava Stadium, Moscow.

Day 4: Sunday, 30 May 2010, play-offs, Fili Stadium & Slava Stadium, Moscow.

Japan v South African President’s XV

Possibility of Japan playing a South African XV in between the A5N and the PNC.

ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 2010

June 2010

Now in its fifth year, the International Rugby Board (IRB) funded ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 2010 involves the three island nations Fiji, Samoa and Tonga along with Japan. New Zealand and Australia have not committed teams for 2010.

In 2006 this tournament kicked off as the Pacific Five Nations and involved Fiji, Japan, the Junior All Blacks (JAB), Samoa and Tonga. Australia A joined the competition in 2007 and the tournament name changed to its present moniker of Pacific Nations Cup. The same format was maintained for 2008 with the exception being the Maori were the New Zealand representative side rather than the Junior All Blacks.

In 2009, the Junior All Blacks (JAB) replaced the Maori as the New Zealand representative team, while Australia A did not participate in last year’s tournament. The 2009 tournament was condensed with the majority of the games played in Fiji rather than the home and away format of the three previous years. Also in 2009, ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group) came on board as the presenting sponsor for the tournament.

This year, Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga will take part in the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 2010. Except for the opening game between Fiji and Japan at Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji, Samoa and the Samoan Rugby Union will host the 2010 competition with the remaining five games slated for Apia Park in the capital city of Apia. With the tournament again largely being hosted in one country, refereeing and coaching workshops along junior rugby clinics are planned for the two week duration of the event. This is also the first time for Samoa to host a major international 15-a-side rugby tournament. The occasion is also a fillip for Samoa after the 2009 Samoa Earthquake, an 8.1M submarine earthquake and resulting tsunami struck the area on 29 September causing significant damage and loss of life across the region.

Previous Winners

The New Zealand representative sides have won all four previous titles.

2009: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB again took the PNC title undefeated on 19 points. Fiji were runner-up on 14 points followed by Samoa on 12 points, while Japan finished fourth on 6 points with one win and three losses. Tonga took the wooden spoon on one point.

2008: The New Zealand Maori. The Maori took the PNC title undefeated with 21 points when they beat Australia A 21-18 in the final game in Sydney. Australia A finished runner-up on 20 points. Japan finished fifth on 7 points with one win and four losses.

2007: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB took the PNC title undefeated with 25 points garnering maximum points in each game. Australia A finished a distant runner-up on 16 points after they lost to the JAB and drew with Fiji. Japan finished last on 4 points with one win and four losses.

2006: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB took the P5N title undefeated with 20 points with maximum points in each game. Japan finished last on 0 points with four losses.

ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 2010 Schedule

Round	Date	Teams	Venue	Kick-off
Round 1	Saturday, 12 June 2010	Samoa v Tonga	Apia Park, Apia	15:10
		Fiji v Japan	Churchill Park, Lautoka	15:10
Round 2	Saturday, 19 June 2010	Samoa v Japan	Apia Park, Apia	13:10
		Fiji v Tonga	Apia Park, Apia	16:10
Round 3	Saturday, 26 June 2010	Fiji v Samoa	Apia Park, Apia	13:10
		Japan v Tonga	Apia Park, Apia	16:10

November 2010

There is the possibility that the New Zealand Maori and maybe even the Wallabies will play against Japan in the November window month. Another alternative being considered is three matches in November against Rod McQueen’s Melbourne Rebels ahead of their debut in the expanded Super 15 competition in 2011. There is the added possibility that there will be no games for Japan in the autumn to allow the test level players to freshen up ahead of the very heavy schedule in 2011 leading up to the RWC in NZ late in the year.

Furthermore, there is also the rumour that Japan will play Italy home and away in Novembe