For Rich Freeman's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan celebrated two years to the start of the 2019 Rugby World Cup on Wednesday with the Webb Ellis Cup on display in Tokyo's Shibuya district ahead of a 46-day tour that will see it visit all 12 host cities from Sapporo in the ...
The new Japan Rugby Top League season kicks off Friday with five games being played across the country. Defending champion Suntory Sungoliath open their campaign against the Canon Eagles with fans, players and coaches alike forced to get used to yet another new format. This season, ...
As rehearsals go for Rugby World Cup 2019, Japan's three-test series in June and the nation's performance, both on and off the field, drew mixed reviews. On the playing front, the win over Romania and two defeats to Ireland left coach Jamie Joseph in no ...
Japan coach Jamie Joseph sprung a few surprises Thursday when he named his side for Saturday's test with Romania, the first of three test matches in successive weekends against European foes. The former New Zealand and Japan international opted to start a number of senior ...
Sunwolves fullback Kotaro Matsushima has extra reason for the Japanese Super Rugby side to come away with a win against the Sharks this weekend. The 24-year-old, who was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to a Zimbabwean father and Japanese mother, joined the Sharks Academy in ...
On the eve of Wednesday's draw for the 2019 Rugby World Cup, organizers are hoping the tournament will spur even more interest in the sport in the world's largest continent. With Japan preparing to host Asia's first Rugby World Cup, and the global game experiencing ...
Japan may have maintained its impressive unbeaten record in the Asia Rugby Championship by defeating Hong Kong 29-17 on Saturday, but it was hardly a classic performance. With the eyes of the rugby world on Japan ahead of next week's draw in Kyoto for the ...
The Sunwolves responded Monday to the reduction in the number of Super Rugby teams and their move to the Australian Conference, saying the reduced traveling and more favorable time zones will help the side both on and off the field. "We will continue competing in ...
Jumpei Ogura will be the man responsible for directing traffic Saturday as the Sunwolves look to pick up their first win of the 2017 Super Rugby season against the Cape Town-based Stormers. The 24-year-old flyhalf — who has been well nurtured by Rob Penney and ...
The Sunwolves found out once again on Saturday that if you cannot finish what you start in Super Rugby, you get punished. Filo Tiatia's team created more than enough opportunities to beat the Southern Kings at Singapore National Stadium, but an inability to turn pressure ...
