Rugby Feb 19, 2021

Final Top League set to kick off as rugby clubs eye new era

Beginning next year, the top 25 teams in the nation — 16 from the Top League and nine Top Challenge League sides — will play in a new three-tier competition.

Rugby Oct 23, 2020

Wallabies and Panasonic star David Pocock hangs up boots

The two-time World Player of the Year nominee earned 83 caps for Australia.

Rugby Sep 26, 2020

Building up rugby team placed ahead of Japanese citizens' rights

Three naturalized Japanese citizens found themselves on the wrong side of a decision that essentially restricts their ability to work as professional rugby players in their adopted homeland. The Japan Rugby Football Union on Friday confirmed that the three, including two who are eligible to ...

Rugby | ADDING THE EXTRAS May 29, 2020

Top League welcomes influx of talent from northern hemisphere

Japanese rugby will be as diverse as ever following strong efforts by local clubs to sign top-tier international players.

Rugby May 22, 2020

JRFU hopes to be key to more unified rugby world

Chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi hopes Japan can help steer rugby toward a global calendar and develop the sport in Asia.

Rugby | ADDING THE EXTRAS May 1, 2020

Rule change leaves trio of naturalized Top League players in limbo

The group, which includes two players who have represented Japan in sevens, is petitioning the Japan Rugby Football Union to recognize their status as local players.

Rugby Apr 17, 2020

Agustin Pichot looking to change sport's mindset through run for World Rugby chairman

The former Argentina captain believes that strong emerging nations such as Japan deserve to participate in high-level international competitions.

Rugby | ADDING THE EXTRAS Mar 28, 2020

Odd decisions, big questions amidst crises in Japanese rugby

With rugby seemingly done for the season, it is time to look back on a crazy few months that have seen Japanese rugby go from the highs of the 2019 Rugby World Cup to a state of confusion in which even a former Brave ...

Rugby | ADDING THE EXTRAS Feb 28, 2020

Asian rugby tested as COVID-19 wipes out schedules

Rugby across Asia is feeling the full brunt of the coronavirus outbreak with games and tournaments getting called off at a rate of knots. Such is the speed of things that decisions are seemingly being made on an hourly basis, but as it stands this ...

Rugby Feb 10, 2020

Brave Blossoms head coach Jamie Joseph in middle of conflict between JRFU, World Rugby

An escalating spat between World Rugby and the Japan Rugby Football Union was behind Brave Blossoms coach Jamie Joseph's recent comments about the timing of a new domestic league, a source close to the matter has told Kyodo News. In his first press conference since ...