Rugby May 5, 2021
Kazuki Himeno named Super Rugby Aotearoa's Rookie of the Year
The Brave Blossoms standout won the award despite missing the first three rounds of the tournament, beating out teammate Connor Garden-Bachop.
Rugby Apr 26, 2019
The Sunwolves surrendered eight tries in a humiliating 52-0 Super Rugby defeat on Friday night to the New Zealand-based Highlanders. Playing in chilly rain at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, the Sunwolves' pack was overpowered at every opportunity as the Highlanders' forwards made a mockery ...
Rugby Apr 25, 2019
Sunwolves hope home crowd can give them a big boost against Highlanders
The Sunwolves are hoping another full house at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground can spur them on to play for the full 80 minutes and beat the Highlanders on Friday night, in a game that is set to feature a number of matchups between ...
More Sports / Rugby Apr 22, 2017
The Sunwolves showed their depth of resilience and fight, but ultimately came up short yet again as the Highlanders handed them their seventh loss of the Super Rugby season in Invercargill on Saturday. Tokyo's team crossed the line four times, but errors and line-ball refereeing ...
More Sports / Rugby Apr 20, 2017
Sunwolves coach Filo Tiatia rung the changes in naming his team Thursday to take on the Highlanders in Invercargill, New Zealand, this weekend. Tiatia's run-on XV shows seven changes and one positional switch from the side that started last week's 50-3 loss to the Crusaders ...
More Sports / Rugby Sep 5, 2016
Joseph digs in for long haul after taking Japan reins
by Andrew McKirdy
New Japan national rugby team head coach Jamie Joseph has warned fans to expect pain before pleasure as he builds toward the 2019 World Cup on home soil. "I guess there are not many coaches who would come into an international coaching job and accept ...
More Sports / Rugby Jun 27, 2016
Eighteen days after Mark Hammett was named assistant coach of the Highlanders from 2017, the Sunwolves finally confirmed they would be losing their head coach. The Japanese Super Rugby franchise said Monday that the 43-year-old Hammett, who was named the inaugural coach of the Sunwolves ...
More Sports / Rugby Jun 9, 2016
There was mixed news for Japanese rugby from Dunedin, New Zealand, on Thursday as the Highlanders confirmed their coaching staff for the 2017 Super Rugby season. The bad news is that the Sunwolves will need a new head coach after it was confirmed that Mark ...
More Sports / Rugby Mar 1, 2016
Highlanders scrumhalf Fumiaki Tanaka has injured his calf and will need about four weeks to recover, the reigning Super Rugby champions said Tuesday. The Japan international sustained the injury while practicing in Auckland, and sat out the season opener against the Blues on Friday at ...
More Sports / Rugby Jan 21, 2016
Japan names Joseph as next Brave Blossoms head coach
by Rich Freeman
Jamie Joseph said Thursday his main motivation for leaving Super Rugby champions the Highlanders to become head coach of the Brave Blossoms was the chance to lead Japan when it hosts the 2019 World Cup. "It's really hard to leave but I want to improve ...
More Sports / Rugby Jan 20, 2016
The long and winding road to name a successor to Eddie Jones as head coach of the Brave Blossoms looks like it is finally coming to an end. New Zealand's Otago Daily Times told Kyodo News on Wednesday that Super Rugby champions the Highlanders have ...
More Sports / Rugby Jul 4, 2015
A day ahead of the Super Rugby Final against the Hurricanes, Japan and Highlanders scrumhalf Fumiaki Tanaka worked out on his own on Friday. If Tanaka gets into the game at Wellington's Westpac Stadium, he'll be the first Japanese to play in the final of ...