Month: October 2022

（Author: Azul, October 23, 2022）

The second match of the 2022 Rugby Japan National Team’s training and test match series, the second match of the series was held at the BEST DENKI STADIUM in Fukuoka Prefecture on October 8.

This time, the opponent was the same as last week, Australia A. And Japan XV lost the last match against Australia A. We hope we can make up for it in the second match this time.

Since the venue was in Fukuoka Prefecture, we took the bullet train on the way there and the plane on the way back.

Although the bullet train is fast, it took 5 hours from Tokyo to Fukuoka. I left my house at 6:30 a.m. and boarded a Shinkansen bound for Hakata from Shin-Yokohama Station. It was the first time for me to use the Shinkansen to get to Fukuoka. Since it was the first day of a three-day weekend, the Shinkansen was crowded.

The photo above was taken as we passed Himeji Station. In the background is the national treasure, Himeji Castle.

We arrived at Hakata Station around 12:30 pm.

The venue for the match that day was the BEST　DENKI　STADIUM near Fukuoka Airport. With the RWC 2023 coming up the following year, domestic interest is growing, so there was a long line for the shuttle bus to the stadium.

We were worried that we might miss the kick-off time because the buses did not come easily. However, the person in front of me in line told me that it would take more than 40 minutes to walk to the stadium, so I had no choice but to wait in line. Well, I managed to arrive at the stadium 30 minutes before the game started.

For RWC 2019, three matches were played at this stadium.

Let me give you an update information on the two teams playing on this day.

First, let’s take a look at the home team, JAPAN XV.

In the first match, the 202cm lock WAQA left the field injured, which is a bit of a downgrade. It is good news for the national team that FL HIMENO and WTB MATSUSHIMA, who are members of RWC 2019, have returned to the starting lineup.

Here is the starting lineup for the day.

Japan XV
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Japan Caps
1	Craig MILLER	186cm	116kg	31	6
2	Atsushi SAKADE	180cm	104kg	29	30
3	Shinnosuke KAKINAGA	180cm	115kg	30	11
4	Warner DEARNS	201cm	117kg	20	4
5	Jack CORNELSEN	195cm	110kg	27	9
6	Kanji SHIMOKAWA	188cm	105kg	23	0
7	Kazuki HIMENO	187cm	108kg	28	22
8	Michael LEITCH	189cm	113kg	33	75
9	Naoto SAITO	165cm	73kg	25	8
10	Seungsin LEE	176cm	85kg	21	3
11	Siosaia FIFITA	187cm	105kg	23	9
12	Ryoto NAKAMURA	182cm	92kg	31	30
13	Dylan RILEY	187cm	102kg	25	7
14	Kotaro MATSUSHIMA	178cm	87kg	29	44
15	Ryohei Yamanaka	188cm	98kg	34	24

＊＊　Player to watch　＊＊

Siosaia FIFITA. 187cm, 100kg, 23 years old. Position = WTB, CTB. After graduating from Tenri University, he worked for SUNWOLVES. He is a gem of a player. He is a player with speed, power, and a good eye for tactics, and while he is a WTB, he also contributes a lot to the defense. He is becoming a regular in the highly competitive Japanese WTB position.

And now, an update news on the Australia A team.

After winning the first game against JAPAN XV, this team has been playing the second game with almost the same members. The morale of the players is extremely high, as the players who performed outstandingly well on the Japan tour will be immediately called up by the Australian national team: Wallabies. Some people say that because it is an Australian selection team, it is an Australian second-string team, but it is more like SUPER RUGBY, where the contact is more intense than in Japan’s League One. The starting lineup for the day was as follows

The starting members for the day are as follows

Australia A
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Australia Caps
1	Matt GIBBON	185cm	120kg	27	2
2	Billy POLLARD	185cm	105kg	20	1
3	Pone FAAMAUSILI	196cm	130kg	25	3
4	Nick FROST	206cm	120kg	22	5
5	Cadeyrn NEVILLE	202cm	125kg	33	3
6	Ned HANIGAN	194cm	113kg	27	21
7	Brad WILKIN	187cm	105kg	26	0
8	Langi GLEESON	185m	105kg	21	0
9	Ryan LONERGAN	184m	80kg	24	0
10	Tane EDMED	183cm	91kg	22	0
11	Dylan PIETSCH	185cm	102kg	24	0
12	Bayley KUENZLE	186cm	92kg	24	0
13	Hudson CREIGHTON	182cm	92kg	22	0
14	Suli VUNIVALU	192cm	99kg	26	1
15	Jock CAMPBELL	186cm	85kg	27	0

＊＊ Player to watch ＊＊

Tom BANKS. 186 cm, 93 kg, 28 years old. Position =FB. He has been out of the Australian national team for a while due to injury, but has recovered enough to be able to play in games. He has been recovering from an injury that kept him out of the Australian national team for a while. When he recovers, we expect him to show his outstanding performance as a regular player for the Australian national team. He will also be joining Mie HONDA, Japan League One.　We hope he will be able to play in front of Japanese fans.

Now, let the games begin.

The temperature that day was 23 degrees Celsius, reminiscent of early summer.

1 minute of the first half:

While Australia A was puzzled by the handling of the ball, JAPAN XV secured the ball. JAPAN XV then attacked first to the right and then to the left, The ball was caught by Australia A, but Japan XV managed to win the ball back and play it to the right. The ball was then passed to JAPAN XV’s WTB　MATSUSHIMA. He received the ball near the 22m line on the right touchline and ran to the right center for the try. JAPAN XV failed to score the conversion goal after the try. They scored first to make the score 5-0.

9 minutes into the first half:

JAPAN XV set the pace early in the match. They made a series of attacks in the opposition’s territory, gradually advancing toward the opponent’s in-goal. Australia A was forced to commit an offside foul at 15 meters in front of the goal post. Japan XV opted to go for the PG. SO LEE made a steady kick to score the PG, and JAPAN XV made the score 8-0.

11 minutes into the first half:

From the kickoff after the PG, Australia A attacked into enemy territory, and JAPAN XV’s HIMENO　stopped the onrushing team with a tackle, but he was drawn a foul for not releasing the ball, giving them the right to score a PG. This was scored by SH　LONERGAN of Australia A made the score 8-3.

31 minutes into the first half:

Both teams traded kicks, and after several kicks were exchanged, Australia A’s FB　CAMPBELL counter-attacked from his own territory and both teams then exchanged kicks several times again. Once caught in the JAPAN XV’s defensive net, Australia A won the tight battle and attacked again in succession. FB　CAMPBELL received the ball again and ran down the left touchline to score a try in the left corner of the enemy’s in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 8-10 in favor of Australia A.

Nevertheless, FB　CAMPBELL is a very aggressive player who likes to counter attack. I hope he will be a rising star of RWC 2023 as a FB fantasista.

The first half ended with the score at this point, with Australia A leading by two goals.

Let the second half begin.

Player change: Australia A FB Jock CAMPBELL → Tom BANKS

4 minutes into the second half:

After the kickoff, JAPAN XV continued to attack in the enemy territory for a while. but from a scrum in Australia A ball, SH LONERGAN attempted to kick up, but JAPAN XV’s SH　SAITO successfully charged and CTB RILEY picked up the spilled ball and passed to　WTB FIFITA. He knocked on the ball.

After that, Australia A deployed to the left from their own territory, and FB BANKS made a great run and made a big gain, and got deep into the enemy territory. The ball was then passed to WTB　PIETSCH, and in front of the in-goal BANKS received a return pass and he got past two JAPAN XV day defenders and scored a try in the middle of the left field. The conversion goal after the try was missed, giving Australia A 7 point lead with the score 8-15.

11 minutes into the second half:

The game was somewhat of a stalemate. Neither side was able to make any significant gains. Whenever the FW players tried to push forward with force, Australia A would stop them with a head-on collision. In any case, the atmosphere in the FW game was such that a try was unlikely to be scored.

However, JAPAN XV entered the enemy territory, and when the FWs took the game into a tight battle, they were able to score a try. However, when JAPAN XV entered the enemy territory and took the game into a tight battle, Australia A committed a “Not Roll Away” infringement. At this point, JAPAN XV chose to go for the PG. The goal was about 15 meters to the left of the goal post in the enemy territory. The SO LEE of JAPAN XV scored it. JAPAN XV was now up by 4 points, 11-15.

17 minutes into the second half.

Australia A moved into the enemy territory and continued to attack.　When Australia A spread the ball out and connected with the outermost player, JAPAN XV either broke wide or scored a try. This was a major factor in JAPAN XV’s defensive system, as they were able to use a double tackle to stop the opposing team before they could get around the opposition’s players at the line.　This is an internal team rule that the JAPAN XV defensive system uses a double tackle to stop the opposing team before they can get to a player on the other team’s line. If a player goes around to the outside, the back-up player will stop him, but basically, the team will try to crush the opponent’s attack without allowing it to develop to the outside. This approach is very physically demanding, and the defensive network tends to break down in the second half of the match. JAPAN XV’s defensive system is currently in the process of being perfected.

22 minutes into the second half:

After a period of sustained offensive pressure by Australia A, JAPAN XV was awarded a penalty kick deep into enemy territory after a foul by their opponents and JAPAN XV had the ball in their own lineout deep in enemy territory. Once the ball was secured, JAPAN XV took the lead. JAPAN XV attacked with a series of attacks centered on the rush of the FW. The Japan XV FL MICHAEL’s play stood out on this day, both in defense and in attack. He scored a try in the right center of the field. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 18-15 to Japan XV.

25 minutes into the second half:

JAPAN XV continued to dominate the game in this period. JAPAN XV’s players continued to push forward, breaking through the opposing defense at key moments. At the 10-meter line, in the middle of the field, JAPAN XV hooker　SAKATE, a hooker for JAPAN XV, broke through the back of the Australia A defense and advanced to the 22-meter line. The ball was then passed through the middle of the field at the 10-meter line. Australia A was fouled for offsides, and PG was chosen by JAPAN XV in this position. The SO LEE converted the PG and the score was 21-15.

35 minutes left in the second half

With less than 5 minutes remaining, JAPAN XV committed a series of penalties, allowing Australia A to push up the field in front of the enemy’s in-goal.　XV almost got out of trouble a few times, but then they were penalized again.

In the end, Australia A pushed forward in a maul in front of the enemy in-goal and scored a try in the left center of the field.

At this point, the horn sounded to signal the last play of the game. At this point, the score was 21-20, and Australia A was only one point behind. SO EDMED was the man to score the final conversion goal for the comeback win. ECDMED scored from a difficult position on the left edge of the box.

With a come-from-behind win at the end of the game, Australia A looked jubilantand secured their place in the series.

Will JAPAN XV be able to make up for it in Round 3 on October 14?

I left for Tokyo from Fukuoka Airport on the same day.

The outward trip to Fukuoka took 5 hours by Shinkansen, but I arrived at Haneda Airport in 90 minutes by plane on the return trip. However, this BEST DENKI　STADIUM was located right next to the airport, so it was very convenient.

I will not be able to watch the 3rd round of the tournament with Australia A on 10/14 because it will be held on Friday. The next game will be against ALL BLACKS on 10/29 at National Stadium in Tokyo. Advance tickets are already sold out.

＊＊　ＪＥＲＳＥＹ　ＣＯＬＬＥＣＴＩＯＮ　６６　＊＊

Replica of the 2007 HONG KONG SEVENS Italy national team jersey. Manufactured by LUCY (probably a Chinese company). Purchased for 1,100 yen on Mercari. Used. The Italian national team has not achieved remarkable results in 7-man rugby, but the design and color are good, and the price was cheap, so I did not hesitate to buy it. I am glad I bought this jersey, because it seems that many people paid attention to this jersey.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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（Author: Azul, October 11, 2022）

The Japanese national rugby team has set up six matches this fall as reinforcement for RWC 2023. Below is the schedule.

(1) 10/1 – Japan XV vs. Australia A Game 1: Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground, Tokyo

2) 10/8 Japan XV vs. Australia A Round 2: Best Denki Stadium, Fukuoka

3) 10/14 – Japan XV vs. Australia A Game 3: YODOKO Sakura Stadium, Osaka

4) 10/29 – Japan Brave Blossoms vs New Zealand All Blacks: National Stadium, Tokyo

5) 11/12 – Japan national team Brave Blossoms VS England national team: Twickenham Stadium, England

6) 11/20 – Japan national team Brave Blossoms VS France national team Les Bleus: Stadium de Toulouse, France

This is quite a gorgeous training match. The reason why we are able to organize such a training match with a rugby powerhouse is because of the achievements of Japan’s national team at RWC 2019.

On Saturday, October 1, 2022, I went to Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Minato-ku, Tokyo to watch Japan XV vs Australia A Game 1. This match was between the Japan XV and the Australia A team, although the team names were unfamiliar to me. This match is not an official test match between the representatives of the two countries, so the players will not be given a representative CAP. In this match, the Japanese team will be the actual national team, while the Australian team will be a selected team that includes some players with national team experience.

The kickoff time for this match was 19:00. I had originally arranged to meet my friend at 18:00, but he called me and told me that the advance tickets were sold out and if we did not enter early, we would be relegated to the corner seats, so we entered at 17:30. The total number of visitors that day was 19,729.

Let me introduce the two teams playing this day.

First, let me introduce the home team, Japan XV.

Looking at Japan’s record in test matches since the RWC 2019, they have shown a gap in ability against the lower ranked countries in the world ranking, but have not been able to win against the higher ranked countries, although they have put up reasonably good fights. The main reason for this is that Japan has dropped out of strong leagues such as SUPER RUGBY, which it used to be a member of, and the national team has not been able to strengthen its athletes. Currently, the team is able to organize strengthening matches based on their performance in the previous tournament, but if they suffer a disastrous defeat at RWC 2023, they are expected to gradually become weaker. In the end, the Japan Rugby Union and its sponsors are only looking to strengthen the domestic league. Personally, I would like to see the Sun Wolves revived and re-enter Super Rugby.

Here is today’s starting lineup.

Japan XV
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Japan Caps
1	Craig MILLER	186cm	116kg	31	6
2	Atsushi SAKADE	180cm	104kg	29	30
3	Yusuke KIZU	178cm	112kg	26	5
4	Jack CORNELSEN	195cm	110kg	27	9
5	Sanaila WAQA	202cm	120kg	27	2
6	Kanji SHIMOKAWA	188cm	105kg	23
7	Peter LABUSCHAGNE	189cm	106kg	33	13
8	Michael LEITCH	189cm	113kg	33	75
9	Naoto SAITO	165cm	73kg	25	8
10	Hayata NAKAO	176cm	86kg	27
11	Siosaia FIFITA	187cm	105kg	23	9
12	Shogo NAKANO	186cm	98kg	25	5
13	Dylan RILEY	187cm	102kg	25	7
14	Gerhard von den HEEVER	192cm	102kg	33	3
15	Ryohei Yamanaka	188cm	98kg	34	24

＊＊　Player to watch　＊＊

Kotaro MATSUSHIMA. 178cm, 87kg, 28 years old. At the age of 21, he participated in the RWC 2015 and has been a regular player in the Japan national team as a mainstay WTB since then. He has the decisiveness needed to be an international class WTB. Until last year, he was the main FB for Clermont, a strong team in the French professional league. He is expected to reach his peak as a player at the upcoming RWC 2023.

Next, I would like to introduce our visiting team, Australia A.

The Australia A team is the second team after the Wallabies, the Australian national team. Among the starting members, there are 8 players who have represented Australia before, and they have players who are aiming to participate in RWC 2023. Their most recent result as a team was second place at the Pacific Nations Cup, competing against Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa. The team lost to Samoa. Japan will be in the same group as Samoa at RWC 2023, and will be looking for a win against Australia A.

The starting lineup for today’s match is as follows

Australia A
No.	Name	height	weight	age	Australia Caps
1	Matt GIBBON	185cm	120kg	27	2
2	Lachlan LONERGAN	180cm	100kg	22	6
3	Tom ROBERTSON	180cm	115kg	28	27
4	Nick FROST	206cm	120kg	22	5
5	Cadeyrn NEVILLE	202cm	125kg	33	2
6	Ned HANIGAN	194cm	113kg	27	25
7	Ollie CALLAN	185cm	100kg	22
8	Langi GLEESON	185m	105kg	21
9	Ryan LONERGAN	184m	80kg	24
10	Ben DONALDSON	184cm	87kg	23
11	Filipo DAUGUNU	175cm	91kg	27	7
12	Bayley KUENZLE	186cm	92kg	24
13	Hudson CREIGHTON	182cm	92kg	22
14	Suli VUNIVALU	192cm	99kg	26	1
15	Jock CAMPBELL	186cm	85kg	27

＊＊ Player to watch　＊＊

Langi GLEESON. 185 cm, 100 kg, 21 years old. No Cap for Australia. A promising young player who made his debut for the Australian Waratahs in the 2022 Super Rugby and was selected for Australia A this time after a remarkable performance. He will surely break through the opposing team’s defense. His trademark red head cap stands out in the game.

Let’s start the first half.

Kickoff for the day was at 19:00.

2 minutes into the first half：

Japan XV kicked a little bit into the enemy’s territory, and Australia A committed a foul of Not Role Away. The point of the foul was in front of the goal post, so Japan XV chose to go for the PG. Japan XV’s SO NAKAO scored the PG to put Japan XV ahead by 3 points.

6 minutes into the first half：

From the kickoff after the try, Australia A moved into enemy territory, and in a tight battle, Japan XV Lock WAQA was fouled for Not Role Away. At this point, Australia A elected to go for the PG. SH RONERGAN succeeded in this PG and the score was tied 3-3.

17 minutes into the first half：

Australia A’s offensive efforts were becoming more and more noticeable. After Japan XV was fouled for offside in the middle of their own territory, Australia A opted to go for the PG. The PG was also successful, making the score 3-6.

19 minutes into the first half：

After the PG, Japan XV kicked off in the enemy territory. Japan XV had a great chance to score when the CTB put up a short punt, and three Japan XV players ran on to win the ball. The ball went straight up the field, with only one FB on the Australia A side. FB CAMPBELL intercepted the ball clearly, ran into the back of the enemy line and ran more than 50 m. Japan XV’s SO NAKAO managed to stop him deep in his own territory. CAMPBELL’s bold interception was a surprise.

22 minutes into the first half:

Japan XV had an opportunity to take the ball out of their own line deep in the enemy territory on the right side. FL NAKAO secured the ball and raced towards the goal posts. This was blocked by Australia A, but Japan XV had a PG opportunity 5 meters in front of the goal post. SO NAKAO succeeded in this PG and the score was tied 6-6.

36 minutes into the first half:

The score was tied 6-6, but the ball was mostly controlled by Australia A. Japan XV spent most of the time on the defensive. Toward the end of the first half, however, Japan XV was finally able to mount a series of attacks in front of the enemy goal line. As a result, Japan XV had an opportunity to take a PG after an infringement in front of the goalposts. SO NAKAO scored to make the score 9-6.

The first half ended with the score 9-6 in favor of Japan XV, leaving them with a 3-point lead going into the second half.

Thanks to newly appointed defensive coach John Mitchell, Japan XV was more organized defensively than in the July match against France, but they could not attack much in the first half, which they will need to rectify for the second half.

And as for Australia A, the whole team, led by No.8 Gleeson and FB Campbell, was full of attacking spirit. I expect them to show us a great attack in the second half.

Let’s start the second half.

5 minutes into the second half:

Japan XV, perhaps reflecting on the lack of offensive time in the first half, went on the offensive right from the start of the second half. They won the scrums, drew penalties from their opponents, and gradually advanced deep into the enemy territory. From the scrum, Japan XV moved to the left, and by the time they passed to the WTB, they had enough space to score a try by WTB FIFITA in the left corner of the in-goal. The conversion goal after the try failed. It was the first try through both teams in the match, and the score was 14-6, giving Japan XV an 8-point lead.

8 minutes into the second half:

Australia A scored a try against their opponents.

Australia A seemed to get everyone fired up after their opponent scored a try. Anyway, Australia A did not fall down easily when they made contact. They kept going forward, and the ball kept coming to them. Finally, WTB VUNIVALU scored a try in the left center. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 14-13, and Australia A was within one point.

10 minutes into the second half:

Japan XV made two substitutions.

SH SAITO → NAGARE

FL SHIMOKAWA → HIMENO

Can these two players pull Japan XV back from a game that was leaning towards Australia A?

12 minutes into the second half:

Japan increased the tempo of their attack and launched a series of attacks deep into the enemy territory. FB　Yamanaka came very close to scoring a try, but the VTR showed the referee that it was not to be. However, before that, there was a foul on Australia A, so Japan XV chose to go for the PG from that position, and SO NAKAO succeeded in scoring. The score was 17-13.

Japan XV also made a change of players at this time.

WTB von den HEEVER → MATSUSHIMA.

Australia A also made a change of players at this time.

LO NEVILLE → SMITH

FL CALLAN → WILKIN

WTB DAUGUNU → NAWAQANTAWASE

15 minutes into the second half:

Japan XV launched a series of attacks to decide the game here. After entering the enemy territory, WTB FIFITA made a big gain on the left side of the field. Then Japan XV attacked to the right side. CTB NAKANO made an exquisite pass to WTB MATUSHIMA on the right side, and he scored a try on the right edge. The stadium was filled with excitement on the day.

The conversion goal after the try failed. The score was 22-13.

18 minutes into the second half：

Immediately after the try was scored, the Australia A players all showed fighting spirit and made a series of strong contact plays. A follow-up player ran into a hole in the defense pried open by a contacted player and made a series of successful offload passes.

Finally, Australia A scored a try by FL WILKIN, who had just been replaced, right under the goal post. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 22-20.

21 minutes into the second half：

Australia A had their own lineout after the game resumed, and SO DONALDSON got behind the opponents’ defensive net and went straight for a big gain. He then kicked the ball towards the in-goal, where WTB NAWAQANTAWASE held the ball in the in-goal for the try. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and the score was 22-27 in favor of Australia A.

33 minutes into the second half：

Some of the Japan XV players started to tire and there were some holes in the defense. Australia A’s WTB NAWAQANTAWASE made an individual break down the left flank and scored a try in the middle of the field. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 22-34.

The score remained 22-34 until the end of the match.

Japan XV lost their first of six straight test matches.

Australia A’s offensive prowess shone through in this match. The Japan XV will play three straight matches against this opponent, so we hope that they will show the results of this day in the next week’s match.

＊＊　Jersey Collection 65　＊＊

This is a replica jersey of the Italian national team that played the opening match of the first RWC held in 1987. I think it is a reprint of the original jersey, but I bought it for 7,900 yen on Mercari because it was a faithful reproduction of the colors of the Italian national team’s jersey at that time. It is a new used item, never used.

The tag from when it was sold was attached. This jersey was a project item, yet it was priced higher than the All Blacks jerseys of the time. The All Blacks jersey, a big seller at the time, did not cost more than 10,000 yen, as I recall. However, rugby jerseys do not sell well in Japan unless the country is a powerhouse to some extent, so I think this Italian national team jersey hardly sold at all. However, the design is good, so if Italy becomes a strong rugby team in the future, I think the price will go up.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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(Author: Azul, September 30th, 2022)

Sunday, September 25, 2022

This time I went to watch the second match of the Kanto University Rugby League Group 1, between Kanto Gakuin University and Toyo University.

The venue for this match was Senario House Field Misato Stadium in Misato City, Saitama Prefecture. The distance from my home is 68 km.

It took about 90 minutes by train. However, the bus from the nearest station to the stadium was not accessible. We had to wait 45 minutes at the bus stop. From there, it took about 20 minutes to get to the stadium, totaling more than 2 hours.

This was my first visit to Misato City in Saitama Prefecture, which is lined with many small and medium-sized factories and does not have much to offer for sightseeing. This place is surrounded by big rivers, and the land is flat, so it seems to be easy to get around by bicycle. Since it is located in the suburbs of Tokyo, it seems to function as a living city.

Before the game, I would like to introduce the Kanto University Rugby League group.

Kanto University Rugby currently has two major forces. One is the rivalry group centered on Keio University, which is the root of rugby in Japan, and the other is the league group centered on Nihon University, Hosei University, Chuo University, Senshu University, etc., which were emerging powers at the time. In 2022, the league group will have 3 slots, while the rivalry group will have 5 slots.

Will the league group be able to turn things around this season?

The photo above was taken at the match between Ryutsu Keizai University (5th place last season) and Daito Bunka University (3rd place last season).

The standings of last season’s Kanto University Rugby League group were as follows.

	Kanto University Rugby League Group Order 2021
order	team	Win	Lose	Even
1	Tokai	6	0	1
2	Nihon	6	0	1
3	Daito Bunka	5	2	0
4	Kanto Gakuin	3	4	0
5	Ryutsu Keizai	3	4	0
6	Hosei	2	5	0
7	Chuo	2	5	0
8	Sensyu	0	7	0

The two lower ranked teams played a replacement match against the teams ranked 1st and 2nd in the second division. The results were

1) Chuo University vs Toyo University: Toyo University won 21-26.

2) Senshu University vs. Rissho University: Rissho University won 47-53.

Toyo University and Rissho University were promoted to the first division of the league this season.

In case you are wondering what exactly is the difference between the first and second divisions, teams in the second division are not allowed to play paid spectator games during the season. Only the players and officials of the opposing school go to the field to play the games. This is a big difference. Fans cannot go to cheer them on, and of course there is no TV broadcast. Since there is no big stage for success, players who were active in high school do not want to enter the school. It is all a vicious circle for players who want to enter a university and play an active role. However, on the other hand, for those who were not successful in high school and are from unknown schools, there is a chance to play in the games. Toyo University, which was promoted to the first division this time, is said to be the first team to be promoted in 29 years.

Let me introduce the two teams that will be playing this time.

First, let me introduce the visiting team, Kanto Gakuin University.

Last season, they finished 4th in the Kanto University Rugby League Group. Founded in 1960, Kanto Gakuin University was a prestigious team that reached the final of the University Championship for 10 consecutive years from 1997 to 2007, winning the title six times, including two consecutive championships.

However, the team entered a long period of stagnation after the coach was replaced in 2007 due to misconduct by a member of the team. There are many former national team members who supported Kanto Gakuin in its golden age, and I believe that there are many fans who are eagerly awaiting the revival of Kanto Gakuin.

Today’s starting members are as follows.

Kanto Gakuin University
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Ryunosuke KODAMA	170cm	105kg	21
2	Shokei YONEI	174cm	102kg	21
3	Masato OBARA	175cm	113kg	21
4	Ryuki HANADA	185cm	103kg	20
5	Yujiro YANO	192cm	110kg	21
6	Nachi TATEKAWA	180cm	95kg	22
7	Rin MIYAGAMI	165cm	80kg	20
8	Hijiri YUITO	176cm	97kg	20
9	Kento MURATA	167cm	68kg	21
10	Daiki Tachikawa	167cm	78kg	21
11	Hiroto MARUYAMA	174cm	80kg	21
12	Takuru YAMAMURA	176cm	99kg	20
13	Mitutaka KUKISAWA	178cm	87kg	19
14	Yuki ANDO	178cm	86kg	19
15	Larry TIPOAI-LUTERU	192cm	112kg	18

＊＊　Players to watch　＊＊

Daiki TACHIKAWA. 167 cm, 78 kg, 21 years old. He is a graduate of Saga Technical High School. His father is Takeshi TACHIKAWA, a former Japanese national rugby player (21cap for Japan). He is not very tall, but his kicking ability and control are impressive. Like his father, he went on to Kanto Gakuin University from Saga Technical High School.

Next, I would like to introduce today’s home team, Toyo University Rugby Football Club .

They have been promoted to the first division of the Kanto University Rugby League Group 1 this season after defeating the 7th-ranked Chuo University in last season’s replacement round. On September 1, their first match was held at Chichibunomiya Rugby Ground. The opponent was Tokai University, last year’s league champion. Everyone involved in the tournament expected a convincing victory for Tokai University, but Toyo University unexpectedly pulled off an upset victory. It was such a Giant Killing that it became the top 3 news of this season’s university rugby. With this victory, Toyo University became the center of attention of Japanese rugby fans. We expect the crowd to grow as the team continues to win more games.

Today’s starting lineup is as follows.

Toyo University
No.	Name	height	weight	age
1	Taiga Yamaguchi	168cm	106kg	21
2	Shuta Ishiyama	173cm	102kg	22
3	Makito ISHIKAWA	185cm	115kg	19
4	Lamin Dieng SAITO	185cm	102kg	22
5	Matariki CHANNINGS	195cm	122kg	20
6	Vea TANIELA	183cm	120kg	22
7	Sho TANAKA	185cm	100kg	25
8	Shu UMEMURA	183m	100kg	21
9	Yusaku KANDA	170m	80kg	23
10	Stefarhn VAHAFOLAU	188cm	97kg	20
11	Kaito SUGIMOTO	170cm	75kg	20
12	Sota YOSHIDA	187cm	93kg	22
13	Kohei TANAKA	183cm	91kg	21
14	Yohei BONDO	180cm	82kg	20
15	Takumi ISHIMOTO	171cm	81kg	21

＊＊ Players to watch ＊＊

There is actually one player in this team that rugby fans all over Japan will be interested in: Juan Oosthuyzen, 211 cm, 135 kg, 20 years old. He is from South Africa. He is the world’s tallest lock. Unfortunately, he was not even on the bench that day, so I could not take his picture. I will look forward to the next time.

If Oosthuyzen is included in this group, we have a player who is clearly huge, more than a head and a half, but he did not play this time.

Now, let’s kick off. Kickoff time was 12:30.

4 minutes into the first half:

The game started with a kickoff by Kanto Gakuin University. The wind was a little strong, and Toyo University’s side was upwind in the first half. The game proceeded in the Toyo University camp, and when the Kanto Gakuin University backs spilled the ball from a Kanto Gakuin University scrum due to a handling error, the Toyo University backs took the ball, broke away, and expanded to the right, connecting with BONDO, the right WTB, who scored a try in the right center. The conversion goal after the try was also successful. The score was 7-0, and Toyo University took the lead.

8 minutes into the first half

Kanto Gakuin University had just entered the enemy territory when a scrum on the left side of the field led to a right wing, and the right WTB ANDO made a big move forward.

From the dense crowd created there, a series of attacks developed, and the SO TACHIKAWA released the ball in front of the goal post, which was run into by the left WTB MARUYAMA, who scored a try to the left center. After the try, the conversion goal failed. The score was 7-5.

15 minutes into the first half:

Kanto Gakuin University continued to attack in the Toyo University camp in this period. Toyo University’s defense in front of the goal did a good job of repelling the rush by the FWs, but a long pass from Kanto Gakuin University’s SO TACHIKAWA in front of the goal post was caught by the left WTB MARUYAMA, who took off two opposing defenders with individual skill and scored a try in the left center. After the try, the conversion goal failed. The score was 7-10.

17 minutes into the first half:

Toyo University secured the ball from the kick-off after the try, and launched a series of attacks in the opponent’s territory. Toyo University secured the ball in a tight pack, and No.8 UMEMURA rolled a grounder punt in front of the goal in enemy territory. The right WTB BONDO caught the ball and scored a try in the right corner of the enemy in-goal. The conversion goal after the try failed. The score was now 12-10 in favor of Toyo University.

24 minutes into the first half:

Toyo University began to find their attacking rhythm. Consecutive attacks connected, and the time spent attacking in the enemy territory increased. They attacked left and right, gradually moving forward, and finally, with an extra man on the right side, FB Ishimoto scored a try in the middle of the left field. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 19-10.

33 minutes into the first half:

Kanto Gakuin University then scored 3 points through PGs, and in the 33rd minute of the first half, a scrum took place deep in their own territory.

From there, the ball rolled to the right and was kicked by the WTB ANDO. The ball rolled deep into the enemy territory, and Kanto Gakuin University won the ball, and flanker TATEKAWA scored the final try in the right-center in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, and Kanto Gakuin University was back on top this time. The score was 19-20.

38 minutes into the first half.

From a scrum almost in the center of the field, Toyo University gradually advanced through the enemy line through a series of attacks. A dense battle ensued near the goal posts, about 7 meters from the goal line, where Toyo University’s SH KANDA grabbed the ball and dodged three of Kanto Gakuin University defenders, and scored a try just below the goal post. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 26-20, and Toyo University was back in front.

The first half was a dizzying affair, with both teams trading points with each other. The score was 26-20, Toyo University leading Kanto Gakuin University by six points at halftime.

Now for the start of the second half.

14 and 18 minutes into the second half:

Kanto Gakuin University’s SO TACHIKAWA scored two PGs from almost halfway, a distance of almost 50 meters, to tie the score 26-26.

23 minutes into the second half:

This match had a lot to offer in terms of attacks by both teams. They repeatedly attacked in succession, exploiting their opponents’ skirmishes and advancing forward. Conversely, there were few turnovers to take the ball out of the opponent’s hands.

Toyo University repeated a series of attacks in the opponent’s territory, gradually closing in on the opponent’s goal line, and finally, from a dense battle in front of the goal line, Toyo University’s SH KANDA scored from the right center of the in-goal.　KANDA scored his second try of the day, diving into the right center of the in-goal. The conversion goal after the try was also successful, making the score 33-26.

27 minutes into the second half

Kanto Gakuin University’s FB Larry made a strong breakthrough and drove close to the opponent’s goal line, finally crossing the line in front of the goal. The WTB ANDO made a great individual effort to get past the defenders and score a try at the right edge of the in-goal. The conversion goal after the try failed, making the score 33-31.

36 minutes into the second half.

Toyo University gained their own lineout 5m in front of the goal line at the right end of the enemy line due to an infringement by the opponents. Toyo University’s FWs secured the ball, and the team moved forward in a maul to score a try right in front of the opponents’ in-goal. The conversion goal after the try failed. The score was 38-31.

In this match, the referee calculated the loss time and extended the time remaining in the game, so the game did not end until well past the 40th minute of the second half. The last play was particularly long, and there were screams from the Toyo University fans in the stands. Well, that’s how heated the game was.

In the end, Toyo University won the match 38-31, their second consecutive win since the opening of the season. Conversely, Kanto Gakuin University has lost two straight.

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Stop the war.

Peace to Ukraine

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