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The Japan national rugby union team, also known as the Cherry Blossoms, the Brave Blossoms, or simply Sakura, represents Japan in men's international rugby union. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. Rugby union in Japan is administered by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), which was founded in 1926. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) and previously in the Asia Rugby Championship (ARC). They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup (RWC) since the tournament began in 1987, and hosted the event in 2019.
George Musarurwa Gregan AM is a retired Australian rugby union player, and is currently Australia's most capped international player.
Michael Christopher Phelan is an English professional football coach and former player and coach at Manchester United.
Shane Mark Williams, is a Welsh former rugby union player most famous for his long and successful tenure as a wing for the Ospreys and the Wales national team. He also played scrum-half on occasion. Williams is the record try scorer for Wales, and is fourth on the international list of leading rugby union test try scorers behind Daisuke Ohata, Bryan Habana and David Campese.
George Smith is an Australian retired rugby union player. He was a flanker for 12 years (2000–10,13) at the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby, earning 142 caps.
Roger Baird is a former Scotland international rugby union player.
Bruce Andrew Ferguson Douglas is a former Scottish rugby union rugby player. He played as a prop, and had been signed with French top 14 club Montpellier from July 2008 up until March 2010 when it was confirmed that he was signed with Worcester Warriors. He has represented Scottish Schools, Scottish Districts and Scotland at under-16, under-18, under-19 and under-21 levels.
Rodney So'oialo is a New Zealand rugby union player who recently played in Japan for the Honda Heat. He is now the director of rugby and head coach at Trinity College Kandy, Sri Lanka. Previously, he had been a stalwart for the Hurricanes in the Super Rugby competition, making 101 appearances for the franchise. He also made 62 test appearances for the All Blacks between 2002 and 2009. His usual position is at number eight.
Juan Manuel Leguizamón is an Argentine rugby union footballer for Rugby United New York (RUNY) of Major League Rugby (MLR). He plays as a flanker or a number eight.
Alun Wyn Jones is a Welsh former international rugby union player who played as a lock. He played most of his career for Ospreys and for the Wales national team. He is the world's most-capped rugby union player, with 158 caps for Wales and 13 for the British & Irish Lions, and also holds the records for the most Wales caps and the second most Wales caps as captain. He retired from rugby in 2023.
Euan Murray is a retired Scottish rugby union footballer, whose last club was Pau in the French Top 14.
Sanchez William Genia is a professional rugby union player, currently playing scrum-half for the Kintetsu Liners in Japan. He had previously played Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds (2007–2015) and Melbourne Rebels (2018–2019). He also had previously played for Stade Français in France's Top 14 from 2015 to 2017.
Ross William Ford is a Strength and Conditioning coach for the Scottish Rugby Academy. He was previously a Scotland international rugby union player who played as a hooker. He made 110 test appearances for Scotland, making him their most-capped male player. He played in three World Cups and toured with the British & Irish Lions in 2009, making one appearance.
James Gordon Pritchard is an Australian-Canadian professional rugby union and rugby league footballer, who currently plays his club rugby union for Ampthill in National League 1 following short spells with Old Albanian and Coventry. Pritchard is best known for his time with Bedford Blues, where he spent 12 seasons across two spells with the club, and he is the club's record points scorer with 2,883 points in all competitions, including 99 tries. He is also the RFU Championship all-time top points scorer with 2,673 points from 251 league and play-off games while playing for Bedford Blues and Plymouth Albion, as a fullback, wing or centre. Pritchard has played internationally for Canada, with whom he appeared in four Rugby World Cups, and is his countries all-time top points scorer with 607 points.
Joseph Ferguson was an English professional rugby league footballer who played between 1899 and 1923. He played at representative level for England, Cumberland and Lancashire, and at club level for Oldham, as a fullback, prop, hooker, or second-row.
Blake Ferguson is a former professional rugby league footballer.
David Milne is a former Scotland international rugby union player.
Keita Inagaki is a Japanese professional rugby union player who plays as a prop for Japan Rugby League One club Saitama Wild Knights and the Japan national team.
Darcy Taimua Swain is an Australian rugby union player who plays for the Brumbies in the Super Rugby. His position of choice is lock.
Adam Grant Parker, was a New Zealand rugby union player who played as lock or as flanker. He played internationally for Japan.
