The Japan national rugby union team, often known as the Cherry Blossoms, Sakura, and more recently The Brave Blossoms 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 and previously in the Asia Rugby Championship. They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987.
The Pacific Nations Cup is an international rugby union competition held between three Pacific states: Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. The 2019 edition of the tournament will also include the national teams of Canada, Japan and United States. First held in 2006, the tournament is intended to strengthen the Tier 2 rugby teams by providing competitive test matches in a tournament format.
The World Rugby Pacific Challenge, formerly the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup, is an annual rugby union football tournament held in Oceania since 2006. It is contested by national 'A' teams from the Asia-Pacific region. The tournament is run by World Rugby through Oceania Rugby.
Australia A is a national representative rugby union football team of Australian rugby union. The last match played under the 'Australia A' name was in 2008, but the team was previously the second national side behind the Wallabies. Matches played by 'Australia A' were used as a stepping-stone to Wallaby selection, with the team playing at smaller venues than the Wallabies. Aspiring Wallaby players were given a chance to impress selectors during these games. In the past, the team would also play touring sides, such as the British & Irish Lions, when they visited Australia.
The American Samoa national rugby union team, also known as the "Talavalu", represents American Samoa in international rugby union.
The Fiji Warriors, also referred to as Fiji A, is a national representative rugby team of rugby union in Fiji. It is the second-tier side to the Fiji national team. The Warriors team is selected from players in the Fijian domestic competitions and competes in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge against Samoa A and Tonga A. Since 2016, the Fiji Warriors team has played in the Americas Pacific Challenge against national A teams from North and South America.
The Australian Schoolboys & U18 rugby union team is the national team for schoolboy rugby union & U18 players in Australia. Considered to be the pinnacle of schoolboy & U18 rugby in Australia, the team plays in fixtures against other national representative schoolboy teams from around the world. Many players who have played in the Australian Schoolboys team have gone on to further representative careers with Super Rugby franchise teams and the Australian national rugby union team.
Shane Edward Gates is a South African-born Japanese professional rugby union player, currently playing in the Japanese Top League with NTT Communications Shining Arcs. His usual position is fly-half or inside centre.
Pampas XV was an Argentine rugby union team that was based in South Africa when they participated in the South African second domestic competition, the Vodacom Cup between 2010 and 2013. The team was established in 2010 and was composed almost entirely by members of the High Performance Plan of the UAR. It was an unofficial third national team, below the Senior squad and Argentina XV, although it has been described as the second team as well.
Jordi Murphy is an Irish international rugby player. He plays for provincial and Pro14 League side Ulster as a loose forward, and also plays for the Ireland national rugby union team.
Francois Brummer is a South African rugby union player for Zebre in the Pro14. His regular playing position is fly-half, although he has played fullback on occasion.
Handré Pollard is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Montpellier in France for the French Top 14. His regular playing positions are fly-half and inside-centre.
Brad McCormick Weber is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays as a halfback for Hawke's Bay in the National Provincial Championship and the Chiefs in Super Rugby.
Thomas Joubert du Toit is a South African rugby union player for the South Africa national team and the Sharks in Super Rugby. His regular position is prop.
Jesse André Kriel is a South African professional rugby union player for the South Africa national team and Canon Eagles in the Japanese Top League. He is a utility back who can play centre, wing or fullback. Kriel was part of the national team who won the rugby world cup in 2019.
Albertus Stephanus "Kwagga" Smith is a South African rugby union player for the South Africa national team, the Lions in Super Rugby and Yamaha Júbilo in the Japanese Top League. His regular position is flanker.
Warrick Wayne Gelant is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and the Stormers in Super Rugby. His regular position is fullback, He was a member of the winning Springboks at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Rudolph Gerhardus Snyman is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Irish province Munster in the United Rugby Championship. His regular position is lock. He was one of the winning Springboks at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Marco Jansen van Vuren is a South African rugby union player for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup. His regular position is scrum-half.
Jason Howell Jenkins is a South African rugby union player for United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup side Munster. His regular position is lock, though he can also play in the back-row.
