Philip Bennett was a Welsh rugby union player who played as a fly-half for Llanelli RFC and the Wales national team. He began his career in 1966, and a year later he had taken over from Barry John as Llanelli's first-choice fly-half. He made 414 appearances for the Scarlets over the course of a 15-year career he scored 131 tries, 43 drop goals, 293 pens and 523 convs. He made his Wales debut in 1969, but it was not until John's retirement from rugby in 1972 that Bennett became a regular starter for his country. He led Wales to the Five Nations Championship title, including the Grand Slam in 1978, which culminated with his retirement from Wales duty.
Stade Toulousain, also referred to as Toulouse, is a professional rugby union club based in Toulouse, France. They compete in the Top 14, France's top division of rugby, and the European Rugby Champions Cup.
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.
In the game of rugby union, there are 15 players on each team, comprising eight forwards and seven backs. In addition, there may be up to eight replacement players "on the bench", numbered 16–23. Players are not restricted to a single position, although they generally specialise in just one or two that suit their skills and body types. Players that play multiple positions are called "utility players".
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. They are based in Fuchu, Tokyo, as is their local rival Suntory Sungoliath. They won the second ever Top League championship in the 2004-5 season and the Microsoft Cup in 2005 under their innovative and inventive coach Masahiro Kunda, himself a former hooker for Toshiba and Japan. They are particularly known for the strength of their mauls. Before the Top League was created, the team was called Toshiba Fuchu after their location. Their slogan for 2006 season was "Once again to the Pinnacle (Restart)". The team rebranded as Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to Japan Rugby League One in 2022.
Matthew James Giteau is a retired Australian rugby union professional player who last played, for the now defunct, LA Giltinis of Major League Rugby (MLR).
François Philippus Lodewyk Steyn is a South African former professional rugby union player. A utility back who represented his country, he was able to play as a centre, fly-half, full-back and wing.
Jonathan Jeremiah Sexton is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for United Rugby Championship club Leinster and captains the Ireland national team.
Daniel Biggar is a Welsh rugby union player currently playing for French Top 14 side Toulon as a fly-half. A Wales international, Biggar has also twice been selected to tour with the British and Irish Lions.
Freddie Spencer Burns is an English professional rugby union player who plays fly-half for Super Rugby side Highlanders. Burns played over 100 times for Gloucester between 2007–2014, and over 100 times for Leicester Tigers across two spells, he also represented Bath in Premiership Rugby. He has also played for Toyota Industries Shuttles in Japan. Burns played five times for England between 2012 and 2014, including beating the All Blacks in 2012. In June 2022 he kicked the winning drop goal in the final minute of the Premiership final for Leicester against Saracens.
George Thomas Ford is an English professional rugby union player who plays at fly-half for Sale Sharks and England. Ford made his debut for Leicester in 2009 and between 2013–2017 played for Bath, before re-joining Leicester, until 2021 when he signed for Sale Sharks for the 2022–23 Premiership season. Ford made his England debut in 2014, was selected for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and started the 2019 Rugby World Cup Final. He won Premiership Rugby titles in 2013 and 2022 for Leicester, and was a finalist in 2012, 2015 and 2023 for Leicester, Bath and Sale respectively.
Willem Jacobus le Roux is a South African rugby union player. He is a versatile back-line player who generally plays as a fullback or wing, though earlier in his career he played mostly as a fly-half. He plays for the South Africa national team and for Toyota Verblitz in the Top League. He was born in Stellenbosch.
Owen Williams is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for the Ospreys. He has represented Wales and Wales U20.
Handré Pollard is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national team and Leicester Tigers in England's Premiership Rugby. His regular playing positions are fly-half, where he started for South Africa in their 2019 Rugby World Cup Final win, and inside-centre. He has previously played for the Bulls and Blue Bulls in his native South Africa, Osaka Red Hurricanes in Japan and Montpellier in France.
Baptiste Serin is a French rugby union player. His position is Scrum-half and he currently plays for Toulon and the France national team.
Romain Ntamack is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club Toulouse and the France national team.
Antoine Hastoy is a French professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Top 14 club La Rochelle and the France national team.
Nolann Le Garrec is a French rugby union player. He currently plays as a scrum-half for Racing 92 in the Top 14.
