The Australia men's national rugby union team, nicknamed the Wallabies, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of Australia. The team first played at Sydney in 1899, winning their first test match against the touring British Isles team.
The England men's national rugby union team represents the Rugby Football Union in men's international rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England have won the championship on 29 occasions, winning the Grand Slam 14 times and the Triple Crown 26 times, making them the most successful outright winners in the tournament's history. They are currently the only team from the Northern Hemisphere to win the Rugby World Cup, having won the tournament in 2003, and have been runners-up on three further occasions.
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.
Falmer Stadium, known as the American Express Stadium for sponsorship purposes and more commonly referred to as the Amex, is a football stadium in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex. With a capacity of 31,876, it is the second largest stadium in all of South East England, and the 31st largest stadium in the United Kingdom. The largest in South East England is St. Mary's Stadium (Southampton) with about 800 seats more.
Edward Jones is an Australian rugby union coach and former player. He most recently coached the Australia national team from January until October 2023. He previously coached Australia, Japan and England. He returned to the role of Japan head coach in January 2024.
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.
The Japan national team have competed in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987. They are so far the only team to reach the Rugby World Cup through Asian regional qualifying. In 2019, they progressed to the quarterfinals for the first time in their participation, making them the first Asian team to do so in the tournament.
George Thomas Ford is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks and the England national team.
Jamie Edward George is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Saracens and captains the England national team.
Mark Edward Wilson is an English rugby union coach and former player. He played as either a blindside flanker or at Number 8. On 14 February 2022, he announced his retirement with immediate effect due to a problematic knee injury. Following his retirement he was reemployed by the Falcons as a coach.
Ayumu Goromaru is a former Japanese rugby union player who played at fullback for Yamaha Júbilo as well as the Japan national rugby union team.
Michael Geoffrey Leitch is a professional rugby union player who plays as a number eight for Japan Rugby League One club Toshiba Brave Lupus. Born in New Zealand, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.
Luke Anthony Cowan-Dickie is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for Premiership Rugby club Sale Sharks and the England national team.
Pool B of the 2015 Rugby World Cup began on 19 September and was completed on 11 October 2015. The pool was composed of South Africa, Samoa and Scotland – who all qualified automatically for the tournament due to finishing in the top three positions in their pools in 2011 – joined by the top Asian qualifier, Japan, and the second American qualifier, United States. South Africa and Scotland qualified for the quarter-finals.
Charlie Ewels is an English professional rugby union player who plays at lock for Premiership club Bath.
The Sunwolves – previously known as the HITO-Communications Sunwolves for sponsorship reasons – were a professional rugby union team and Japan's representative team in SANZAAR's international Super Rugby competition. The team was based in Tokyo, Japan, but also played some home matches in Singapore. They made their debut in Super Rugby in 2016. In March 2019, it was announced that 2020 would be the final season for the Sunwolves, after failing to negotiate a contract due to financial considerations.
Samuel Gregory Underhill is a professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for Premiership Rugby club Bath. Born in the United States when his father served overseas in the Royal Air Force, he moved back to the UK aged 1 year old. He was brought up in Peterborough and then moved to Gloucestershire where he played for Sir Thomas Rich's School, Longlevens RFC and Gloucester Academy. He represents England at international level.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup final was a rugby union match played on 2 November 2019 at the International Stadium Yokohama in Yokohama, Japan. It marked the culmination of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and was played between England and South Africa, a rematch of the 2007 Rugby World Cup final.
Marcus Sebastian Smith is a professional rugby union player who plays as a fly-half for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins. Born in the Philippines, he represents England at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Alec William Hepburn is an Australian born, professional rugby union player who plays as a loosehead prop for United Rugby Championship club Scarlets and Scotland.
