Related Research Articles
The Men's Rugby World Cup is a rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams, the winners of which are recognised as the World champions of the sport.
Sports in Japan are a significant part of Japanese culture. Traditional sports, such as sumo and martial arts, as well as Western imports like baseball, association football, basketball and tennis are popular with both participants and spectators.
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.
The Ireland national rugby union team is the men's representative national team for the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Ireland competes in the annual Six Nations Championship and in the Rugby World Cup. Ireland is one of the four unions that make up the British & Irish Lions – players eligible to play for Ireland are also eligible for the Lions.
Japan Rugby League One, formerly known as the Top League, is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the Japan Company Rugby Football Championship. The chief architect of the league was Hiroaki Shukuzawa who strongly felt the urgency of improving Japanese domestic company rugby to a professional level which would allow Japan to compete more convincingly at Rugby World Cups.
NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. The team's captain is Ryota Asano. The previous captain was Takuro Miuchi, who was also the captain of the Japan national rugby union team. Before the semi-professional Top League was created, the team was just known as "NEC". The amateur club was founded in 1985 in the Kantō region.
Yuta Iyama Kisei, Honinbo, Meijin is a Japanese professional Go player. In April 2016, he became the first player in Japanese history to hold all seven major titles simultaneously. In January 2018, Iyama became the first professional Go player to be awarded Japan's People's Honour Award.
Matthew James Giteau is an Australian rugby union professional player who plays for the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby (MLR).
Nili Latu, playing name of Otenili Langilangi is a Tongan rugby union footballer. In 2018, Latu left Newcastle Falcons after helping Falcons achieve 4th in the Aviva Premiership, the highest finish in 20 years. He moved to Japan to continue playing rugby.
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.
James Whitinui Joseph is a New Zealand-born Japanese former rugby union player and current rugby union coach. A flanker, Joseph represented Otago at a provincial level, and was a member of the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, from 1992 to 1995, before representing Japan in 1999. Joseph, now head coach of the Japanese national side, has coached since his retirement, coming through the ranks in New Zealand before his first national stint.
Hiroyuki Endo is a retired Japanese badminton player. He competed at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. In 2009, he joined the Unisys badminton team.
Yuta Imamura is a Japanese rugby union player. Imamura has played 38 international matches for the Japan national rugby union team.
Yuta Watanabe is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League. He played college basketball in the United States for the George Washington Colonials, becoming the first Japanese-born student athlete to secure an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship. He was named Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. He has also represented the Japan national team, helping them win the bronze medal at the 2013 East Asia Basketball Championship.
Yuta Goke is a Japanese footballer who plays for Vegalta Sendai.
Ryota Asano is a Japanese rugby union player with 22 caps and 0 points in aggregate. He played as flanker, lock and number eight. His nickname is Popi.
Yuta Shimizu is a Japanese tennis player. He has a career high ATP singles ranking of world No. 192 achieved on 9 December 2024. He also has a career high ATP doubles ranking of No. 143 achieved on 12 June 2023.
Takanori Kumagae is a former Japanese rugby union player who played as a lock. He spent his whole career playing for NEC Green Rockets in Japan's domestic Top League, playing a single season. He was named in the Japan squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, making 1 appearance in the tournament. He made a further 25 appearances for Japan in his career, scoring one try.
Shotaro Onishi is a former Japanese rugby union player who played as a centre. He spent his whole career playing for both Kintetsu Liners and Toyota Industries Shuttles in Japan's domestic Top League, playing over 560 times. He was named in the Japan squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, making 3 appearances in the tournament. He made a further 30 appearances for Japan in his career, scoring 71 points.
Tomoki Kitagawa is a former Japanese rugby union player who played as a wing. He spent his whole career playing for Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan's domestic Top League, playing over 80 times. He was named as a replacement in the Japan squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup, making 1 appearances in the tournament. He made a further 2 appearances for Japan in his career, scoring two tries.
References
- ↑ "Yuta Inose". ESPN Rugby. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ↑ "Kirwan announces Japan's Rugby World Cup squad". Taiwan News. 11 August 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
- ↑ "PNC wins for Australia A and Fiji)". World Rugby. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
