Enjoy the read.
Ian McDonnell lives and works in Japan. He can be contacted at ianmcdo@apost.plala.or.jp
CONTENTS
- Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2013
- IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013
- Wales Tour to Japan 2013
Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2013
On 16 January 2013, the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union (HKRFU) announced that 28 teams would participate in the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2013 to be held in Hong Kong from 22-24 March 2013. This year with be the thirty-eighth running of the Hong Kong Sevens and the event will host 28 teams for the first time, up from the 24-team format that has been in place since 1984.
The official tournament draw was held in Hong Kong on Thursday 21 February 2013.
2013 will again see two side-by-side tournaments with the 16-team HSBC Sevens World Series competition for the 15 core teams plus Hong Kong as winners of the HSBC Asian Sevens Series 2012 , and a 12-team pre-qualification tournament for promotion to HSBC SWS core team status in 2014. Japan will participate in the pre-qualification tournament as the second ranked side in Asia.
The 12-team HSBC SWS Pre-Qualifier, all teams were drawn in Pools E, F and G.
| Pool E | Pool F | Pool G |
| Tonga | Japan | Russia |
| South America 1 | Georgia | Zimbabwe |
| Tunisia | South America 2 | Cook Islands |
| Chinese Taipei | Jamaica | Mexico |
Friday 22 March 2013
Match No.9, 18:56, Japan v South America 2
Saturday 23 March 2013
Match No.23, 11:56, Japan v Jamaica
Match No.37, 18:10, Japan v Georgia
Japan Sevens Training Squad
| Name | Club | Age | Hgt/Wgt |
| Yusaku KUWAZURU | Coca-Cola West Red Sparks | 27 | 188/97 |
| Sione TEAUPA | Toyota Industries Shuttles | 25 | 186/100 |
| Ryota HASEGAWA | Daito Bunka University | 19 | 188/98 |
| Shunya GOTO | Honda Heat | 23 | 189/95 |
| Satoshi OSHIMA | Suntory Sungoliath | 25 | 181/90 |
| Yuta KATO | Secom Rugguts | 27 | 179/86 |
| Harunori TSURUYA | Rissho University | 22 | 185/87 |
| Yuki SHISHIMOTO | Kubota Spears | 24 | 184/100 |
| Koji WADA | Toyota Verblitz | 27 | 173/78 |
| Shuetsu NARITA | Suntory Sungoliath | 28 | 169/68 |
| Yuki SHICHINOHE | Kokushikan University | 21 | 169/70 |
| Tokiro HARADA | Waseda University | 22 | 163/67 |
| Kosuke HASHINO | Canon Eagles | 25 | 176/83 |
| Katsuyuki SAKAI | Toyota Industries Shuttles | 24 | 172/88 |
| Yusuke ARAMAKI | Kyuden Voltex | 24 | 177/84 |
| Lote TUQIRI | Hokkaido Barbarians | 25 | 188/98 |
| Jamie HENRY | Rissho University | 22 | 184/84 |
| Kazushi HANO | Chuo University | 21 | 183/80 |
| Kenichi YOKOYAMA | Ricoh Black Rams | 27 | 180/80 |
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Team Director: Osamu Ota.
Head Coach: Tomohiro Segawa.
IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013
Now in its eighth year in 2013, the International Rugby Board (IRB) funded IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 will involve the two island nations Fiji and Tonga along with Canada, the USA and Japan.
In 2006 this tournament kicked off as the IRB Pacific Five Nations and involved Fiji, Japan, the Junior All Blacks, Samoa and Tonga. Australia A joined the competition in 2007 and the tournament name changed to its present moniker of Pacific Nations Cup. The same format was maintained for 2008 with the exception being the New Zealand Maori were the New Zealand representative side rather than the Junior All Blacks.
In 2009, the Junior All Blacks replaced the New Zealand Maori as the New Zealand representative team, while Australia A did not participate. The 2009 tournament was condensed with the majority of the games played in Fiji rather than the home and away format of the three previous years. Also in 2009, ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group) came on board as the presenting sponsor for the tournament.
In 2010, Fiji, Japan, Samoa and Tonga took part in the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup 2010. Except for the opening game between Fiji and Japan at Churchill Park in Lautoka, Fiji, Samoa and the Samoan Rugby Union hosted the 2010 competition with the remaining five games played at Apia Park in the capital city of Apia. With the tournament again largely hosted in one country, refereeing and coaching workshops along with junior rugby clinics took place across the two week duration of the event. This was the first time for Samoa to host a major international 15-a-side rugby tournament and the occasion was a fillip for Samoa after the 2009 Samoa Earthquake, an 8.1M submarine earthquake and resulting tsunami struck the area on 29 September causing significant damage and loss of life across the region.
In 2011, the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011 was originally slated to be hosted in Japan. However, the magnitude 9.0 Great East Japan Earthquake that struck off the coast of north-eastern Japan on the afternoon of 11 March along with the resultant tsunami and nuclear accident at the Fukushima Number One Nuclear Power Plant changed everything. On 26 April 2011, the Japan Rugby Football Union announced that except for the opening game between Japan and Samoa on 2 July, the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011 would be moved from Japan to Fiji. As a result of the ongoing situation in Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake it was decided that the remaining five games would be played in Fiji. The JRFU made the decision in consultation with the International Rugby Board with Tatsuzo Yabe, chairman of the JRFU making the comment, “It is extremely unfortunate, but it cannot be helped.” On 9 May 2011, the IRB announced the revised schedule for the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2011.
In 2012, the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2012 was hosted in Japan except for the final game between Tonga and Fiji that was played in Fiji. Samoa took the title for the second time winning all three games.
This year, the IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 has been revamped with Samoa as the highest ranked Tier Two country in the IRB Rankings joining South Africa, Scotland and Italy in a quadrangular competiton in South Africa in June while Canada and the USA will join the PNC for the first time to form a five-team tournament along with Japan, Tonga and Fiji
Previous Winners
2012: Samoa. Samoa took out the title for the second time in 2012 with three straight wins in the tournament held in Japan. Although Samoa could not manage any bonus points, 12 points from their three wins gave them the title ahead of Fiji on 10 points in second place with just the one loss to Samoa. Tonga finished third on 5 points from one win over Japan while Japan as the hosts finished last on four points with three losses on the trot in front of their home fans. It was not all doom and gloom for Japan as they gained a losing bonus point in all three games and had a few things gone differently for the new look side under new head coach Eddie Jones they could have won all three tests.
2011: Japan. After the New Zealand representative sides had won all four previous titles, Samoa etched their name on the trophy for the first time last year, but in 2011 a new name was engraved on the Cup with Japan taking the title for the first time. Japan left it till deep in injury time in the last game against Fiji to win the crown when they won 24-13 with a bonus point to deny Tonga in the process. Both Japan and Tonga finished on ten points but Japan took the title as they beat Tonga in their round match. Fiji finished third on 5 points while Samoa finished last on the same five points.
2010: Samoa. After the New Zealand representative sides had won all four previous titles, Samoa etched their name on the trophy for the first time. Samoa left it till the last game against Fiji to win the crown when they won 31-9 with a bonus point while denying Fiji any form of bonus point in the process. Both sides finished on nine points but Samoa took the title on a better points differential. Japan finished third on 8 points after picking up two wins for the first time while Tonga finished last on four points with three losses.
2009: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB again took the PNC title undefeated on 19 points. Fiji were runner-up on 14 points followed by Samoa on 12 points, while Japan finished fourth on 6 points with one win and three losses. Tonga took the wooden spoon on one point.
2008: The New Zealand Maori. The Maori took the PNC title undefeated with 21 points when they beat Australia A 21-18 in the final game in Sydney. Australia A finished runner-up on 20 points. Japan finished fifth on 7 points with one win and four losses.
2007: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB took the PNC title undefeated with 25 points garnering maximum points in each game. Australia A finished a distant runner-up on 16 points after they lost to the JAB and drew with Fiji. Japan finished last on 4 points with one win and four losses.
2006: The Junior All Blacks. The JAB took the P5N title undefeated with 20 points with maximum points in each game. Japan finished last on 0 points with four losses.
IRB Pacific Nations Cup 2013 Schedule
| Date | Team | Score | Team | Kick-off | Venue | Referee |
| Saturday 25 May 2013 | Japan | - | Tonga | 14:10 | Nippa Mitsuzawa Stadium, Yokohama | TBC |
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| Canada | - | USA | 14:10 | Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton | TBC |
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| Saturday 01 June 2013 | Fiji | - | Japan | 15:40 | Churchill Park, Lautoka | TBC |
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| Wednesday 05 June 2013 | Canada | - | Fiji | 18:40 | Twin Elms Rugby Park, Nepean | TBC |
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| Saturday 08 June 2013 | Canada | - | Tonga | 14:10 | Richardson Stadium, Kingston | TBC |
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| Saturday 15 June 2013 | USA | - | Tonga | TBC | Rio Tinto Stadium, Salt Lake City | TBC |
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| Wednesday 19 June 2013 | Fiji | - | USA | 17:10 | Mizuho Park Rugby Ground, Nagoya | TBC |
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| Japan | - | Canada | 19:10 | Mizuho Park Rugby Ground, Nagoya | TBC |
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| Sunday 23 June 2013 | Tonga | - | Fiji | 12:10 | Chichibu, Tokyo | TBC |
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| Japan | - | USA | 14:10 | Chichibu, Tokyo | TBC |
Wales Tour to Japan 2013
Wales will tour Japan for the third time in June 2013 with tests at the Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground in Osaka on Saturday 8 June and the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground in Tokyo on Saturday 15 June.
This tour is reminiscent of the 2001 visit when the British and Irish Lions were also touring Australia and Wales enjoyed good wins over Japan at the same venues in Osaka and Tokyo. The first visit to Japan by Wales was back in 1975 with a squad that included the likes of Welsh rugby legends JPR Williams , Phil Bennett and Gerald Davies.
Japan played a Welsh side for the first time on their tour of Europe in 1973 playing a Wales XV side at the Cardiff Arms Park. Japan were coached by Hisashi Yokoi while his younger brother Akira was the captain.
Japan v Wales
Date: Saturday 08 June 2013
Venue: Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Ground, Osaka
Kick-off: TBC
Japan v Wales
Date: Saturday 15 June 2013
Venue: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, Tokyo
Kick-off: TBC
Head-to-head Encounters:
Japan and sides from Wales have met twelve times with the Welsh victorious on all occasions.
| No. | Date | Result (Home – Away) | Venue | Tournament | Japan Test No. | W/D/L (For Japan) |
| 12 | 20 Sep 2007 | Wales 72 – Japan 18 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | 6th RWC | 229 | Lost |
| 11 | 26 Nov 2004 | Wales 98 – Japan 0 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff |
| 199 | Lost |
| 10 | 17 Jun 2001 | Japan 30 – Wales 53 | Chichibu, Tokyo |
| 172 | Lost |
| 9 | 10 Jun 2001 | Japan 10 – Wales 64 | Hanazono, Osaka |
| 171 | Lost |
| 8 | 09 Oct 1999 | Wales 64 – Japan 15 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | 4th RWC | 160 | Lost |
| 7 | 27 May 1995 | Wales 57 – Japan 10 | Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein | 3rd RWC | 126 | Lost |
| 6 | 16 Oct 1993 | Wales 55 – Japan 5 | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff |
| 118 | Lost |
| 5 | 22 Oct 1983 | Wales XV 29 – Japan 24 | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff |
| 79 | Lost |
| 4 | 09 Oct 1976 | Combined Clubs of Wales 63 – Japan 9 | St Helen’s, Swansea |
| 53 | Lost |
| 3 | 24 Sep 1975 | Japan 6 – Wales XV 82 | National Stadium, Tokyo |
| 49 | Lost |
| 2 | 21 Sep 1975 | Japan 12 – Wales XV 56 | Hanazono, Osaka |
| 48 | Lost |
| 1 | 06 Oct 1973 | Wales XV 62 – Japan 14 | Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff |
| 38 | Lost |
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