Japan

Just hours after the news that star fullback Ayumu Goromaru would miss the June test series with a damaged shoulder, the injury bug has struck Japan once again as talisman and captain Michael Leitch will also miss the June series against Canada and Scotland in its entirety with a badly …

Japan World Cup star Ayumu Goromaru has been ruled out of the remainder of the Super Rugby season and the June test matches against Canada and Scotland. The goal-kicking fullback damaged the AC joint of his right shoulder in Queensland’s match against the Sunwolves on Saturday. He will undergo surgery …

Wednesday’s announcement from World Rugby was extremely warmly received. But did the election of Bill Beaumont and Agustín Pichot to Chairman and Vice-Chairman signal in a fresh approach or is it to be more of the same from World Rugby? In order to consider this very question I have put together the …

The Rugby World Cup 2019 draw is officially  set for 2017, World Rugby confirmed today. It signifies a change to the process from that of Rugby World Cup 2015 as the seeding will be delayed by six months. For Rugby World Cup 2015, hosted by England and Wales, the draw …

Star goal-kicker Ayumu Goromaru is one of 18 World Cup squad members named by Japan in an extended 43-man roster to prepare for their June test series. The Brave Blossoms will first travel to Vancouver to play Canada at BC Place on June 11 before returning home to host Scotland …

Andrew Durutalo is back in the Sunwolves starting lineup to face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Friday. Four changes in all have been made to the side that lost to the Stormers in Cape Town last week, with four further positional switches. Durutalo lines up at openside with Ed Quirk …

Is there to be an Argentina vs Japan test match in November? According to the French-based site japon.net, yes. Japon Rugby reports that Argentina is to open it’s November tour of Europe with a test match against Japan in the U.K. The fixture is to make Los Pumas’ three-match tour that …

Tomás Leonardi will make his second start of the season for the Sunwolves on Friday. The Pumas international lines up at no8 against the Stormers at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. Ed Quirk moves to openside flank to make room, with USA’s Andrew Durutalo dropping to the bench. The change …

World Rugby has confirmed the June fixtures for Tier 1 and 2 teams, with 25 games spread over the three-week international window. The Six Nations, SANZAAR, and Pacific Island teams are all present, along with the USA, Canada, Japan, Georgia, and Russia, the only team included in the series who did …

Seeding for the twelve automatic qualified countries for Rugby World Cup 2019 is likely to be Pushed back 12 months, the Scotsman reported this morning. Rugby’s global event will be staged outside of a founding union member for the first time in history when Japan hosts the Rugby World Cup …