7. Rugby Player Population

Rugby in Japan

Week 7 

 

     Do you know how many people play rugby in the World? IRB says that there are about 5.5 million rugby players in the World. IRB is a meaning called the International Rugby Board. Now, IRB sponsors The World Cup. According to IRB's report, the competition population of Japan is about 120,000 people. In 2019, The World Cup will be held in Japan. JRFU (Japan Rugby Football Union) made an aim to gain the competition population to 200,000 people by 2019. This is too difficult to achieve. However, the host country is responsible for this big event. Japan is the host nation. Japan must make the big event a success. Japan must entertain people not only in Japan but also in the world. Japan has big responsibility. Among the 120,000 people playing rugby in Japan, a woman is about 5,000 people. I hope that rugby spreads among men and women.

     In Australia, the competition population broke through 300,000 people last year. The Australian Rugby Union says that over 320,000 people play rugby now. The competition population increase year by year. The population of Australia is 21 millions.  Incidentally, New Zealand's competition population is about 150,000 people, France's is about 360,000 people, USA's is about 460,000 people, Republic of South Africa's is about 650,000, and England's is over 2 million people.  Do you know which country is the highest of tha ratio of the number of persons playing rugby to the population of the country? The answer is maybe Fiji. Fiji has a population of about 850,000 people, and about 80,000 people play rugby. It is surprising that the one plays rugby to ten people.

     By the way,  Sevens was adopted as an Olympic event formally last year. Sevens is the sevens version of rugby, a team has 7 members to play.  At the Olympics in 2016, Sevens will become an official event. IRB says that we will greet a historic moment in Rio de Janeiro.  Because Sevens was adopted as an Olympic event formally, the rugby population increases in all the countries of the world now. IRB advocated an aim to gain competition population to 6 million people from 5,500,000 people by 2016. The keyword is "Try, Play, Stay." IRB's chairman says "The aim of the programme is to encourage players of all ages to Try, Play and Stay in Rugby, with a target of attracting one million new players and 15,000 new coaches and referees over the next four years. Get into Rugby will promote the values of the Game and ensure children are encouraged to try Rugby in a safe and progressive environment." I think that Japan should be able to take advantage of this flow.


(JRFU Offical Site, IRB Offical Site, Rugby Republic)

Nelson Mandela: Breaking News

    Do you know Nelson Mandela? Many people  say ”Yes.” He is a politician of the Republic of South Africa.　 He became the first black president of the country in 1994. He was the president for 5 years from 1994 to 1999. While he was politician, he did a lot of great things. For example, he abolished the apartheid in 1991. The apartheid is a segregation by race, in other words, racial discrimination. Between 1948 and 1994, there was this policy in the Republic of South Africa. Apatheid said that Black cannot do anything White do. Naturally, the life of black became poor. The United Nations criticized the Republic of South Africa every year from 1952. In spite of this criticism, the apartheid was not abolished until 1991. I think that this is crazy. Nelson Mandela's activities were evaluated, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993.  In 1994, he became the president. Then he pushed forward a race settlement and cooperation and carried out revival development program (RDP) as an economic policy. In 1999, he retired from the politician. 
 (Wikipedia)

     There is news of death. Nelson Mandela died on December 5, 2013. This was a sudden unexpected event. A memorial service of Nelson Mandela was held in the stadium of the Johannesburg suburbs on December 10. Many well-known people gathered from the world. Of course, the bereaved and friend of Mandela, Diet member and domestic citizen gathered too. I want to introduce some speeches in the memorial service. Secretary‐General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon said "he was 'a giant for justice and a down-to-earth human inspiration'. Many around the world were greatly influenced by his selfless struggle for human dignity, equality and freedom. He touched our lives in deeply personal ways."  Barack Obama, president of the United States of America, said "It is hard to eulogise any man... how much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation towards justice. We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. While I will always fall short of Madiba, he makes me want to be a better man."  Tens of thousands of people participated in a memorial service. British Prime Minister Cameron or American Former President Clinton attended, too. Crown Prince and Former Prime Minister Fukuda attended from Japan. In the memorial service, people were very lively. Her body was laid away in his hometown.

He died, but I think that Nelson mandela's mind is immortal forever.

(Yahoo! News, Wikipedia)














 

6, Result of National Team

Rugby in Japan
Week 6

        Many people think that Japan national team cannot beat other country's team. The Japanese rugby level is low down in the world. Now, Japanese team is the strongest in Asia. However, most people do not evaluate the result. Japanese baseball team had won World Baseball Classic twice. The soccer team advanced to the final round. In other sports, for example tennis, volleyball, judo, and so on, many athlete play an active part in world stage. Most people is not only hoping for rugby team's success but also demand. JRFU think that it have to make the strong team.  
　　
　　Japan national team participated in all the past World Cup. The World Cup was held seven times in the past. Japan had played 24 matches, but the results were not good. Their record was 1 win, 21 defeats and two draws. Japan only won once in 1991. Since then, Japan could not win for twenty years. This made people think that Japan national team is weak. JRFU want to improve this situation. In next World Cup, Japan must beat other teams in order to make people recognize that Japan national team are strong. Incidentally, Japan is the number 15 in the world rankings. Of course, New Zealand is ranked  number 1 in the world. Lower than number 2 are Australlia, France, South Africa, England and Ireland.

         There are national team according to the generation, sevens national team and women national team. Japan's youth team, mens sevens team and women team participated the Asian Games this year. Japan teams of all category won the Asian Games. This is an excellent thing, at the same time, this may be a natural thing. In order to make people say that Japan team is strong, Japan team must beat other country expect Asia. 

          
          By the way, do you know that a foreigner belongs to the Japan national team? Indeed, rugby players can belongs to the team of the country which is not a mother country. In an international rule of rugby, the participation of the foreign players as national member is accepted. In other words, players different in the nationality can wear the same uniform. Of course, there are  requirements that they should meet some. One, their birthplace is Japan. Two, birthplace of their parents or grandparents is Japan. Third, they live in Japan for more than three years. They should clear a condition of either, not all. Rugby players can become the member of a national team regardless of nationality. I think that this may be fascination of the rugby.
 (Sports navi)

(JRFU official website, Yahoo! Japan news)

5, Impact of Top League

Rugby in Japan

Week 5

     Top League was established in 2003. Now, there are more than 2000 teams in Japan. In Kantou area, there are nearly 200 college teams, about 550 high school teams, about 100 teams and over 500 club teams. These teams are registered with Japan Rugby Football association. The number of club teams is not larger than high school  teams, but the number of rugby players is the largest of all.  The ability of the club teams improved. The rugby championships of each area are substantial. A national championship for club teams was started in 1993. The representative of the club team can participate in a championship in Japan. This was started in 2003. One of the characteristics of club teams is that they settle in their hometowns. Here, I want to introduce main activities of club teams. They assume a league match a place of the charity and do donation activity. Some teams in the same league jointly hold an event and contribute to the area. They make their own team as lifelong sport. They hold courses of lectures for elementary school and junior high school students and hold clinics for high school students. If the teams have something in reserve, they establish and support their youth team and senior team. In addition, they do working on blood donation, tree planting and other volunteer activity
 (HOKKAIDO BARBARIANS)

       Now, many club teams in Japan have been making an effort. Many high school and junior high school in Japan do not have a rugby team. So students cannot play rugby near themself. Club teams can provide environment with rugby for children. Many club teams lay emphasis on instruction of children. We can say that the club teams take important role in future rugby society. 

      By the way, do you know the club team near yourself? For example, I take my case. I am an University of Tsukuba student. Indeed, there is a club team in Tsukuba city. The team practice at rugby ground of University of Tsukuba every week. The team's name is TSUKUBARIANS. Many people belong to this team. The youngest player is 2 years old. The oldest player is over 60 years. This team has kindergarten children, elementary school children, junior high school students and workers. Of course, this team is strong. In the past, this team have become an East Japan champion. Speaking confidentially, I have been belonging to TSUKUBARIANS for ten years. If you are interested in rugby and find a rugby club near yourself, you had better go there and take a look them.

(JRFU Official Site)










　　

4, Top League Was Established

Rugby In Japan

week 4

     Ten years passed after the Top League was established. Japan Rugby Football Union made it and Top League's chief architect is Hirosaki Shukuzawa. Why was the Top League established?

    One, JRFU wanted to make the team of Japan strong. Japanese team participated in all past Rugby World Cups. The first World Cup was in 1987. Seemingly Japanese team seems to be strong, but Japanese team had had not advance to the final even one time. Every time Japanese team was defeated by preliminary round.  Many people think that Japanese team is not strong. The Japanese rugby level is low down in the world. Now, Japanese team is the strongest in Asia. However, most people do not evaluate the result. Japanese baseball team had won World Baseball Classic twice. The soccer team advanced to the final round. In other sports, for example tennis, volleyball, judo, and so on, many athlete play an active part in world stage. Most people is not only hoping for rugby team's success but also demand. JRFU think that it have to make the strong team.

    Second, JRFU wanted people to get close to rugby. Maybe many people don't know much about rugby. "How many people do you need for rugby game?" Can you answer this question with confidence? Perhaps it is difficult. The answer is 15 people, not 9 and not 11. I think that Japanese rugby don't develop unless many people know rugby and enjoy playing it. Now, JRFU tried new challenge. JRFU carried out sevens rugby national high school championship for women last year. Of course, few Japanese women play rugby. But it is important that national championship is held. 
         (Sevens Rugby Official Site)

　 In order to increase competition population, not only men but also women had better play rugby. And, the number of tournament increased than ever. These made rugby players (not pro players) motivate to play.

      I think that establishing pro rugby league may makes people know rugby, but this is not enough. It is because a game of the rugby is not broadcasted on TV. A baseball game is broadcasted on TV almost everyday in a terrestrial channel or BS. Also, a soccer game is too, not everydat but everyweek. The power of TV is big. Twenty years before, rugby was more popular than soccer. The pro soccer league was established and the gemes were broadcasted on TV, many people could get close to. Now, soccer is more popular than rugby. I hope that I can watch a rugby game everyweek on TV.    

(Top League Official Site, Sevens Rugby Official Site)

3, Top League's Formation

Rugby In Japan

week 3

     Japan Rugby Football Union was featured 12 teams first. The first season is 2003-04.  The 4th season is 2006-07. This season began with 14 teams. And the 11th season is 2013-14 began with 16 teams. The number of the teams increasing gradually. The chief architect of Top League think that Top League will activate by raising a scale of the league. Of course, the chief architect try to expand not only Top League but also lower part leagueｓ. Lower part leagues are called Top Challenge League. These league are located in each area. There are three leagues, Top East, Top West and Top Kyusyu. Champion teams of these leagues may play as Top League's teams next year. Japan Rugby Football Union aim at making a storong team Japan with raising a scale of the league.
    However, I think that level of Top League may be kept by foreign player. A competition agreement says that the foreign player can participate in a game at the same time to up to three people. In other words, 20 percent players of one team do not need to be Japanese. (The rugby need 15 people for one team.) In detail, foreign players except Asia can take part in a game at the same time to up to two people. And there is the participation right of the game as Asian only. There are more three foreign players who belonging to a Japanese team. So dozens of foreign players concern pro rugby league in Japan.
     Of course, I don't think that the current condition of Top League is bad. Japanese rugby players need stimulation of playing with foreign player. The foreign player has high level skills. And pro rugby teams in Oceania and Europe have many foreign players. This is the same for soccer everybody know. However, I really want to say that Japanese teams may depend on foreign players too much. It may become the environment where Japanese players cannot improve them technique. I want team managers consider these.

     By the way, do you know Japanese rugby players who play abroad. For example, Shiro Tanaka and Syota Horie. Shiro Tanaka plays in New Zealand. His height is 166 centimeters, 75 kilograms in weight. His figure is small for first-class rugby player. But his good point is space sense as the scrum half. This sense is very important for source of supply of the ball. Syota Horie plays in Australia. His height is 180 centimeters, 104 kilograms in weight. His figure cannot be said big for first-class rugby player. But his good point is breakthrough power with running agile. I have hope for them future as rugby players.

(Wikipedia, Sportsnavi official site) 

2, Top League's History

Rugby In Japan

Week 2

    Top League's history is very short.  The first season was 2003-04.  That is to say, Top League started only ten years ago.  Do you know Super Rugby?  Super Rugby is the largest and high level professional rugby league in the south hemisphere.  This league started in 1986.  At that time, this league was called South Pacific Championship.  Premiership, high level professional rugby league too, was established in England in 1987.   You may think that Super Rugby and Premiership don't have so long history.  Yes, rugby leagues all over the world don't have enough history.  "Rugby" was born in 1840's. (The then rugby was very very different now.)  

       The rugby and the soccer were not differentiated in those days.  Then rugby and soccer were called football.  Rule of the football were various in many areas.  And people wanted to standardize the rule.  In 1863, Football Association and 12 clubs in London held a meeting.  In the meeting, running with holding a ball and tackling a player of the other team and so on  were prohibited.  However, some clubs objected to the decision.  These clubs made other football.  This was the reason that the rugby and the soccer were differentiated.  In 1871, they made Rugby Football Union in London.  In this way, rugby was established. 

       You may have a question.  Why the rugby professional leagues had not been started for one hundred years?  The soccer professional leagues were made in 1910's.  But rugby hadn't have professional leagues yet.  Indeed, Rugby Football Union had been insisting amateurism.  Japanese rugby is based amateurism.  That's why Rugby Football Union objected to make the rugby league professional.  However, Rugby World Cup made it accept professionalization.  Finally, the rugby professinal league was established in England in 1987. 

      Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) had been insisting amateurism, too.  So JRFU hadn't want to make professional league.  JRFU was established in 1926.  There were only amateur leagues in japan long time.  

     When Top League was started, there were 12 teams.  Now, 16 teams belonging to Top League. There are many match venues all over Japan.  Representative match venues are Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium and Kintetsu Hanazono Rugby Stadium.  These stadiums are rare in Japan as the stadium for rugby game only.  JRFU is aiming at making rugby more major sport than ever.  And it is making efforts to expand Top League and make people watch rugby games more.  I hope that JRFU's efforts paid off and rugby become more popular than ever.

(JRFU official site, Wikipedia)

    

               

  

All about Ryota

   Hello everyone.  My name is Ryota Mori and I am from Japan.  My hometown is Tsukuba and I was born in 1994.  I have two older sisters. One sister is seventeen years older than me.  She married five years ago, but she doesn't have a child.  She is a baseball fun.  She likes Saitama Seibu Lions because she lives in Saitama.  The other sister is fifteen years older than me.  She married five years ago too.  She has two children ages 5 and 2. She is busy in caring her children now.  Of course, I don't have any children.  I am a student of University of Tsukuba.  I lived in Tsukuba from I was born to I was 12 years old.  Then I moved into Nara and lived there six years.  There is dialect in Nara.  So I learned and spoken it.  Three months ago, I returned to Tsukuba.  Now I live in Tsukuba, but I can not speak the standard Japanese language, I only speak dialect.

   By the way, I belong to triathlon club of University of Tsukuba.  Do you know triathlon?  If you play triathlon, you must swim, bike and run for long.  It is hard to finish the goal line, but it is interesting.  If you goal, you will get a sense of achievement.  I like triathlon very much.
  However, I don't only like triathlon.  I like rugby, soccer, baseball, swimming, track & field, etc.  Indeed, I had been playing rugby ten years from 2 to 12 years old.  I think that rugby is violence and gentle.  I had been playing swimming for 6 years, tennis for 5 years.  In junior high school and high school, I belonged to track & field club. I like these sports.
  Not only I but also my cousins play sports.  I have 9 cousins on my father's side and 11 on my mother's side.  Three could get a chance to play in an inter-high-school athletic competition or intercollegiate athletic competition.  Their sports are softball, track & field and synchronized swimming.  Of course, others play sports hard too.  Perhaps my lineage  is good at playing sports.
 
   Incidentally, I like ramen. I often eat it various shops on weekends. Do you know its history?  Ramen is of Chinese origin, however, it is unclear when ramen was introduced to Japan. Until the 1950s, ramen was called shina soba but today chuka soba or just ramen are more common. By 1900, restaurants serving Chinese dish from China offered a simple ramen dish of noodles. There was a few toppings and a broth flavored with salt and pork bones. Many Chinese living in Japan also pulled portable food stands, selling ramen to workers. By the mid 1900s. By the early Showa period, ramen had become a popular dish when people eat out. After World War II, cheap wheat imported from the U.S.  At the same time, millions of Japanese people had returned from China. Many of these people had become familiar with Chinese dish. Eating ramen was still a special occasion when going out and eating. Beginning in the 1980s, ramen became a Japanese cultural dish. Now we can eat ramen every day. And I can eat and like it. 

 

1, Explanation of Top League

Rugby In Japan

Week 1

      Top League is a professional rugby union league which was created by the Japan Rugby Football Union.  It want to develop the overall standard and popularity of the sport in Japan and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team.  The first season was 2003–04.  12 teams participated in Top League.　From the 2006–07 season, the league was expanded to include 14 teams.  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 stately at Rugby World Cups.  

There is Top League Challenge which is lower branch of Top League.  The teams belonging to Top League Challenge to fight with Top League's teams next year. The two highest ranks of teams can be promoted to Top League.  The third and fouth rank teams can fight the play-off.  If they win the game, they can be promoted to Top League too.    

By the way, Top League have basic concept which is new challenging to level up.  Top League's logo mark show the basic concept. 
(Top League's official site)

This is the logo mark.  This includes various meanings.  One is to cooperate.  The secand is powerful.  The third is to advance.  Japan Rugby Football Union treats these dearly.  The basic colors are orange, green and black.  These colors represent the earth, turf and strength. Scram, one of the characteristics of the rugby, is used as a mochif.  JRFU want to tell what it aim at clearly.
 


A lot of foreign professional players have played in the Top League.  Mainly, they are from Australia and New Zealand.  People say,"Salaries in the Top League have risen to become some of the highest in the rugby world in recent years."  However, Japanese players can get only at most 5 million for one year still.  Many rugby players in Europe and Oceania get more salaries than in Japan.  For example,  Jonah Lomu who was a member of Allblacks in New Zealand got about 640 million.  Sinji Kagawa who belongings to Manchester United will get about 600 million in a year. And Darvish Yu who plays in Major League will get about 800 million.  From these reason, some rugby players can get as same as other major sports players. 

(Wikipedia: Jonah Lomu)

  In future, I hope that 100 million players appear from Japane.  It is not impossible at all.  Now, Japan Rugby Football Union and players have been done their best. I want to support them.