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)