Tokyo tour offers a new perspective on rugby

During the 2025 Term 1 holidays, Years 7, 8 and 9 rugby players visited Japan, gaining invaluable lessons in rugby technique, teamwork, and sporting respect.

An opportunity to develop our players

While Japan may not be the first country we think of when it comes to rugby, the sport is highly popular there, and Japan’s national team has qualified to compete in the Rugby World Cup every year since its inception in 1987, one of only nine nations to do so.

“Japan’s League One professional rugby teams are usually connected to companies rather than places,” explains Teacher in Charge of Rugby Malcolm Bradshaw. “The sponsoring company provides financial support to the team, and many players – who are often drawn from other countries – work within the company itself.

“We were fortunate to spend some time with the Ricoh Black Rams and, on a tour of Ricoh, we heard that their company philosophy of wanting everyone to work together towards a common goal is mirrored in that rugby team. It was a good lesson for our students.”

In addition to watching professional games, the students also had opportunities to play other school teams.

“The tour was a fantastic opportunity to expand the number of matches our players participate in,” says Malcolm. “At the moment, if a student starts playing in Year 8, they may have only played 25 games before starting playing senior rugby teams. That extra experience can make all the difference to their confidence and their ability.”

‘Quick rugby’ and an emphasis on respect

For Nicholas Kuroda, the tour was an opportunity to reacquaint himself with the Japanese style of play after living there for several years in the past. “We saw how Japanese teams play ‘quick rugby’—they have speed and fitness that can tire bigger players out,” Nicholas says. “Japanese teams also meet on the field before each game to wish each other good luck, which shows real respect towards fellow players.”

“Japan really lived up to my expectations,” says Year 7 player Henry Napier, who played rugby in the UK before recently moving to Australia. “It’s true that in Japan, rugby is a much quicker sport—they try to gain ground as fast as possible, rather than force a mistake from the opposition.”

For Year 9 student Felix Randall, the positivity among spectators was another aspect of Japan’s rugby culture that stood out. “There was no negativity from the crowd in any of the games we saw,” he says. “I think the game is played so much better when no team is being put down.”

The Japan tour showed students that rugby can be about far more than just the scoreboard. As Malcolm puts it: “Our players came home with not just improved skills, but a deeper understanding of what it means to play rugby well—and to play it with honour and respect.”