On the face of it, Japan is hardly what you’d call a rugby-in-the-blood sort of nation. Ranked sixteenth in the world, the Japanese team has notched up just one victory and two draws in seven world cups. The sport’s popularity is still wildly outstripped by baseball and football, something that is unlikely to change until the national team begin to climb the world rankings. And yet, the international rugby scene is slowly beginning to wake up to the potential of Japanese rugby. For starters, Japan will be hosting the 2019 Rugby World Cup, a nod from the rugby world in recognition of its efforts to boost the sport’s profile across the country. Perhaps most unexpected of all, however, is the steady trickle of international stars choosing to take their skills… Read More