RWC qualifiers, spring tests announced

TOKYO (Feb 06) – Japan will play seven test matches in the spring, general manager Kensuke Iwabuchi announced Thursday.

Eddie Jones’ team start their campaign with the Asian 5 Nations, which doubles up as the Asian qualifying tournament for Rugby World Cup 2015. They then travel to North America to play two games in the newly formatted IRB Pacific Nations Cup, before finishing things off with a test match against Italy in Tokyo.
 
Japan’s Asian campaign will get underway May 3 in Manila against the Philippines, before they take on newly promoted Sri Lanka in Nagoya on May 10.
 
Japan’s third game will be in South Korea on May 17 at a venue to be decided, before they close out the tournament with a game against Hong Kong at the National Stadium in Tokyo on May 25.
 
That game is set to be the last major sporting event before the stadium is demolished to make way for a new arena that will host Rugby World Cup 2019 and the Tokyo Summer Olympics a year later. And Iwabuchi said he hoped the occasion would result in a big crowd.
 
The new PNC format sees Japan grouped with Canada and the United States, while the three Pacific nations of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa play in another group. The winners of the two groups will play off for the title in Europe in November.
 
Japan will play Canada in Burnaby, British Columbia on June 7 and the U.S. at a venue to be decided a week later.
 
The spring season of tests closes with a game against Italy on June 21 at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.
 
“We are delighted to welcome the Italy rugby team back to Tokyo this June for the first time in 8 years,” said Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Tatsuzo Yabe. “It will be a great opportunity for the Japanese rugby team to play against such a quality team as Italy who play in the Six Nations, which is one of the highest competitions in world rugby, in terms of building up our national team led by Eddie Jones toward the Rugby World Cup 2015 as well as gaining momentum toward the Rugby World Cup 2019 that will be held in Japan.”