Japan Talent Squad Set to Unearth Next Generation of Brave Blossoms
The Japan Rugby Football Union recently held the first training day of a new programme aimed at identifying and developing potential future national team players from within the ranks of Japan’s university rugby competition. The Japan Talent Squad programme brings together players who demonstrate the physical, mental, and attitudinal characteristics suited to Brave Blossoms Head Coach, Eddie Jones’ vision of super-fast rugby.
The first meeting of the Japan Talent Squad took place on Thursday, 25 April at Meiji University in Tokyo with 14 players selected as the programme’s core player group. The players came from four of Japan’s top university teams, with four members drawn from Teikyo, Meiji and Kyoto Sangyo universities, and two from Waseda University.
Commenting after the first day of training, Brave Blossoms Head Coach, Eddie Jones said: “We’re looking to develop young talent with an eye towards the 2027 and 2031 World Cups. We need an elite group of players to evolve to become the best players in the world, not the best players in Japan. We need to practice for that specific goal in mind and it starts with identifying players at university level and those coming into university rugby. Today was an important day for the future of Japanese rugby as well as being our first day of preparation for the 2027 World Cup.”
The programme will operate primarily outside of the university rugby season. It will focus on providing regular skills sessions with Japan National Team coaches, including Head Coach Eddie Jones. Strength and conditioning will also play a key role, along with nutritional guidance and advice from coaching staff within the Japan national team setup.
Japan Talent Squad Player List:
| Name | Club Team | High School | Height cm | Weight kg | DOB |
| 青木 恵斗 Keito AOKI | 帝京大学 Teikyo Univ. | 桐蔭学園高校 Toin Gakuen HS. | 187 | 100 | 2002/6/14 |
| 秋濱 悠太 Yuta AKIHAMA | 明治大学 Meiji Univ. | 桐蔭学園高校 Toin Gakuen HS. | 174 | 85 | 2002/5/16 |
| 石橋 チューカ Chuka ISHIBASHI | 京都産業大学 Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 報徳学園高校 Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 190 | 95 | 2004/4/10 |
| 伊藤 龍之介 Ryunosuke ITO | 明治大学 Meiji Univ. | 國學院大學栃木高校 Kokugakuin Univ. Tochigi HS. | 170 | 76 | 2004/11/20 |
| 海老澤 琥珀 Kohaku EBISAWA | 明治大学 Meiji Univ. | 報徳学園高等学校 Hotoku Univ. | 173 | 79 | 2004/10/27 |
| 小村 真也 Shinya KOMURA | 帝京大学 Teikyo Univ. | ハミルトンボーイズ高校 Hamilton Boys High School[NZ] | 179 | 80 | 2002/5/28 |
| 佐藤 健次 Kenji SATO | 早稲田大学 Waseda Univ. | 桐蔭学園高校 Toin Gakuen HS. | 177 | 108 | 2003/1/4 |
| 髙木 城治 Joji TAKAKI | 京都産業大学 Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 東福岡高校 Higashi Fukuoka HS. | 168 | 70 | 2004/9/11 |
| 田島 貫太郎 Kantaro TAJIMA | 明治大学 Meiji Univ. | 東福岡高校 Higashifukuoka HS. | 195 | 98 | 2003/2/26 |
| 土永 旭 Asahi DOEI | 京都産業大学 Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 光泉カトリック高校 Kousen HS. | 170 | 73 | 2003/1/9 |
| 八田 優太 Yuta HATTA | 京都産業大学 Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 城東高校 Joto HS. | 185 | 112 | 2004/4/5 |
| 福田 大和 Yamato FUKUTA | 帝京大学 Teikyo Univ. | 中部大学春日丘高校. Chubu Univ. Haruhigaoka HS. | 188 | 99 | 2005/6/16 |
| 本橋 尭也 Takaya MOTOHASHI | 帝京大学 Teikyo Univ. | 京都成章高等学校 Kyoto Seisho HS. | 182 | 86 | 2004/5/19 |
| 矢崎 由高 Yoshitaka YAZAKI | 早稲田大学 Waseda Univ. | 桐蔭学園高校 Toin Gakuen HS. | 180 | 85 | 2004/5/12 |
