Kensuke Iwabuchi Appointed Sevens Head Coach

On 21 May 2018, the Japan Rugby Football Union announced that Kensuke Iwabuchi would become the new Japan Sevens head coach from 1 June 2018.

Comments by Japan Rugby Football Union Chairman Noriyuki Sakamoto, “Since the Japan men’s Sevens side finished fourth at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, the side has been in and out of core status on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. We have the aim of finishing in the top eight at the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens this year and medalling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In order to achieve this aim, we have decided to replace Damian Karauna with Kensuke Iwabuchi as head coach. In April, Damian secured Japan’s place as a core team on the 2018-19 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and he has continued to raise the standard of the Japan Sevens side on the world stage. Nevertheless, moving forward with an eye on the Tokyo Olympics, we have made the decision that Iwabuchi is in a better position to realise our goals. We have high expectations for Iwabuchi and the national men’s Sevens side.”

Comments by Team Japan 2020 Japan Sevens manager and Japan men’s Sevens head coach, Kensuke Iwabuchi, “There are now less than 800 days until the opening of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. My aim is to build on the efforts of Damian in growing and developing the strengths of the national Sevens side ahead of the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.”