International High School Rugby Tournament Celebrates 25 Years

The JRFU, in conjunction with the Sanix Sports Promotion Foundation, Global Arena, the Kyushu Rugby Football Union and Fukuoka Rugby Football Union is delighted to announce details of the 2024 addition of the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament.

Recognised as the world’s only ‘World Cup’ for high school students, this year’s tournament marks 25 years since the competition first started, back in 2000. Since its inception, the tournament has played host to 20 countries and regions. It has seen players such as Japan’s Timothy Lafaele, England’s Jack Nowell, South Africa’s JP Pietersen and New Zealand’s Owen Franks, Colin Slade and Matt Todd all having played at the event before going on to represent their respective national teams.

Another statistic highlighting the importance of the tournament in developing future internationals is the number of participants who have gone on to represent their countries at Rugby World Cups. At the 2019 World Cup in Japan, 26 Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament alumni played across the tournament, for a variety of national teams, while at France 2023, the number increased to 35 players.

Played annually at the Global Arena sports complex in Munakata City, on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, the competition sees high school teams from around the world compete against a selection of local Japanese schools. Taking place during Japan’s Golden Week holiday, this year’s event will run from April 28th to May 5th. It will see 16 teams compete across five days of competition in Men’s Fifteens and eight teams compete in a two-day Women’s Sevens tournament taking place on April 28 and 29. 

The Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament was made possible through the vision of the late Shinichi Munemasa, the former President of Sanix Corporation, a leading Japanese company specialising in environmental management. A passionate rugby fan, Mr Munemasa believed in the unique power of sport to elevate the ambitions and achievements of young people and to act as a cultural bridge among nations. Through his inspiration and drive, and along with the support of numerous sponsors, and the dedication and hard work of hundreds of members of Japan’s rugby family, the tournament has grown to become one of the world’s great youth rugby tournaments.

While there is a strong focus on rugby, equal importance is placed on the off-field exchange among teams. With the entire event taking place within the Global Arena complex and with all teams housed on-site, there is ample opportunity for interaction between the players off the pitch, during mealtimes and other social events.

2024 Sanix World Rugby Youth Exchange Tournament – Participating Teams:

Men’s Fifteens – 16 teams 

International Teams (8)

  • St. Augustine’s College (Australia)
  • Jianguo High School (Chinese Taipei)
  • Truro College (England)
  • Mahatma Gandhi Memorial School (Fiji)
  • Chunbuk High School (South Korea)
  • Windhoek Gymnasium (Namibia)
  • Southland Boys High School (New Zealand)
  • Jesuit High School (USA)

Domestic Teams (8)

  • Kokugakuin University Tochigi High School (Tochigi)
  • Toin Gakuen High School (Kanagawa)
  • Tokai University Sagami High School (Kanagawa)
  • Osaka Toin High School (Osaka)
  • Gose Industrial High School (Nara)
  • Iwamichisuikan High School (Shimane)
  • Oita Tomei High School (Oita)

Women’s Sevens – Eight teams

International Teams (4)

  • Barker College (Australia)
  • SGS College Bristol (England)
  • Manukura School (New Zealand)
  • Raja Praja Nugro 66 (Thailand)

Domestic Teams (4)

  • Reitaku High School (Chiba)
  • Kanto Gakuin Mutsuura High School (Kanagawa)
  • Kyoto Seisho High School (Kyoto)
  • Fukuoka Ladies Rugby Football Club (Fukuoka)

Fans looking to watch the action can tune into a live stream at https://sanix-worldrugbyyouth.com/* and the competition will also be shown domestically in Japan on J　SPORTS. For all match schedules and results, please check the 2024 Sanix World Rugby Youth Invitational Tournament official website at http://sanix-sports.info/rugby.

*The tournament website is available only in Japanese. To translate into the language of your choice, please open the URL and use the translation function of your web browser.

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