Nakatake, Hammett to act as interim coaches

TOKYO (March 10) – Junior Japan coach Ryuji Nakatake and Sunwolves coach Mark Hammett will take charge of the Brave Blossoms for seven tests from April to June.

Nakatake will take charge of Japan for the Asia Rugby Championship, while Hammett will lead the national team when it plays Canada and then Scotland in a two-test series.

The pair will be in charge as Jamie Joseph is unable to start his role as Japan’s new head coach until the end of the Super Rugby season.

“I am happy to be able to support Japanese Rugby as the interim head coach for the Cherry Blossoms for our June test matches against Canada and Scotland,” Hammett said.

“My aim is that we are competitive in our three June test matches and that our management group hand over a successful team to new head coach Jamie Joseph.”

Nakatake is currently in Fiji and led Junior Japan to a 26-8 win over Tonga A in Fiji on Tuesday.

His first game in charge of Japan will be against South Korea on April 30 in Yokohama.

Japan then travel to Hong Kong for a game on May 7 and South Korea on May 21, before wrapping up the tournament against Hong Kong on May 28 in Tokyo.

Hammett will then take over during June when the Sunwolves take a four-week break.

The Brave Blossoms will travel to Canada to play their oldest international rivals in Vancouver on June 11 before they take on Scotland, the only side to beat them at Rugby World Cup 2015.

The first game of the two-test series against the Scots will be played at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture on June 18 and the second at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo a week later.