Two Siblings, Two National Teams, One Historic Day

As the JRFU celebrated its 100th anniversary with an historic test match double header in Tokyo, siblings Ryunosuke and Chihiro Ito shared a remarkable family milestone.

Flyhalf Ryunosuke represented the Brave Blossoms against Fiji, while younger sister Chihiro made her international debut for the Sakura Fifteen against Wales. Both wore the same special commemorative jersey, on the same pitch, on the same day.

Ryunosuke Ito:
“I never imagined that my sister and I would one day represent Japan together. We’ve followed different paths in rugby, but I think our efforts have brought us to this moment. Watching the video of her match afterwards, I was genuinely moved to see her playing with such confidence and skill in her first outing on the international stage.”

Chihiro Ito:
“Representing Japan during the 100th anniversary celebrations and wearing the same jersey as my brother made it one of the most meaningful days of my life. My two older brothers have always inspired me to work harder at my rugby, and Ryunosuke has always shared his experience and advice, which has helped me reach this point.”