Japan National High School Team Defeats England U19
The Japan National High School Team made history on Saturday defeating England U19, 31-45 in Oxford. The result came four days after their close loss to Harlequins U19 when they went down 38-36 following an after-the-siren penalty kick. Having started strongly against Quins, the effect of their long journey from Tokyo took its toll in the second half, with the young men from Japan struggling to match the intensity of their first half performance.
It was a different story against England on Saturday at Iffley Road in Oxford, where Japan was able to play their high-intensity game for the full 80 minutes. The first half was a close-run affair with both teams showing flair in attack and grit in defence. While Japan opened the scoring and exerted control early, England kept their composure and began to add scoreboard pressure of their own. After a thoroughly entertaining half, Japan went into the sheds holding a 19-26 advantage.
After the break, England came out firing, levelling the scores in the first ten minutes. Sensing a shift in momentum from their hosts, Japan, led by their Captain and number eight, Loketi Bruceneol, took things up a gear. The hulking backrower urged his forwards onwards through both his words and his actions, scoring his first try on the 52nd minute before adding two more in the half to pull Japan clear of their hosts.
While Bruceneol’s hattrick was truly inspirational, recognition must also go to hooker, Koshi Tsumura who scored a brace of tries in the first half. He was joined on the score sheet by Vice-Captain and inside centre, Tsunehidemichi Fukuda and winger, Gentaro Sakata, both of whom scored first half tries.
The result was Japan High School’s first ever victory over England. With the Japan Rugby Union celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, these young men could not have delivered a more inspirational and historic performance to mark the Centenary of Japanese rugby.
Commenting after the match, Japan Captain Loketi Bruceneol said:
“It was a tough match today, but we gave it our all as one team right up until the very last play of the match. I’d like to thank the players for giving their all today so that we could achieve this historic result.”
Vice- Captain Tsunehidemichi Fukuda, added:
“Thanks for all the support for today’s match. It helped us demonstrate everything we’ve prepared for and play in a truly Japanese style. There were some difficult moments, but everyone stayed connected right to the end, to secure the victory. We intend to build on this experience, facing our challenges head-on, and striving for further growth.”
2026 Japan National High School Team England Tour Matches
| Opponent | Schedule | Location | Result |
| Harlequins U19 | Tuesday, 17 March | Twickenham Stoop, London | 38 – 36 (L) |
| England U19 | Saturday, 21 March | Iffley Road, Oxford | 31 – 45 (W) |