1978: 80th Season

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[JRFU] The JRFU launched a system to authorize rugby coaches in cooperation with the Japan Sports Association. The objective was to train many high-quality coaches, including improving safety precautions. The policy was set that in the future only coaches, who attended coach training workshops by the JRFU and the Japan Sports Association, passed the class and practical exams, and got authorized, would be admitted as the head coach for the National Athletics Festival.
[Japan] The France national team led by the caption No. 8 Bastia came to Japan and showed excellent Champagne Rugby. Japan lost the test match 55-16, followed by the Japan selection team that lost 61-10 and 90-18, and All-Kyushu that lost 37-3.
* In the 6th Asia Rugby Championship held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 16-27, the Japan national team claimed their sixth consecutive title.
[Championship] In the 16th Japan Rugby Championship, Nippon Steel Kamaishi overwhelmed Nippon Sport Science University 24-0 claiming their second championship title and for the first time in two years. From this year, Kamaishi's unprecedented seven consecutive titles started.
[University] In the 15th All-Japan University Rugby Championship, Nippon Sport Science University beat Meiji in the final claiming their second championship title and for the first time in nine years. In the 49th Kanto Inter-University Rugby Tournament, Nippon Sport Science University claimed their second tournament title and for the first time in nine years, with eight wins and one loss. In the 12th Kanto University Rugby League, Kokushikan claimed their first league title with five wins, one draw and one loss. In the 50th Kansai University Rugby League, Doshisha won all their seven matches claiming their 28th league title for three consecutive years. In Kyushu, Fukuoka Institute of Technology won all their five matches in the second league matches claiming their ninth league title, and also beat Kagoshima University 70−3 at the 28th Kyushu University Rugby Football Tournament claiming their fifth consecutive title.
[Company] In the 31st Japan Company Rugby Football Championship, Nippon Steel Kamaishi beat Mitsubishi Motors Kyoto 15-3 claiming their third championship title and for the first time in two years.
[International] The strong All-Taranaki team from New Zealand came to Japan on 25 March 1979 and had only one non-test match against the Japan national team. They overwhelmed the Japan team by a score of 66-20. Japan also scored five tries; however, they were unable to make even one goal kick. The Japan A team toured New Zealand in March 1979 coming home with one win, two draws, and five losses. In April, the Nihon University team toured Canada. In May, the Waseda University team toured Korea with one win and two losses. In March 1979, the Keio University team toured New Zealand with four wins and two losses. In March 1979, the Japan U18 national team toured abroad for the fourth time to England coming back with three wins and one loss.