日本語 Español
[JRFU] As a result of active international exchanges beginning in the 1970's, Japan, Canada, Italy, and Argentina were approved as permanent council members of the IRB at the general meeting of the IRB held in Rome in October 1996. The senior director Shigeru Konno assumed the post of an IRB executive director.
* "Tag Rugby", a game where all can enjoy anytime and anywhere using a rugby ball, was introduced by the Committee for Introduction, Popularization and Cultivation of Tag Rugby.
* Head coach Chuji Kitajima, who assumed the rugby team's head coach at the time that he graduated from Meiji University, passed away on 28 May at the age of 95.
[Rules] The amateur rules were removed from the competition rules, and a new rule was defined that “a scrum shall be formed with eight players and nobody must not leave until the end”.
[Japan]
* To reduce the distance between the world's top-eight teams, the Pacific Rim Championship was established where the Japan team had two matches at home and away against each of the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong all having equivalent ability. In the 1st championship, the Japan national team got one win against Hong Kong and the United States each. However, they suffered four losses and finished at the bottom.
* In the final of the 15th Asia Rugby Championship held in Chinese Taipei, the Japan national team beat South Korea 41−25 claiming their third consecutive championship title.
[Japan Rugby Championship] In the 34th Japan Rugby Championship, Toshiba Fuchu beat Meiji University completely 69−8 claiming their first championship title.
[University] In the 33rd All-Japan University Rugby Championship, Waseda and Meiji met in the final for two years in a row getting the fans excited. Meiji beat tenacious Waseda 32−22 claiming their 12th championship title for two years in a row. In the 67th Kanto Inter-University Rugby Tournament, Meiji won all their matches claiming their 24th tournament title and for the first time in two years. In the 30th Kanto University Rugby League, Kanto Gakuin won all their seven matches claiming their second league title and for the first time in six years. In the 68th Kansai University Rugby League, Doshisha won all their seven matches claiming their 40th title for two years in a row. In the 4th Kyushu University Rugby League, Fukuoka won all their seven matches and claimed their league title.
[Company] In the 49th Japan Company Rugby Football Championship, Toshiba Fuchu beat Sanyo Electric 36−21 claiming their second championship title and for the first time in nine years.
[Sevens Rugby] In the 2nd WC Sevens (Hong Kong), the Japan national team proceeded to the bowl tournament final but lost to the United States 40-28.
[International] In June, the United Kingdom Barbarian FC came to Japan and had two charity matches for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster. The Kansai team won 76−66, and Kobe Steel won 63−43. In June, the Kyushu team toured New Zealand with one win and one loss.
In June, the Japan national student team played in the 3rd University Rugby World Cup and won against England, resulting in having one win and two losses. On August 17, Yukio Motoki from Kobe Steel played against Scotland as a member of the United Kingdom Barbarian FC (48-45). In December, the Japan team beat Korea in the final of the U19 Asia Rugby Championship 28−17 claiming the championship title with four wins. In March, All-Waseda toured England and Ireland with two wins and three losses.
In June, the Hong Kong national women's team came to Japan with two wins. In November, the United States northwestern Pacific Ocean women's team (Rogers) came to Japan with three wins. In March 1997, the Japan U18 national team toured abroad for the 22nd time to Scotland with five wins without any losses.
[JRFU] As a result of active international exchanges beginning in the 1970's, Japan, Canada, Italy, and Argentina were approved as permanent council members of the IRB at the general meeting of the IRB held in Rome in October 1996. The senior director Shigeru Konno assumed the post of an IRB executive director.
* "Tag Rugby", a game where all can enjoy anytime and anywhere using a rugby ball, was introduced by the Committee for Introduction, Popularization and Cultivation of Tag Rugby.
* Head coach Chuji Kitajima, who assumed the rugby team's head coach at the time that he graduated from Meiji University, passed away on 28 May at the age of 95.
[Rules] The amateur rules were removed from the competition rules, and a new rule was defined that “a scrum shall be formed with eight players and nobody must not leave until the end”.
[Japan]
* To reduce the distance between the world's top-eight teams, the Pacific Rim Championship was established where the Japan team had two matches at home and away against each of the United States, Canada, and Hong Kong all having equivalent ability. In the 1st championship, the Japan national team got one win against Hong Kong and the United States each. However, they suffered four losses and finished at the bottom.
* In the final of the 15th Asia Rugby Championship held in Chinese Taipei, the Japan national team beat South Korea 41−25 claiming their third consecutive championship title.
[Japan Rugby Championship] In the 34th Japan Rugby Championship, Toshiba Fuchu beat Meiji University completely 69−8 claiming their first championship title.
[University] In the 33rd All-Japan University Rugby Championship, Waseda and Meiji met in the final for two years in a row getting the fans excited. Meiji beat tenacious Waseda 32−22 claiming their 12th championship title for two years in a row. In the 67th Kanto Inter-University Rugby Tournament, Meiji won all their matches claiming their 24th tournament title and for the first time in two years. In the 30th Kanto University Rugby League, Kanto Gakuin won all their seven matches claiming their second league title and for the first time in six years. In the 68th Kansai University Rugby League, Doshisha won all their seven matches claiming their 40th title for two years in a row. In the 4th Kyushu University Rugby League, Fukuoka won all their seven matches and claimed their league title.
[Company] In the 49th Japan Company Rugby Football Championship, Toshiba Fuchu beat Sanyo Electric 36−21 claiming their second championship title and for the first time in nine years.
[Sevens Rugby] In the 2nd WC Sevens (Hong Kong), the Japan national team proceeded to the bowl tournament final but lost to the United States 40-28.
[International] In June, the United Kingdom Barbarian FC came to Japan and had two charity matches for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster. The Kansai team won 76−66, and Kobe Steel won 63−43. In June, the Kyushu team toured New Zealand with one win and one loss.
In June, the Japan national student team played in the 3rd University Rugby World Cup and won against England, resulting in having one win and two losses. On August 17, Yukio Motoki from Kobe Steel played against Scotland as a member of the United Kingdom Barbarian FC (48-45). In December, the Japan team beat Korea in the final of the U19 Asia Rugby Championship 28−17 claiming the championship title with four wins. In March, All-Waseda toured England and Ireland with two wins and three losses.
In June, the Hong Kong national women's team came to Japan with two wins. In November, the United States northwestern Pacific Ocean women's team (Rogers) came to Japan with three wins. In March 1997, the Japan U18 national team toured abroad for the 22nd time to Scotland with five wins without any losses.