As for other international exchanges, the Japan National Rugby Union Team toured Britain and France in 1973 for the first time. Everybody greatly expected a good performance from the Japan national team's performance because of the equal match with the England national team. But the result was disappointing with two wins and nine losses. However, the content of each match was highly evaluated.
During a test match with Wales, the then world's strongest team, the Japan national team was at the mercy of Wales in a score of 62-14. WTB Tadayuki Ito put up a great fight scoring two tries. They lost a tight game with the England U23 national team 19-10. FB Nobuyuki Ueyama got the spectators excited by faking out the opponent defensive players, succeeding in scoring two tries. They also performed very well but were defeated by the France National Rugby Union Team 30-18, where Kazumi Ohigashi, Yoshihiro Sakata, and Fumiharu Shimazaki scored tries. The Japan national team won two matches with regional teams in Wales and France. But the performance shown by a team from Japan, an unknown Asian nation, invited in the early season adequately satisfied and entertained the discerning tastes of real rugby fans. The Japan national team's first tour to Britain and France certainly fulfilled the mission of building international friendship and inspiring the world with Japanese rugby.
During a test match with Wales, the then world's strongest team, the Japan national team was at the mercy of Wales in a score of 62-14. WTB Tadayuki Ito put up a great fight scoring two tries. They lost a tight game with the England U23 national team 19-10. FB Nobuyuki Ueyama got the spectators excited by faking out the opponent defensive players, succeeding in scoring two tries. They also performed very well but were defeated by the France National Rugby Union Team 30-18, where Kazumi Ohigashi, Yoshihiro Sakata, and Fumiharu Shimazaki scored tries. The Japan national team won two matches with regional teams in Wales and France. But the performance shown by a team from Japan, an unknown Asian nation, invited in the early season adequately satisfied and entertained the discerning tastes of real rugby fans. The Japan national team's first tour to Britain and France certainly fulfilled the mission of building international friendship and inspiring the world with Japanese rugby.