To commemorate 50th anniversary of the National High School Rugby Tournament, in 1970, the three main sponsors of the tournament, the JRFU, the All Japan High School Athletic Federation, and Mainichi Shimbun, formed Japan U18 National Team to send them on a tour of Canada as a commemorative event.
The team toured Canada between the period 20 March and 8 April 1971, returning to Japan with the result of 3-2.
The success of this tour triggered the implementation of international tours of this kind almost every year as a measure to reinforce the junior ruggers in Japan. From these juniors, a number of rugby players representing Japan have been produced. In addition to reinforcing the players, this tour produced many ruggers including the coaching staff that experienced these international exchanges through this tour who later made significant contributions at various locations in Japan as coaches.
The All-Japan College Rugby Tournament that started in 1926 changed to the Regional Inter-University Rugby Tournament due to the educational reform in 1949. Zealous approaches made by technical colleges restarted this tournament as a new college rugby championship in January 1971. Since then, this championship based in Kobe has been held yearly and marked the 41st championship in January 2011.
The team toured Canada between the period 20 March and 8 April 1971, returning to Japan with the result of 3-2.
The success of this tour triggered the implementation of international tours of this kind almost every year as a measure to reinforce the junior ruggers in Japan. From these juniors, a number of rugby players representing Japan have been produced. In addition to reinforcing the players, this tour produced many ruggers including the coaching staff that experienced these international exchanges through this tour who later made significant contributions at various locations in Japan as coaches.
The All-Japan College Rugby Tournament that started in 1926 changed to the Regional Inter-University Rugby Tournament due to the educational reform in 1949. Zealous approaches made by technical colleges restarted this tournament as a new college rugby championship in January 1971. Since then, this championship based in Kobe has been held yearly and marked the 41st championship in January 2011.