Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Robbie Dean's Panasonic Wild Knights attract record attendance for victory over Steve Hansen's Toyota Verblitz

(Photo by Kaz Photography/Getty Images)

There’s no doubt about it, rugby popularity has skyrocketed in Japan on the back of an incredibly successful 2019 World Cup.

ADVERTISEMENT

On the field, the Brave Blossoms made the knockout stages of the competition for the first time, besting both Ireland and Scotland in the process.

Off the field, viewers tuned in for matches in droves, with over 54% of the population tuning in at one point or another to witness Japan’s victory over Scotland.

Whilst questions still remain on how Japan can best capitalise on the opportunity that lies in front of them, fans are already showing that there’s a newfound passion for the game in the Land of the Rising Sun, with huge numbers turning out for the Top League already.

Two of last weekend’s matches attracted crowds of over 20,000: Kobelco Steelers, v Canon Eagles and Toshiba Brave Lupus v Suntory Sungoliath.

Continue reading below…

Catch up on all the highlights from Round 1 of the Japanese Top League:

Video Spacer

This weekend, figures have jumped even further.

Saturday’s showcase match saw Steve Hansen’s Toyota Verblitz host Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Knights.

ADVERTISEMENT

Toyota called on former All Black captain Kieran Read and Word Cup-winning Springbok Willie le Roux while Sam Whitelock and Damian de Allende started for the Wild Knights.

The key man on show, however, was Brave Blossoms wing Kenki Fukuoka, who lit up the World Cup with crucial tries against Ireland, Samoa and Scotland.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7ZPuORl9GA/

Fukuoka has decided to push for a spot at the Olympics with the Japan sevens team and will spend the rest of the season competing in the World Sevens Series. Saturday’s match was Fukuoka’s final game of XVs for the season – and possibly of his career.

Fukuoka’s impending departure likely played a major role in enticing over 37,000 fans to Toyota Stadium – which set a new record attendance for the league.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was Fukuoka’s travelling Wild Knights who emerged victorious from the contest, comfortably accounting for the home side 40-20.

Fukuoka contributed a try and an assist to Panasonic’s cause while all three South Africans on display, le Roux, de Allende and Lionel Cronje, dotted down for tries of their own.

Top League round 2 Saturday results:

Mitsubishi Dynaboars 15 – 23 Canon Eagles
NEC Green Rockets 17 – 27 Hino Red Dolphins
Yamaha Jubilo 24 – 26 Kobelco Steelers
Toyota Verblitz 20 – 40 Panasonic Wild Knights
Suntory Sungoliath 22 – 10 NTT Shining Arcs
Toshiba Brave Lupus 39 – 21 NTT Red Hurricanes

Catch the round 3 Top League match between Dan Carter’s Kobelco Steelers and Samu Kerevi’s Suntory Sungoliath live on RugbyPass for all subscribers at 1PM JST on Sunday, January 26th.

Jim Hamilton discusses the quality of players currently playing in Japan’s top league:

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 19 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

303 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame' 'Steve Borthwick hung his troops out to dry - he should take some blame'
Search