Japan at the Rugby World Cup

Japan playing Australia at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.

Map of nations best results, excluding nations which unsuccessfully participated in qualifying tournaments

The Japan national team have competed in every Rugby World Cup since the inaugural tournament in 1987. They are so far the only team to reach the Rugby World Cup through Asian regional qualifying. In 2019, they progressed to the quarterfinals for the first time in their participation,^[1] making them the first Asian team to do so in the tournament.

Their best performance was in the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Japan beat South Africa 34–32 in their first match of pool play, in what was described as the "greatest Rugby World Cup shock ever".^[2]^[3] They went on to beat Samoa and the United States in pool play. They won three games out of four in pool play, the same as Scotland and South Africa, but unlike the other two, Japan did not get any bonus points, so the other two qualified for the quarter-finals.

Japan's first victory was a 52–8 win over Zimbabwe at the 1991 tournament under coach Hiroaki Shukuzawa. Their worst defeat came at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, when they lost to New Zealand by 145–17, in a defeat blamed for setting the development of rugby union in Japan back by several years. Since then, in the 2003 World Cup, held in Australia, Japan coached by Shogo Mukai was hailed as the best of the so-called 'minnow' nations,^{[citation needed]} gaining many new Japanese and overseas fans in the process, though the team still failed to win any games. In the 2007 Rugby World Cup, Japan managed a last-minute conversion to draw with Canada, and avoided coming last in Pool B. They did not win any games however, and did not reach the knockout stage of the tournament.

Japan hosted the tournament for the first time at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, reaching the quarter-finals.

By position[]

Rugby World Cup

Qualification

Year

Round

Pld

W

D

L

PF

PA

Squad

Pos

Pld

W

D

L

PF

PA

1987

Pool Stage

3

0

3

48

123

Squad

Invited

1991

Pool Stage

3

1

0

2

77

87

Squad

2nd

3

2

0

1

65

63

1995

Pool Stage

3

0

3

55

252

Squad

1st

4

0

252

28

1999

Pool Stage

3

0

3

36

140

Squad

1st

3

0

221

25

2003

Pool Stage

4

0

4

79

163

Squad

1st

4

0

420

47

2007

Pool Stage

4

0

1

3

64

210

Squad

1st

6

0

379

60

2011

Pool Stage

4

0

1

3

69

184

Squad

1st

4

0

326

30

2015

Pool Stage

4

3

0

1

98

100

Squad

1st

4

0

316

8

2019

Quarter-finals

5

4

0

1

118

88

Squad

Automatically qualified

2023

Automatically qualified

Total

Quarter-finals

33

8

2

23

644

1347

28

27

0

1

1979

261

Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place	Home venue

By match[]

1987[]

Team v t	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	Tries	Pts
Australia	3	3	0	108	41	18	6
England	3	2	1	100	32	15	4
United States	3	1	2	39	99	5	2
Japan	3	0	3	48	123	7	0

24 May 1987

Japan	18–21	United States
Tries: Taumoefolau (2) Yoshinaga Pen: Yoshinaga Kutsuki		Tries: Nelson Purcell Lambert Con: Nelson (3) Pen: Nelson

Ballymore, Brisbane
Referee: Guy Maurette (France)

30 May 1987

England	60–7	Japan
Tries: Harrison (3) Underwood (2) Salmon Richards Redman Rees Simms Con: Webb (7) Pen: Webb (2)		Try: Miyamoto Pen: Matsuo

Concord Oval, Sydney
Referee: Rene Hourquet (France)

3 June 1987

Australia	42–23	Japan
Tries: Slack (2) Burke (2) Tuynman Grigg Hartill Campese Con: Lynagh (5)		Tries: Kutsuki (2) Fujita Con: Okidoi Pen: Okidoi (2) Drop: Okidoi

Concord Oval, Sydney
Referee: Jim Fleming (Scotland)

1991[]

Team v t	P	W	L	PF	PA	Pts
Scotland	3	3	0	122	36	6
Ireland	3	2	1	102	51	4
Japan	3	1	2	77	87	2
Zimbabwe	3	0	3	31	158	0

5 October 1991

Scotland	47–9	Japan
Tries: S. Hastings, Stanger, Chalmers, White, Penalty Try, Tukalo, G. Hastings Con: G. Hastings (5) Pen: G. Hastings (2), Chalmers		Tries: Hosokawa Con: Hosokawa Drop: Hosokawa

Murrayfield, Edinburgh
Referee: Ed Morrison (England)

9 October 1991

Ireland	32–16	Japan
Tries: Mannion (2), O’Hara, Staples Con: Keyes (2) Pen: Keyes (4)		Tries: Hayashi, Kajihara, Yoshida Con: Hosokawa (2)

Lansdowne Road, Dublin
Referee: Laikini Colati (Fiji)

14 October 1991

Japan	52–8	Zimbabwe
Tries: Yoshida (2), Mashuho (2), Kutsuki (2), Horikoshi, Luaiufi, Matsuo Con: Hosokawa (2) Pen: Hosokawa (4)		Tries: Tsimba,

Ravenhill, Belfast
Referee: Rene Hourquet (France)

1995[]

Team v t	P	W	L	PF	PA	Pts
New Zealand	3	3	0	222	45	9
Ireland	3	2	1	93	94	7
Wales	3	1	2	89	68	5
Japan	3	0	3	55	252	3

27 May 1995

Japan	10–57	Wales
Tries: Osamu Ota (2)		Tries: Gareth Thomas (3), Ieuan Evans (2), Andrew Moore, Hemi Taylor Con: Neil Jenkins (5) Pen: Neil Jenkins (4)

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Attendance: 12 000
Referee: Efrahim Sklar (Argentina)

31 May 1995

Ireland	50–28	Japan
Tries: , Simon Geoghegan, David Corkery, Eddie Halvey, Niall Hogan Con: Paul Burke (6) Pen: Paul Burke		Tries: Sinali Latu, Ko Izawa, Seiji Hirao, Masanori Takura Con: Yoshihito Yoshida (4)

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Attendance: 15 000
Referee: Stef Neethling (South Africa)

4 June 1995

Japan	17–145	New Zealand
Tries: Hiroyuki Kajihara (2) Con: Keiji Hirose (2) Pen: Keiji Hirose		Tries: Marc Ellis (6), Eric Rush (3), Jeff Wilson (3), Robin Brooke (2), Glen Osborne (2), Richard Loe, Simon Culhane, Paul Henderson, Craig Dowd, Alama Ieremia Con: Simon Culhane (20)

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Attendance: 17 000
Referee: George Gadjovic (Canada)

1999[]

Team v t	P	W	L	PF	PA	Pts
Wales	3	2	1	118	71	7
Samoa	3	2	1	97	72	7
Argentina	3	2	1	83	51	7
Japan	3	0	3	36	140	3

3 October 1999

Samoa	43–9	Japan
Tries: Brian Lima (2), Steven So'oialo (2), Silao Leaega Con: Silao Leaega (3) Pen: Silao Leaega (4)		Pen: Keiji Hirose (3)

Racecourse Ground, Wrexham
Referee: Andrew Cole (Australia)

9 October 1999

Wales	64–15	Japan
Tries: Mark Taylor, (2) Robert Howley, Scott Gibbs, David Llewellyn, Gareth Thomas, Allan Bateman, Shane Howarth Con: Neil Jenkins (8) Con: Neil Jenkins		Tries: Patiliai Tuidraki, Daisuke Ohata Con: Keiji Hirose Pen: Keiji Hirose

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Joel Dume (France)

16 October 1999

Argentina	33–12	Japan
Tries: Diego Albanese, Agustín Pichot Con: Felipe Contepomi Pen: Gonzalo Quesada (7)		Pen: Keiji Hirose (4)

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

2003[]

Team v t	Pld	W	L	PF	PA	BP	Pts
France	4	4	0	204	70	4	20
Scotland	4	3	1	102	97	2	14
Fiji	4	2	2	98	114	2	10
United States	4	1	3	86	125	2	6
Japan	4	0	4	79	163	0	0

11 October 2003

Scotland	32–11	Japan
Tries: Paterson (2), Grimes, Taylor, Danielli Con: Paterson, Townsend Pen: Paterson		Tries: Onozawa Pen: Hirose (2)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 19,170
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)

18 October 2003

France	51–29	Japan
Tries: Michalak, Rougerie (2), Pelous, Dominici, Crenca Con: Michalak (5), Merceron Pen: Michalak (3)		Tries: Konia, Ohata Con: Kurihara (2) Pen: Kurihara (5)

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 21,309
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

23 October 2003

Fiji	41–13	Japan
Tries: Tuilevu (2), Ligairi (2), Vunibaka Con: Little (2) Pen: Little (4)		Tries: Miller Con: Miller Pen: Miller Drop: Miller

Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville
Attendance: 17,269
Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)

27 October 2003

Japan	26–39	United States
Tries: Kurihara, Ohata Con: Kurihara (2) Pen: Kurihara (4)		Tries: Hercus, Eloff, Schubert, van Zyl, Con: Hercus (4) Pen: Hercus (2)

Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford
Attendance: 19,653
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)

2007[]

Team v t	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
Australia	4	4	0	0	30	215	41	+174	4	20
Fiji	4	3	0	1	14	114	136	−22	3	15
Wales	4	2	0	2	23	168	105	+63	4	12
Japan	4	0	1	3	7	64	210	−146	1	3
Canada	4	0	1	3	6	51	120	−69	0	2

8 September 2007
15:45

Australia	91–3	Japan
Tries: Sharpe 18' m Elsom (3) 24' c, 34' m, 41' c Ashley-Cooper 46' c Latham (2) 53' c, 72' c Barnes (2) 57' c, 75' c Mitchell (2) 59' c, 66' c Smith 62' m Freier 80+' c Con: Mortlock (7/10) Giteau (3/3) Pen: Mortlock (2/2) 10', 16'	Report	Pen: K. Ono (1/1) 38'

Stade de Gerland, Lyon
Attendance: 40,043
Referee: Alan Lewis (Ireland)

12 September 2007
18:00

Japan	31–35	Fiji
Tries: Thompson (2) 51' c, 78' c Soma 62' m Con: Onishi (2/3) Pen: Onishi (4/4) 18', 30', 40+', 43'	Report	Tries: Qera (2) 36' c, 49' c Rabeni 56' m Leawere 71' c Con: Little (3/4) Pen: Little (3/3) 4', 55', 74'

Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse
Attendance: 34,500
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)

20 September 2007
21:00

Wales	72–18	Japan
Tries: A. W. Jones 11' c Hook 24' c T. R. Thomas 31' c Morgan 40+' m Phillips 42' c S. Williams (2) 48' m, 80' m D. James 52' c Cooper 59' c M. Williams (2) 64' c, 74' c Con: S. Jones (5/7) Sweeney (2/4) Pen: S. Jones (1/1) 23'	Report	Tries: Endo 19' m Onozawa 57' c Con: Robins (1/1) Pen: Onishi (2/2) 4', 37'

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Attendance: 35,245
Referee: Joël Jutge (France)

25 September 2007
18:00

Canada	12–12	Japan
Tries: Riordan 48' m van der Merwe 65' c Con: Pritchard (1/1)	Report	Tries: Endo 12' m Taira 80+' c Con: Onishi (1/2)

Stade Chaban-Delmas, Bordeaux
Attendance: 33,810
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)

2011[]

Japan lost to New Zealand, Tonga and France, but managed to draw with Canada.

Team v t	Pld	W	D	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
New Zealand	4	4	0	0	36	240	49	+191	4	20
France	4	2	0	2	13	124	96	+28	3	11
Tonga	4	2	0	2	7	80	98	−18	1	9
Canada	4	1	1	2	9	82	168	−86	0	6
Japan	4	0	1	3	8	69	184	−115	0	2

10 September 2011

France	47–21	Japan
Tries: Pierre 4' c Trinh-Duc 11' c Clerc 33' m Naller 70' c Pape 76' c Parra 81' m Con: Yachvili (4/6) Pen: Yachvili (3/3) 21', 28', 66'	Report	Tries: Arlidge (2) 30' m, 48' c Con: Arlidge (1/2) Pen: Arlidge (3/4) 17', 39', 57'

North Harbour Stadium, Auckland

16 September 2011

New Zealand	83–7	Japan
Tries: Smith 3' c Kahui (2) 15' m, 44' c Kaino 21' m Mealamu 29' c Ellis 33' c Slade 35' c Williams (2) 50' c, 78' c Toeava 55' c Hore 59' m Nonu 61' m Thomson 76' c Con: Slade (9/13)	Report	Tries: Onozawa 57' c Con: Williams (1/1)

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

21 September 2011

Tonga	31–18	Japan
Tries: Ma'afu 6' m Lokotui 14' c Vainikolo 53' c Con: Morath (2/3) Pen: Morath (4/4) 29', 31', 49', 67'	Report	Tries: Hatakeyama 13' m Leitch 25' m Tupuailai 62' m Con: Arlidge (0/3) Pen: Webb (1/1) 39'

Okara Park, Whangarei

27 September 2011

Canada	23–23	Japan
Tries: Van Der Merwe 6' c Mackenzie 43' m Monro 74' m Con: Pritchard (1/1) Monro (0/2) Pen: Monro (2/3) 63', 78'	Report	Tries: Horie 9' c Endo 39' c Tupuailai 62' m Con: Arlidge (2/2) Pen: Arlidge (3/3) 23', 65', 72'

McLean Park, Napier

2015[]

Team v t	Pld	W	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
South Africa	4	3	1	23	176	56	+120	4	16
Scotland	4	3	1	14	136	93	+43	2	14
Japan	4	3	1	9	98	100	–2	0	12
Samoa	4	1	3	7	69	124	–55	2	6
United States	4	0	4	5	50	156	–106	0	0

19 September 2015
16:45

South Africa	32–34	Japan
Try: Louw 18' c B. Du Plessis 33' m De Jager 44' c Strauss 62' c Con: Lambie (2/3) 19', 45' Pollard (1/1) 63' Pen: Lambie (1/1) 57' Pollard (1/1) 73'	Report	Try: Leitch 30' c Goromaru 69' c Hesketh 80' m Con: Goromaru (2/3) 31', 70' Pen: Goromaru (5/6) 8', 43', 49', 53', 60'

Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton
Attendance: 29,290
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)

23 September 2015
14:30

Scotland	45–10	Japan
Try: Hardie 48' m Bennett (2) 56' c, 69 c Seymour 64' c Russell 74' c Con: Laidlaw (4/5) 57', 65', 70', 75' Pen: Laidlaw (4/5) 3', 12', 18', 20'	Report	Try: Mafi 15' c Con: Goromaru (1/1) 16' Pen: Goromaru (1/3) 46'

Kingsholm, Gloucester
Attendance: 14,354
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

3 October 2015
14:30

Samoa	5–26	Japan
Try: Perez 64' m Con: T. Pisi (0/1)	Report	Try: Penalty try 24' c Yamada 40' c Con: Goromaru (2/2) 24', 40' Pen: Goromaru (4/6) 8', 34', 48', 59'

Stadium mk, Milton Keynes
Attendance: 29,019
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

11 October 2015
20:00

United States	18–28	Japan
Try: Ngwenya 24' m Wyles 71' c Con: MacGinty (1/2) 72' Pen: MacGinty (2/2) 5', 55'	Report	Try: Matsushima 7' c Fujita 28' c Mafi 62' m Con: Goromaru (2/3) 9', 29' Pen: Goromaru (3/3) 33', 44', 77'

Kingsholm, Gloucester
Attendance: 14,517
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

2019[]

See also: 2019 Rugby World Cup Pool A

Team v t	Pld	W	L	TF	PF	PA	+/−	BP	Pts
Japan	4	4	0	13	115	62	+53	3	19
Ireland	4	3	1	18	121	27	+94	4	16
Scotland	4	2	2	16	119	55	+64	3	11
Samoa	4	1	3	8	58	128	–70	1	5
Russia	4	0	4	1	19	160	–141	0	0

20 September 2019
19:45 JST (UTC+09)

(1 BP) Japan	30–10	Russia
Try: Matsushima (3) 12' m, 39' c, 69' c Labuschagné 47' m Con: Tamura (1/3) 40' Matsuda (1/1) 71' Pen: Tamura (2/2) 44', 64'	Report	Try: Golosnitski 5' c Con: Kushnarev (1/1) 6' Pen: Kushnarev (1/1) 61'

Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Attendance: 45,745
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

28 September 2019
16:15 JST (UTC+09)

Japan	19–12	Ireland (1 BP)
Try: Fukuoka 59' c Con: Tamura (1/1) 61' Pen: Tamura (4/6) 18', 34', 40', 72'	Report	Try: Ringrose 14' m Kearney 21' c Con: Carty (1/2) 22'

Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
Attendance: 47,813
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)

5 October 2019
19:30 JST (UTC+09)

(1 BP) Japan	38–19	Samoa
Try: Lafaele 28' c Himeno 53' c Fukuoka 76' m Matsushima 80+5' c Con: Tamura (3/4) 29', 55', 80+7' Pen: Tamura (4/5) 3', 8', 24', 51'	Report	Try: Taefu 73' c Con: Taefu (1/1) 74' Pen: Taefu (4/5) 10', 15', 34', 45'

City of Toyota Stadium, Toyota
Attendance: 39,695
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

13 October 2019
19:45 JST (UTC+09)

(1 BP) Japan	28–21	Scotland (1 BP)
Try: Matsushima 18' c Inagaki 26' c Fukuoka (2) 40' c, 43' c Con: Tamura (4/4) 20', 27', 40+2', 44'	Report	Try: Russell 7' c Nel 50' c Fagerson 55' c Con: Laidlaw (2/2) 8', 51' Russell (1/1) 56'

International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama
Attendance: 67,666
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)

Quarter-final

20 October 2019
19:15 JST (UTC+09)

Japan	3–26	South Africa
Pen: Tamura (1/1) 20'	Report	Try: Mapimpi (2) 4' m, 70' m de Klerk 66' c Con: Pollard (1/3) 66' Pen: Pollard (3/4) 44', 49', 64'

Tokyo Stadium, Chōfu
Attendance: 48,831
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

Hosting[]

At a special IRB meeting held in Dublin on 28 July 2009, Japan was announced as the host for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.^[4]

List of planned stadia[]

In addition to the nine venues located in Japan, one venue each from Singapore and Hong Kong have also been proposed to host five matches respectively.^[5]

Nissan Stadium, Yokohama (72,000)
Nagai Stadium, Osaka (50,000)
Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo (27,000)
Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai (20,000)
Level-5 Stadium, Fukuoka (23,000)
Toyota Stadium, Toyota (45,000)
Sapporo Dome, Sapporo (41,000)
Home's Stadium, Kobe (34,000)
Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong (40,000)
Singapore Sports Hub, Singapore (50,000)

References[]

Davies, Gerald (2004) The History of the Rugby World Cup (Sanctuary Publishing Ltd, (ISBN 1860746020)
Farr-Jones, Nick, (2003). Story of the Rugby World Cup, Australian Post Corporation, (ISBN 0-642-36811-2)

^ rugbybworldcup.com. "Joyous scenes as Japan win thriller to make quarter-finals". www.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
^ Kitson, Robert (September 19, 2015). "Japan beat South Africa in greatest Rugby World Cup shock ever". The Guardian. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
^ "South Africa 32 Japan 34, match report: Outstanding Japan pull off the greatest upset in World Cup history". Daily Telegraph. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
^ "England will host 2015 World Cup". BBC. 2009-07-28. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
^ RWC 2015 /2019: 15 Main Topics & Venues of the Bid of Japan , Japan Rugby Football Union

[1] rugbybworldcup.com. "Joyous scenes as Japan win thriller to make quarter-finals". www.worldrugby.org. Retrieved 2019-10-13.

[2] Kitson, Robert (September 19, 2015). "Japan beat South Africa in greatest Rugby World Cup shock ever". The Guardian. Retrieved October 31, 2015.

[3] "South Africa 32 Japan 34, match report: Outstanding Japan pull off the greatest upset in World Cup history". Daily Telegraph. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.

[4] "England will host 2015 World Cup". BBC. 2009-07-28. Retrieved 2009-07-28.

[5] RWC 2015 /2019: 15 Main Topics & Venues of the Bid of Japan , Japan Rugby Football Union

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

show v t National team appearances in the Rugby World Cup by tier
Tier 1 teams	Argentina Australia England France Ireland Italy New Zealand Scotland South Africa Wales
Tier 2 teams	Canada Fiji Georgia Japan Namibia Portugal Romania Russia Samoa Spain Tonga United States Uruguay
Tier 3 teams	Ivory Coast Zimbabwe