Fans of Japan’s Brave Blossoms can look forward to watching the Asian country’s sevens team in action during the Singapore leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in April, with Japan officially named as the wild card team in the 16-nation tournament
The reigning Asian Games champions, who secured an automatic berth for the 2016 Rio Olympics by winning the Asia Rugby Sevens Qualifier in Hong Kong in November, joins the 15 core teams - Argentina, Australia, Canada, England, Fiji, France, Kenya, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Samoa, Scotland, South Africa and Wales – on the World Rugby Sevens Series circuit which stops over in Singapore on 16/17 April.
“The Sevens World Series is the world's top tournament for sevens sides in terms of speed, power, skill, tactics and game management,” said head coach Tomohiro Segawa in Tokyo. “At the Singapore Sevens, as Asia’s representative in an Asian country, we want to beat the top teams. Argentina was the runner-up at last month’s Cape Town Sevens and Kenya finished among the top four, so we want to qualify for the Cup and our target is a top four finish in Singapore.”
Already, the first two legs of the World Rugby Sevens series have seen a few upsets and rugby fans will be hoping that the Japanese sevens squad can spring a surprise or two in Singapore.
In the opening Dubai Sevens last month, the United States clinched a monumental first series win over New Zealand in the group stage and progressed to the quarter-finals where they dumped defending Dubai Sevens champions South Africa out of the tournament. USA then stunned New Zealand Sevens 31-12 in the bronze play-off in Dubai.
More upsets were recorded a week later at the Cape Town Sevens as Argentina beat 12-time World Rugby Sevens Series champions New Zealand 22-19 in the quarter-finals and edged out Kenya 24-22 in a thrilling semi-final to qualify for their first series final.
Rugby and sports fans will no doubt remember Japan’s exploits at last year’s Rugby World Cup in England where they lighted up the tournament with three sensational wins including the heart-stopping last-minute 34-32 upset of South Africa.
Among the Japanese Rugby World Cup heroes that has been drafted to the Sevens team is winger Yoshikazu Fujita (main picture), who scored a memorable try in the 28-18 win over the United States in Japan's last pool game in England.
“Following the success of our 15s side at the Rugby World Cup, now it's our turn to deliver a message how good Japan rugby is to the world. We will play our sevens rugby with pride, so that all Japanese who live overseas can be proud of us,” added Segawa
“Being Asia’s only representative in the World Sevens Series, Japan will definitely enjoy the support of many rugby fans and the Japanese expatriate community in Singapore,” added
Sam Chan, general manager of Rugby Singapore. “We also hope Japanese supporters across Asia will visit Singapore to support their rugby team. As host of the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Olympics, I believe Japan will want to impress the world with their on-field performances.”
Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.singapore7s.sg
The 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series resumes in Wellington, New Zealand later this month. Fiji and South Africa, who finished first and second in last year's series, are currently joint top on 35 points after the first two rounds.