The All Blacks and Japan are to play regular Test matches under an agreement signed by the New Zealand and Japanese rugby unions that might also see a faltering first step toward a global club competition.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the unions would see both countries explore opportunities for New Zealand-based Super Rugby franchises to play matches against clubs from the Japan League One professional competition.
Those matches would occur outside the current window for Super Rugby Pacific, which involves Fijian Drua, Moana Pasifika and five clubs each from Australia and New Zealand.
Photo: AFP
A team from Japan and leading franchises from South Africa formerly participated in the Super Rugby competition, but did not return after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
If the club matches in Japan are successful and other countries such as Australia seek to participate, it could provide an early framework for a global club tournament.
In the meantime, the two nations have committed to scheduling more mid-year matches between the New Zealand All Blacks, the Maori All Blacks, the Japan Test team and Japan XV over the next three years.
Three-time Rugby World Cup champions the All Blacks and Japan have met in only five official Test matches since rugby union became professional in 1995, most recently last year when the All Blacks won 38-31.
The New Zealand sevens and women’s teams also are likely to play their Japan counterparts more often.
The Japan women’s team might also be able to play in New Zealand’s provincial and Super Rugby tournaments.
“The MOU provides us with opportunities for our teams in Black, commercial partners and other professional teams and competitions to work more closely together,” New Zealand Rugby chief executive officer Mark Robinson said yesterday.
“The intention is for teams across the spectrum to play more regular matches while also looking at how our men’s and women’s competitions could work together in the longer term,” Robinson said.
Japan Rugby Football Union chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi said he hoped that the agreement would help to grow rugby in Asia.
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