Bringing a diverse set of individuals together as a collective;
Japanese rugby came together as ONE TEAM – and their impressive efforts moved a nation.
Japan’s tournament ended with the loss to the eventual champions South Africa. The host nation was not able to make it through to the semi-final stage, but there are many positives that can be taken from the performance of the Brave Blossoms at Rugby World Cup Japan 2019. This was the first time Japan had made it through to the knockout stages of the tournament and this was a shot in the arm for rugby in Japan as it was able to showcase the skills and abilities of Japanese players on the world stage. A parade in Tokyo to honor the Japanese squad drew 50,000 attendees and the passion for rugby across the nation was palpably greater than the reaction of the Japanese people following the so-called Miracle of Brighton at the 2015 Rugby World Cup held in England.
Why did the passion for rugby reach so many people? When we look at the Japanese team, of the 31 squad members 15 come from overseas and yet they were all able to bring their different skills and abilities to the fore in order to benefit the team.
Regardless of nationality or language, Japanese rugby came together as ONE TEAM. At its heart, rugby is a game of community, not nationality, and this is perhaps what moved so many people – and that is why rugby will continue to shine brightly as a sport and as a symbol to aspire to.