Japan awarded 2019 rugby union World Cup

Wednesday 29th July, 06:50 AM JST

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NeoJamal at 11:35 AM JST - 29th July

I wonder if John Kirwin will still be the team manager then?

Let's hope the Japanese National Team improves enough so that John won't jettison away.
northlondon at 12:53 PM JST - 29th July

The Rugby Football Union is the worst example of the old school tie brigade. Japan should be hosting 2011, Italy should then be doing 2015 and 2019 could have gone to Canada or the USA. Same old England (held it before), New Zealand, South Africa etc, etc. This game will never go global, except for hosting Bledisloe tests in Tokyo at Y12,000 a ticket.
blue_monday at 01:07 PM JST - 29th July

Whether or not JK is here in 2019 he has done a lot of grass roots work on the team & the sport in general in Japan. The results don't yet reflect it but he did manage to do away with the "beautiful loser" mentality and get a team that keeps battling to the final whistle. It's a great decision, not just for rugby in Japan but also rugby in Asia.
spudman at 02:19 PM JST - 29th July

This game will never go global, except for hosting Bledisloe tests in Tokyo at Y12,000 a ticket.

Northlondon Did you read the article? Japan is hosting the cup in 10 years with games in both Singapore and Hong Kong. Canada or the US is years away due to sheer lack of numbers of players and fans. Italy would be feasible but I would suggest Argentina before either North America or Italy.
northlondon at 02:41 PM JST - 29th July

spud, that's 10 years away mate. None of the current world stars in Rugby Union will even be playing anymore by then. 10 years is a decade away. Japan should have been given the World Cup in 2011. The soccer World Cup and the Olympics both know how to choose host venues by being global and giving every continent a chance.
wanderlust at 02:44 PM JST - 29th July

Wonder if Ishihara will use it as another reason for Japan to get the Olympics?
herefornow at 04:16 PM JST - 29th July

Sure hope some of the fear and xenophobia that gripped some parts of the population here can fade away by then. Would be nice if Japan really welcomed the fans from around the world and made it a true happening -- big public TV's, open-air meeting places, etc. like was done at Euro 2008 and the World Cup. Just having some clean stadiums to host the games is not really enough. Maybe if NHK minimizes the footage of police departments practicing riot control with water cannons, and over-using terms like "hooligans", like they did before the World Cup in 2002, it could help.
Peaceful_Man at 05:20 PM JST - 29th July

Another World Cup for the All Blacks to choke and lose!
northlondon at 07:45 PM JST - 29th July

Sure hope some of the fear and xenophobia that gripped some parts of the population here can fade away by then. Would be nice if Japan really welcomed the fans from around the world and made it a true happening -- big public TV's, open-air meeting places, etc. like was done at Euro 2008 and the World Cup. Just having some clean stadiums to host the games is not really enough. Maybe if NHK minimizes the footage of police departments practicing riot control with water cannons, and over-using terms like "hooligans", like they did before the World Cup in 2002, it could help.

The only fear and xenophobia we have seen so far is from the old boys network at the IRB (South Africa and New Zealand) who did their best to take the vote away from Japan for 2001. The fear and xenophobia seems to be directed at the Japanese who want to be involved in a global Rugby Union. I was at the World Cup here in 2002 and the Japanese were extremely friendly to everyone. The local towns hosting national teams went on to support those teams at their matches and when we were in Sapporo the locals were chatting to us all the time. The only 'unwelcome' and hooliganism I saw was from idiot Argentinian gangs who were violent towards the passive Japanese supporters after the England Argentina game.
magpie at 08:18 PM JST - 29th July

The Rugby Football Union is the worst example of the old school tie brigade.

northlondon, I agree with you and i think the IRB are aware that they have shot themselves in the foot. The 2011 World Cup will be a money loser and they desperately need to refresh their coffers. They should have given the 2011 World Cup to japan and not the kiwis. 2015 to Engalnd was a no bnrainer given that is where most o fthe global revenues for rugby are. The saving garce is the fact that the RIB will hope use the money form the 2015 world cup to spend "globally" to develop the game.
whitepocky at 11:22 PM JST - 29th July

The only 'unwelcome' and hooliganism I saw was from idiot Argentinian gangs who were violent towards the passive Japanese supporters after the England Argentina game.

I think you answered your own question there Northlondon. You should know yourself the rivalry between the two nations.
northlondon at 12:23 AM JST - 30th July

white, I was just responding to somebody's comment about the Japanese being xenophobic and fearful when the Rugger World Cup (finally) comes here. My experience in 2002 was of the Japanese being really friendly all over Japan. Despite incidents such as the idiots from Argentina kicking them around in Sapporo. Some Japanese may well be xenophobic. But they are never xenophobic in a violent or physical way such as many 'westerners' are.
BrynJJ at 02:24 AM JST - 30th July

You all do realise we are talking about Rugby here? There’s no comparison between rugby and football fans, we rugby fans aren’t thugs or hooligans don’t expect any thing like you would see from football fans, we are friendly and aren’t separated in the stadium, we can drink and watch the match at the same time. Its the best sport in the world for a reason!
magpie at 09:48 AM JST - 30th July

There’s no comparison between rugby and football fans,

BrynJJ, what was the saying....Rugby is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen and football is a game for gentelmen played by hooligans....
xpompey8 at 04:49 PM JST - 3rd August

Congrats Japan. I didn't know HK and Singapore were part of the bid. Good for them too.