Rich Freeman - The Japan Times

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Sep 22, 2003

Lopsided scores dominate first round of Top League

The new Top League was put on hold on Sunday for six weeks to allow Japan's best (not to mention a number of Samoans, Tongans and Fijians plying their trade in Japan) time off to compete in the Rugby World Cup.

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Sep 14, 2003

Sungoliath kicks off Top League with 54-31 victory

The new Top League may have been established to ensure the next generation of Japanese rugby players can compete on the world stage and Hirotoki Onozawa certainly made his mark with four tries -- but the party that marked the launch of the new league was for a time gate-crashed by some of the veterans...

SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE

Sep 12, 2003

Top League heralds a new era in Japanese rugby

Rugby in Japan looks to enter a new era on Saturday when Suntory takes on Kobe Steel in the first game of the new Top League.

SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE

Aug 24, 2003

Samurais are in a league of their own

With the launch of the Top League (the new professional league for rugby union in Japan) just three weeks away and the World Cup due to start on Oct. 10, it is easy to forget that there are in fact two codes of rugby.

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Jul 13, 2003

Japan gearing up for more than one RWC

It's been a busy seven days for the Japan Rugby Football Union.

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Jul 7, 2003

England A whips Japan 55-20

England A ensured it finished its five-game tour of North America and Japan unbeaten on Sunday as it beat Japan 55-20 at Tokyo's National Stadium.

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Jun 15, 2003

'Campo' fires from the hip

As a rugby player, David Campese was the epitome of a free spirit.

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May 26, 2003

Russians hand Japan 43-34 defeat

Japan's build up toward the 2003 Rugby World Cup suffered yet another setback on Sunday with a 43-34 loss to Russia in a Super Powers Cup game at Tokyo's Chichibunomiya Stadium.

SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE

May 5, 2003

Japanese referees adhere to a different set of laws

There are those that will say that last week's 37-31 win by Waseda University over the touring New Zealand Universities side on April 27 was a sign that there is nothing wrong with the local rugby scene.

SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE EXTRA

Apr 27, 2003

Japan rugby needs to act now before it is too late

For followers of Japanese rugby, the last few weeks have not made for happy reading.

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Apr 21, 2003

Sky's the limit for broadcaster in search of sporting excellence

A recent survey of 1,000 Japanese sports viewers who subscribe to JSky Sports showed that 25-30 percent enjoyed watching or wanted to watch baseball, sumo and soccer, 19 percent favored domestic rugby, 13 percent enjoyed cycling and 12 percent preferred international rugby, NBA and NHL.

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Apr 13, 2003

SARS can't stop world of rugby's grand wake for fallen mates

Thursday, March 28, 2003, and noted Australian commentator Chris "Buddha" Hardy asks for quiet from the players and spectators gathered at the Hong Kong Football Club for its annual tens tournament.

Japan Times

COMMUNITY

Mar 25, 2003

Rugby boys pack down for sevens extravaganza

Tradition has it that in 1883 the Melrose rugby club in Scotland was casting around for ideas to help the club's finances when the suggestion of a rugby football tournament was put forward by the now legendary "Ned" Haig.

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Mar 23, 2003

Tomahawks cancel tour to Japan

The United States rugby league team, the Tomahawks, canceled its tour to Japan late Friday night.

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Mar 22, 2003

RWC to be aired live in its entirety

Rugby fans in Japan will be heartened to hear that all 48 games of the 2003 Rugby World Cup will be shown live in Japan on JSky Sports, it was announced on Thursday.

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Mar 18, 2003

Kiwi pair hopes to put Kyushu rugby on map

Japan's new professional rugby league, the Top League, may not kick off until Sept. 13 but the 12 clubs involved are all in the process of finalizing their squads and coaching staffs for the inaugural season.

SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE

Mar 9, 2003

Tourists help Guam Rugby Club show its True Grit

The rugby community in Guam showed their True Grit in every sense of the word by hosting their annual tens tournament in early February.

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Mar 9, 2003

Wallaby legend Ella to help Japan

Former Australian captain Mark Ella has been enlisted by the Japan Rugby Football Union to help national coach Shogo Mukai in the build up to this year's Rugby World Cup in October, the JRFU announced Friday.

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Feb 24, 2003

NEC downs Suntory to capture C'ship

The T-shirts worn by the NEC players at the end of the 40th All-Japan Championship summed it up - "NEC Miracle 7." Having finished seventh in the Kanto League and being forced into a playoff to reach the national stages of the Company Championship, NEC finished the season as champion of Japan following...

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Feb 17, 2003

Suntory juggernaut rolls into All Japan Championship final

The Suntory juggernaut kept on rolling on Sunday at Toyko's Chichibunomiya Stadium with a 52-24 win over Ricoh in the semifinal of the All Japan Championship. The Goliath, which is now unbeaten against Japanese opposition since January 2001, will face NEC in the final, following its surprise 29-5 victory...

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The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

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