From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rugby union in Asia
Rugby union in Asia
Rugby union is a growing sport in Asia governed by the
Asia,
Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU). As of December 2009
World Cup qualifying
there are 28 ARFU member unions, of whom 15 are full
members of the International Rugby Board (IRB), and 1991 World Cup
six further associate members of the IRB in Asia.[1] The Main article: 1991 Rugby World Cup - Asia and Oceania
flagship tournament for promoting the sport in Asia is qualification
the Asian Five Nations,[2] which launched in 2008, and The 1991 World Cup was the first to operate a qualifica-
which most recently in 2010 saw the national teams of tion system, the 1987 WC having been invitation-only. In
Hong Kong (national team), Japan (national team), Kaza- the qualifying stage, Asia was combined with Oceania and
khstan (national team), South Korea (national team) and given two berths. Only four countries took part; Japan,
the Arabian Gulf team, representing various Arab states, South Korea, Tonga and Western Samoa (Australia, Fiji
compete in the main tournament.[3] and New Zealand were automatic qualifiers). Played as
The sport in Asia is currently dominated by Japan,[4] a four-team round-robin, Western Samoa and Japan fin-
the only Asian nation to be represented on the IRB’s ex- ished finished first and second respectively courtesy of
ecutive council.[5] The Japanese national team are so far Japan’s 28-16 win over Tonga, with the Japanese becom-
the only Asian team to have competed in the Rugby ing the first Asian team to appear at the World Cup.
World Cup,[6] having appeared in all six tournaments so Although they lost their first two games and did not
far and having qualified for the upcoming 2011 Rugby qualify for the quarter-finals, Japan secured third spot in
World Cup in New Zealand.[7] Japan have been an- their group with a 52-8 win over Zimbabwe.
nounced as the hosts of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and
will be the first Asian hosts of the tournament.[8] Under 1995 World Cup
the Japanese bid, Hong Kong and Singapore will also host Main article: 1995 Rugby World Cup qualifying#Asia
matches.[9] For the 1995 WC, Asia held its own tournament, with the
winner qualifying for the finals. This time eight countries
Member nations entered (Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South
Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand), and were split in-
Sixteen Asian teams are full members of the Internation- to two groups, with the winners of each group playing
al Rugby Board, though one (Guam) is arguably in Ocea- each other for the single qualification berth. The final
nia, whilst the Arabian Gulf team [sic] represents five play-off saw Japan beat South Korea 26-11.
countries; Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the The group stages showed the inequalities in the Asian
United Arab Emirates. The full list is: game; Japan won 103-9 against Malaysia, whilst Hong
• Arabian Gulf • Kazakhstan Kong thrashed Singapore 164-13. The World Cup itself
• China • Malaysia did little to showcase Asian rugby, as Japan lost every
• Guam • Singapore game, including a humiliating 145-17 defeat against the
• Hong Kong • South Korea All Blacks.
• Japan • Sri Lanka
• India • Taiwan (competes as 1999 World Cup
• Thailand Chinese Taipei for
Main article: 1999 Rugby World Cup qualifying#Asia
• Philippines political reasons)
For the 1999 WC, Asia was given an extra qualification
• Pakistan
spot, albeit a repechage one. The same eight countries
There are also six Asian associate members of the IRB: entered the qualification stages, but to avoid the score-
• Cambodia • Thailand lines witnessed in the previous competition, it was held
• Kyrgyzstan • Uzbekistan on a three-stage basis; Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand
• Laos • Mongolia competing in the first round-robin (with Sri Lanka going
Like Georgia and Russia, and as in football, Armenia, through); Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan in the second
Azerbaijan and Israel play in Europe, though Kazakhstan round (with Taiwan progressing); and then Hong Kong,
does not. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in the third round. Japan
again emerged victorious, with a 134-6 win over Taiwan
going some way to regain the pride lost in the finals in
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rugby union in Asia
South Africa four years earlier. South Korea took part in the third successive time, this time 85-3 in a one-off
the repechage, beating Holland 108-45 on aggregate in match in Wellington.
the first round, before losing 140-41 over two legs to Ton-
ga. Japan once again lost all their games in the World Cup
proper.
See also
• Rugby union in Japan
2003 World Cup
Main article: 2003 Rugby World Cup - Asia qualification References
Asia retained its single berth plus repechage spot (vs.
[1] "HSBC Asian Five Nations Rugby Tournament
Oceania) in the 2003 WC qualifiers. This time, eleven
2010". HSBC Asian Five Nations.
teams took part, with the Arabian Gulf, China and Kaza-
http://www.a5nrugby.com/index.php. Retrieved 4
khstan joining the fray.
June 2010.
Before Japan and South Korea entered the competi-
[2] "Inaugural Asian Five Nations set for kick off".
tion, the other nine teams were split into three round-
International Rugby Board. 21 February 2008.
robin pools, with the winners (China, Hong Kong and
http://www.irb.com/newsmedia/mediazone/
Taiwan) then playing another round-robin with the top
pressrelease/
team (Taiwan) going on to the final pool with Japan and
newsid=2022343.html#inaugural+asian+five+nations+kick.
South Korea, which would decide the automatic and
Retrieved 4 June 2010.
repechage qualifying spots. Japan again emerged victo-
[3] "Japan and HK vie for RWC 2011 place".
rious, beating their previous score against Taiwan in a
International Rugby Board. 20 May 2010.
155-3 win at home (their largest ever win), followed by a
http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/
120-3 scoreline in the away match. South Korea again fin-
news/
ished second, also thrashing Taiwan 119-7, and repeated
newsid=2037568.html#japan+hk+rwc+2011+place.
their previous repechage performance, losing 194-0 over
Retrieved 4 June 2010.
two legs to the Tongans.
[4] "Japan target two wins at Rugby World Cup". Rugby
Week. 23 May 2010. http://www.super14.com/
2007 World Cup
news/rugbyweek.asp?id=26022. Retrieved 4 June
Main article: 2007 Rugby World Cup - Asia qualification 2010.
Thirteen teams competed in the Asian qualifying tourna- [5] "IRB Council". International Rugby Board.
ment for the 2007 WC, Guam and India joining the com- http://www.irb.com/aboutirb/organisation/
petition for the first time. structure/council.html. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
Another new format was tried; this one more com- [6] "Japan signal intentions to claim Asia 1 spot".
plex than previously; The first round, played in 2005, Rugby World Cup 2011. International Rugby Board.
consisted of four "divisions"; 1, 2, 3a and 3b. In the second http://www.rugbyworldcup.com/qualifying/
round, the top two of Division One (2005) and the winner news/newsid=2037172.html. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
of Division Two (2005) would form Division One (2006), whilst [7] "Japan qualify for Rugby World Cup". Scrum.com.
the bottom team of Division One (2005), the second (of http://www.scrum.com/asian5nations/rugby/
three) in Division Two (2005), and the winner of a play-off story/115975.html. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
between the Division 3a (2005) and Division 3b (2005) cham- [8] "England will host 2015 World Cup". BBC. 7 July
pions would form Division Two (2006). In the third round, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/
the top two from Division One (2006) and the winner of rugby_union/8170488.stm. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
Division Two (2006) would play a round-robin to decide the [9] "RWC 2015 /2019: 15 Main Topics & Venues of the
final placings. Bid of Japan". Japan Rugby Football Union.
Hong Kong, Japan and Korea formed Division One http://www.rugbyjapan.com/
(2005), with Hong Kong finishing bottom and replaced by index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=572&Itemid=1.
Arabian Gulf, who had won Division Two (2005). Taiwan Retrieved 4 June 2010.
finished bottom of Division Two, and were replaced by
Sri Lanka, winners of the 3a-3b play-off over Kazakhstan.
In the second round, Arabian Gulf finished bottom of External links
Division One (2006), and were replaced in the final round There are actually 33 Asian Nations that play rugby un-
by Hong Kong, who won Division Two (2006). In the final der the IRB, there is a web site that has information about
group, Japan again emerged victorious, sealing their every one of the 33 Asian rugby playing nations, the
place at the World Cup with a comprehensive 54-0 defeat clubs, results and general Asian rugby information, the
of South Korea, who went on to lose to the Tongans for free web site was set up to address the lack of informa-
tion about rugby in Asia available Rugby in Asia.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rugby union in Asia
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_union_in_Asia"
Categories: Rugby union in Asia
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