JRFU and New Zealand Rugby Sign MoU To Develop Rugby Throughout the Asia Pacific

The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to further develop rugby throughout the Asia Pacific region.

The MoU will see more test matches, open opportunities for Japanese women players in NZ, and matches between Japanese and NZ rugby sevens and franchise/club XV outside of regular competition windows.

NZR CEO Mark Robinson said: “It is great to formalise our relationship with Japan Rugby, we have a long-standing and strong history of collaboration and mutual respect on and off the field, as well as a shared love for rugby and the values our game.

The MoU provides us with opportunities for our Teams in Black, commercial partners, and other professional teams and competitions to work more closely together. 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.”

MoU Means More Rugby Between Japan and New Zealand

JRFU CEO, Kensuke Iwabuchi added “Japan Rugby acknowledges the heritage of New Zealand Rugby and the shared respect for the integrity of our respective teams and competitions. We have a shared love of rugby and the values that the game stands for on and off the field, including teamwork, hard work, honesty and integrity.

“In working more closely together, NZR and JRFU acknowledge the importance of maintaining and respecting the heritage, competitiveness and commercial operations of existing rugby competitions played in Japan and New Zealand or involving teams from Japan and New Zealand.”

Photo Credit: JRFU

The announcement from the two unions said the MoU will result in more regular matches between the Brave Blossoms and Japan XV, and the All Blacks, All Blacks XV and Māori All Blacks between 2024-2027.

In addition, they would “explore opportunities for New Zealand-based Super Rugby teams to play Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) teams outside of core DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition windows.

The Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens will play the Japan Sevens outside of existing tournaments – two current Black Ferns Sevens players have already signed deals to play in Japan in 2023.

Opportunities will be discussed around the inclusion of some of Japan’s top women’s players to play in the Sky Super Rugby Aupiki and Bunnings Warehouse Farah Palmer Cup competitions.

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