The K.E.R.A (Korean Expatriate Rugby Association) rugby union league 2020, which includes four rugby clubs, is set to kick off this March.
2019 K.E.R.A League review
The Korean peninsula had a busy rugby year in 2019 and the K.E.R.A season saw a total of seven 10-a-side tournaments which ran from April through to mid-November.
The season is broken up into the main league, which competes for the Joe Day Cup, and then a final Shield Knockout Tournament.
You can read more about the K.E.R.A here.
Joe Day Cup
Seoul Survivors RFC Joe Day Cup 2019 champions
The Joe Day Cup for the league championship was contested over 6 tournaments and won by the Seoul Survivors RFC, who were also celebrating their club’s 40th anniversary.
The Ulsan Goblins and Stars and Stripes Rugby (a team comprising of U.S. military personnel) both had their moments in a tightly contested league season.
“A pleasing aspect of the 2019 season was the fact that the Goblins, who have access to the smallest player base, were able to field highly competitive sides in all 7 tournaments,” said Nick Goodman.
2019 was also a breakthrough year for the Stars and Stripes who finished a close 2nd in the league after recording their highest-ever number of victories.
KERA Knockout Shield Tournament 2019
Busan Bandits Shield Knockout Winners 2019
The Busan Bandits finished strongly to win the year-end Shield Knockout Tournament last season.
2020 K.E.R.A Season schedule
The same four rugby teams are back in 2020 and the 2020 K.E.R.A. season will kick off on March 21st in Pyeontaek, with the Stars and Stripes hosting the opening round of the Joe Day Cup. The Cup will be contested over 4 rounds in 2020, with each club hosting one round.
Joe Day Cup tournament 2020 dates and locations:
- March 21 2020: Pyeontaek
- April 18 2020: Seoul
- May 16 2020: Ulsan
- June 13 2020: Busan
The 15- a-side rugby is scheduled for the autumn season beginning in September 2020.
The four clubs involved in the league all maintain an active presence on social media and are very welcoming to new players and supporters. Contact can be made via the following channels.
Seoul Survivors Rugby
Also, read our Club Spotlight on them here.
Star and Stripes Rugby
Busan Bandits Rugby
Ulsan Goblins Rugby
Ulsan Goblins 2019 KERA
Other Korean rugby highlights from 2019
Rugby Charity Dinner
Away from the K.E.R.A league, a successful Rugby Charity Dinner was staged in Seoul in 2019, emceed by ‘the voice’ of Asian Rugby commentator Grant Beuzeval. A crowd of over 200 were entertained by insightful and hilarious anecdotes from rugby world cup winners – Rod McCall (Australia 1991), Joel Stransky (South Africa 1995), and Israel Dagg (New Zealand 2011).
An excellent turn-out from the K.E.R.A. community helped to ensure that the charities supported by the event (including ‘Get Into Rugby Korea’) received significant donations.
The speakers raised the profile of rugby in Korea by giving several interviews with local media, and running coaching sessions for students at the Korean Military Academy, for junior rugby players at Dulwich International School, and for K.E.R.A. players.
Stars and Stripes Rugby KERA 2019
Asia Rugby Sevens Series 2019
McCall, Stransky, and Dagg also visited the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea, before rounding out a busy schedule by attending the Korean Leg of the Asia Rugby Sevens Series (A.R.S.S) at Namdong Asiad Stadium in Incheon.
The Korean National Men’s 7’s put on a show by qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. After coming into the qualification tournament on the back of some patchy form in the A.R.S.S, the Korean men recorded two come-from-behind extra-time victories in the semi-final and final.
Thanks to Nick Goodman from the Seoul Survivors RFC for helping with providing the information on the 2020 K.E.R.A League and 2019 review.
Read about other Asian rugby tournaments in 2020
- HSBC 7s World Series tournaments postponed.
- The Bangkok International 10s starts Feb 29th.
- Manila Rugby Tens 2020 is in March in the Philippines.
- The Taiwan International Tens 2020 is in June.
- Find out about the Phuket International Rugby Tens 2020.
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