World Rugby Chair Bernard Lapasset "has voiced his backing for Japan's inclusion in the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship competition alongside New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina," according to Simon Jennings of REUTERS.
The sport "is enjoying a surge in popularity in the country that will host the next World Cup in 2019 and after securing a franchise in the Super Rugby tournament, Lapasset believes a similar deal at international level is a distinct possibility." He said, "Japan is part of the total global vision of the rugby that we are promoting in the world, especially in the South with Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia. That's the top five -- with Japan. Not just Tier 2 and Tier 1, the top five."
The popularity of rugby in Japan "has rocketed after the Brave Blossoms stunned two-time world champions South Africa with a last-gasp 34-32 win" at the recent World Cup in England. TV viewing figures in Japan "soared after the South Africa game and Lapasset has fixed his sights firmly on increasing the sport's popularity across the rest of Asia" (REUTERS, 11/10).
