Waseda University Rugby Football Club
Encyclopedia
Waseda University R.F.C. was founded in 1918. It is one of the top rugby union
clubs for students in Japan, together with Kanto Gakuin University RFC, Keio University RFC and Doshisha University RFC.
It is the representative club of Waseda University
and has produced many players for the Japan national rugby union team
.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
clubs for students in Japan, together with Kanto Gakuin University RFC, Keio University RFC and Doshisha University RFC.
It is the representative club of Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
and has produced many players for the Japan national rugby union team
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
.
Notable victories
- 1966 - Waseda win their first All-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipAll-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipThe All-Japan Rugby Football Championship is played at the end of the season and now includes Top League teams, the top two universities and the champion club team as decided in the respective championships...
and the University championship rugbyUniversity championship rugbyThe All-Japan University Rugby Football Championships have been held annually since 1964 to determine the top University Rugby team.In 1964 only 4 teams competed...
title.
- 1971 - Waseda win their second All-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipAll-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipThe All-Japan Rugby Football Championship is played at the end of the season and now includes Top League teams, the top two universities and the champion club team as decided in the respective championships...
, beating Shinnitetsu Kamaishi 30-16.
- 1972 - Waseda win their third All-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipAll-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipThe All-Japan Rugby Football Championship is played at the end of the season and now includes Top League teams, the top two universities and the champion club team as decided in the respective championships...
, beating Mitsubishi Jikou 14-11.
- 1988 - Waseda win their fourth All-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipAll-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipThe All-Japan Rugby Football Championship is played at the end of the season and now includes Top League teams, the top two universities and the champion club team as decided in the respective championships...
, beating Toshiba Fuchuu 22-16.
- Waseda, coached by Katsuyuki KiyomiyaKatsuyuki Kiyomiyais a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC and now of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan hope he will coach the national side in the future.-Early life:...
, beat Toyota VerblitzToyota VerblitzToyota Verblitz is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. Verblitz is a conflation of verde and blitz . The team is owned by Toyota Jidosha and is separate from, and not to be confused with, the Toyota Industries Shuttles rugby team, owned by Toyota Industries...
28-24 in the All-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipAll-Japan Rugby Football ChampionshipThe All-Japan Rugby Football Championship is played at the end of the season and now includes Top League teams, the top two universities and the champion club team as decided in the respective championships...
at ChichibunomiyaChichibunomiya rugby stadiumin the Aoyama district of central Tokyo is the spiritual home of Japanese rugby union and the headquarters of the Japan Rugby Football Union.-Facilities:...
on February 12, 2006. It was thus the first Japanese university to beat a Top LeagueTop LeagueThe Top League is a professional rugby union league created by the Japan Rugby Football Union to drive up the overall standard and popularity of the sport in the country and improve the results of the Japan national rugby union team. The first season was 2003-04 and featured 12 teams...
team. (In the semi-final Waseda lost to Toshiba Brave LupusToshiba Brave LupusToshiba Brave Lupus is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. They are based in Fuchu, Tokyo, as is their local rival Suntory Sungoliath. They won the second ever Top League championship in the 2004-5 season and the Microsoft Cup in 2005 under their innovative and inventive coach Masahiro...
0-43.)
Past
- Katsuyuki KiyomiyaKatsuyuki Kiyomiyais a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC and now of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan hope he will coach the national side in the future.-Early life:...
- Hiroaki ShukuzawaHiroaki Shukuzawawas a successful rugby coach of the Japan national rugby union team until now. As a player, he was capped three times by Japan as a scrum-half, and he also advised the Japan Rugby Football Union. He held important posts as a banker also....
- the Japan national rugby union teamJapan national rugby union teamThe Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
's most successful coach so far - Katsuhiko OkuKatsuhiko OkuKatsuhiko Oku was a Japanese diplomat who played rugby for Oxford and Waseda University...
- diplomat - Yoshiro MoriYoshiro Moriis a Japanese politician who served as the 85th and 86th Prime Minister of Japan starting at 5 April 2000 ending 26 April 2001. Described as having "the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark," he was an unpopular prime minister mainly remembered today for his many gaffes and situationally...
- former Prime Minister
Coaches
- Onishi TetsunosukeOnishi TetsunosukeOnishi Tetsunosuke was born in Nara city, Nara prefecture on April 7, 1916, and died on September 19, 1995. He was a professor of Waseda University, coach of the Japan national rugby union team and Waseda University Rugby Football Club. He has been described as a Japanese Carwyn James and was a...
- Katsuyuki KiyomiyaKatsuyuki Kiyomiyais a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC and now of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan hope he will coach the national side in the future.-Early life:...
(2001-2006). He was formerly a player for Waseda and SuntorySuntory SungoliathSuntory Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus...
. In February 2006 a book was published by him in Japanese entitled Kyukyoku no Shori:Ultimate Crush ISBN 4-06-213271-0 He has been hugely successful with Waseda. The book has been translated into English. See here.
- Ryuji Nakatake (2006-
External links
- Katsuyuki Kiyomiya
- Waseda University R.F.C. - official website