Japan rugby tightens eligibility rules on foreign-born players

Very strange rule as Rugby is one sport where anyone can play for any country. It is a sport for the rich, where players are paid a lot of money to play for different countries. New Zealand have a lot of players from smaller Pacific islands playing for them.

Long overdue, give Japanese players the chance they deserve.

Long overdue, give Japanese players the chance they deserve.

Yes, but most are not good enough.

Long overdue, give Japanese players the chance they deserve.

Yeah, and watch Japan’s chances of getting anywhere near a sniff of winning the World Cup disappear into the ether. And then, see all the Brave Blossom “fans” go back to following baseball.

good decision. Who wants to see a bunch of foreign-born ringers win it for Japan?

if the locals can’t got it alone, it’s not their game. No use in pretending.

I think it's weird how some people refer to the non-Japanese players as "Japanese".

I think it's weird how some people refer to the non-Japanese players as "Japanese".

In the US, anybody can say "American" and it's believable, lol

Yeah, and watch Japan’s chances of getting anywhere near a sniff of winning the World Cup disappear into the ether.

Be serious, Japan does not have a sniff of winning the Rugby world cup with or without its foreign players.

Each year I donate has many football I can collect plus 10 new football to Kamaishi Rugby to get distributed to school and club in Iwate area. I am hoping It encourages new recruits to the game.

Who wants to see a bunch of foreign-born ringers win it for Japan?

Looking at how the crowds take the team's wins I would say a lot of people do.

Rugby rules on qualification have been out of control for years, players that had played for the Samoan national team then playing for New Zealand.

The Japan team has been clearly playing fast and free with the rules when half the team don’t look Japanese. Fast track passports for sports should not be allowed,

if they’ve lived in the country for the right amount of time and follow the rules to become Japanese(which are very strict) then they should qualify. But importing players for the rugby team is effectively cheating..

Allowing a player who isn't a citizen to play on a national team is ridiculous.

‘Effectively cheating” very good point.

sure, there are always sheep who will flock to a game in Japan but most Japanese I talk to don’t consider the Brave Blossoms to be representative of Japan.