Rugby - Yokohama Sports Teams Special

Rugby is a sport in which points are scored by carrying an oval-shaped ball to a scoring area in the opponent's territory. Rugby is characterized by the fact that throwing the ball forward is a foul, and there are 15-player and 7-player competitions with different numbers of players.
Although it is a contact sport, it is also known as a "gentleman's sport" because of the strong spirit of respect for one's opponent. The end of a match is called "No Side," which means that once the match is over, there is no distinction between friend and foe, and the message is "Let's congratulate each other on a good fight! This is the message of the "No Side" rule.
It is said that the history of the sport dates back to 1823, when a boy named Webb Ellis ran with the ball in his hand during a football game at Rugby School in England, and in Japan it is popular as a university sport. The World Cup is also being held in Japan in 2019. Yokohama hosted the final game, which was a big turnout.

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Spectator's Guide

POINT1

The basic rule of rugby is that the ball must not be thrown forward. Players with various personalities, such as forwards who excel in power play and backs who excel in speed play, aim for victory.

POINT2

What you can't miss is the tackling. When you watch the game and see the tackles, you can actually hear the sound of the well-trained players' bodies colliding with each other.

POINT3

Japanese rugby used to be far behind world level, but in recent years, its ability has soared, as evidenced by its historic victory at the World Cup. Even in Japan, you can enjoy world-class rugby play.

POINT4

Although 15-man rugby is well known, 7-man (sevens) rugby has also been attracting attention in recent years, as evidenced by its inclusion in the Summer Olympics. The game is short, lasting no more than 14 minutes (7-minute halves), but the smaller number of players allows for more space and allows for more tries to be scored.

*Information of teams, players, uniforms and uniform numbers are as of March 2023.

Yokohama Canon Eagles

Founded in 1980 as the Canon Rugby Club, this historic team is a member of Japan Rugby League One. The host area is Yokohama City, the birthplace of Japanese rugby and the site of the highly successful Rugby World Cup finals in Japan, and Oita Prefecture, the only regional city to have hosted a playoff tournament match.
The stadiums are Nissan Stadium and Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium. The team's slogan is "Exciting & Quality Rugby," and the goal is to continue to attract supporters with high-quality, aggressive, and exciting rugby, and to remain focused on winning.
The mascot is Kanon-chan, the "Princess of the Eagle Nebula”. She loves "Yokohama Canon Eagles" and "Cheering".
Image courtesy of ©Yokohama Canon Eagles
Team Information
Practice ground Canon Sports Park
Address 5290-1 Onoji-machi, Machida-shi, Tokyo
Official website (match information): https://www.canon-eagles.jp/
Access to the stadium
  • 2-min. walk from Minamino 2-chome bus stop
  • 5-min. walk from Ochiai 6-chome bus stop

YOKOHAMA TKM

The women's 7-a-side rugby team was established on August 8, 2011 as "TKM7 (Totsuka Kyoritsu Medical Sevens Rugby Club)" in Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, and changed its name to "YOKOHAMA TKM" in 2014. The team's main ground is the Yokohama FC LEOC Training Center, and the emblem incorporates the cherry blossom, the symbol of the Japanese national rugby team, as well as the beloved "Flower of Totsuka-ku".
Many of the players and staff work at facilities operated by Yokohama Mirai Healthcare System. They aim to create a team that can work safely in a support system based on a well-organized work environment, practice environment and advanced medical technology.
Team Information
Home Stadium Yokohama FC, LEOC Training Center
Address 1527 Shinano-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Official website (match information): https://tkm7.jp/
Access to the stadium 20-min. walk from Kamihoshikawa Station on Sagami Railway