Waseda University R.F.C. was founded in 1918. It is one of the top
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
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
, mottoeng = Independence of scholarship
, established = 21 October 1882
, type = Private
, endowment =
, president = Aiji Tanaka
, city = Shinjuku
, state = Tokyo
, country = Japan
, students = 47,959
, undergrad = 39,382
, postgrad ...
and has produced many players for the
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team, often known as the Cherry Blossoms, Sakura, and more recently The Brave Blossoms (''ブレイブ・ブロッサムズ - Bureibu burossamuzu'') is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has ...
.
Notable victories
* 1966 - Waseda win their first
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship
The All-Japan Rugby Football Championship (日本ラグビーフットボール選手権大会 ''Nihon Ragubi- Futtobo-ru Senshuken Taikai'') is played at the end of the season and is doubling as the title playoff in the Top League. The first champ ...
and the
University championship rugby
The All-Japan University Rugby Football Championships (全国大学ラグビーフットボール選手権大会 – ''Zenkoku Daigaku Ragubi- Futtobo-ru Senshuken Taikai'') have been held annually since 1964 to determine the top University Rugby ...
title.
* 1971 - Waseda win their second
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship
The All-Japan Rugby Football Championship (日本ラグビーフットボール選手権大会 ''Nihon Ragubi- Futtobo-ru Senshuken Taikai'') is played at the end of the season and is doubling as the title playoff in the Top League. The first champ ...
, beating
Shinnitetsu Kamaishi 30–16.
* 1972 - Waseda win their third
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship
The All-Japan Rugby Football Championship (日本ラグビーフットボール選手権大会 ''Nihon Ragubi- Futtobo-ru Senshuken Taikai'') is played at the end of the season and is doubling as the title playoff in the Top League. The first champ ...
, beating
Mitsubishi Jikou 14–11.
* 1988 - Waseda win their fourth
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship
The All-Japan Rugby Football Championship (日本ラグビーフットボール選手権大会 ''Nihon Ragubi- Futtobo-ru Senshuken Taikai'') is played at the end of the season and is doubling as the title playoff in the Top League. The first champ ...
, beating
Toshiba Fuchuu
, commonly known as Toshiba and stylized as TOSHIBA, is a Japanese multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its diversified products and serv ...
22–16.
* Waseda, coached by
Katsuyuki Kiyomiya is a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC (2001–06) and now (since 2006) of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan had hoped he would coach the national side in the future however after he criticized the then cur ...
, beat
Toyota Verblitz
Toyota Verblitz is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. Verblitz is a portmanteau of ''verde'' (Spanish and Portuguese for 'green') and ''blitz'' (German for 'lightning'). The team is owned by Toyota Motor Corporation and is ...
28–24 in the
All-Japan Rugby Football Championship
The All-Japan Rugby Football Championship (日本ラグビーフットボール選手権大会 ''Nihon Ragubi- Futtobo-ru Senshuken Taikai'') is played at the end of the season and is doubling as the title playoff in the Top League. The first champ ...
at
Chichibunomiya on February 12, 2006. It was thus the first Japanese university to beat a
Top League
Japan Rugby League One (formerly the Top League) is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the ...
team. (In the semi-final Waseda lost to
Toshiba Brave Lupus
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 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 ...
0-43.)
Players
Past
*
Katsuyuki Kiyomiya is a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC (2001–06) and now (since 2006) of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan had hoped he would coach the national side in the future however after he criticized the then cur ...
*
Hiroaki Shukuzawa
was a Japanese rugby union player and coach, who coached the Japan national rugby union team between 1989 and 1991. As a player, he was capped three times by Japan as a scrum-half, and he also advised the Japan Rugby Football Union. He also h ...
-
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team, often known as the Cherry Blossoms, Sakura, and more recently The Brave Blossoms (''ブレイブ・ブロッサムズ - Bureibu burossamuzu'') is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has ...
coach
*
Katsuhiko Oku
Katsuhiko Oku (奥 克彦 ''Oku Katsuhiko'', 3 January 1958 – 29 November 2003) was a Japanese diplomat who played rugby for Oxford and Waseda University. In Britain he was known as "Katsu".
Character and life
A very popular and dynamic person ...
- diplomat
*
Yoshiro Mori - former Prime Minister
Coaches
*
Onishi Tetsunosuke
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 coach of considerable achievements. He also served as a member ...
*
Katsuyuki Kiyomiya is a notable Japanese rugby union coach, formerly of Waseda University RFC (2001–06) and now (since 2006) of Suntory Sungoliath. Many in Japan had hoped he would coach the national side in the future however after he criticized the then cur ...
(2001-2006). He was formerly a player for Waseda and
Suntory. In February 2006 a book was published by him in Japanese entitled
Kyukyoku no Shori:Ultimate Crush' He has been hugely successful with Waseda. The book has been translated into English. Se
here
* Ryuji Nakatake (2006-
See also
*
Katsuhiko Oku
Katsuhiko Oku (奥 克彦 ''Oku Katsuhiko'', 3 January 1958 – 29 November 2003) was a Japanese diplomat who played rugby for Oxford and Waseda University. In Britain he was known as "Katsu".
Character and life
A very popular and dynamic person ...
References
* ''ULTIMATE CRUSH: Waseda University Rugby, Leadership and Building the Strongest Winning Team in Japan'' by Katsuyuki Kiyomiya, translated into English by Ian Ruxton (September 2006)
External links
Katsuyuki KiyomiyaWaseda University R.F.C.- official website
{{Authority control
Waseda
Rugby in Kantō
University and college rugby union clubs
Waseda University