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Portugal vs Japan

Bluebags1908

Juniors
Messages
1,258
According to the Portuguese Rugby League website, this match will take place in Sydney on Thursday 31st January:
http://www.portugueserugbyleague.com/index.php?p=1_1

This will be a welcome re-appearance from the Japanese (most of their players fly in from Japan to play these matches in Australia plus the Cabramatta 9's - which next year is on 2nd February. And their Australian-based players are mostly Japanese-born uni students). Hopefully they will play Thailand in the Asia Cup next year - that will be a very even contest. Philippines with their Aussie expats are way ahead of both these teams.

Good to see Portugal still battling away - but they have had no Rugby League activity in Portugal despite their Aussie expats team being around for a few years.

I haven't added Portugal to my all-time listing of national teams here: http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=386182&page=4 because, unlike all the other countries that started out with Aussie expat teams (Lebanon, Italy, Malta, Greece, Philippines) they do not have a governing body based in the homeland (as well as in Australia) as far as I am aware, and have not played any matches on home soil. The Philippines national team hasn't played on home soil but they do have a governing body based there and a domestic match was played there a few weeks ago.
 
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Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
Why do the Japanese waste all their money flying to Australia to play against these nothing teams?
 

The Great Dane

First Grade
Messages
7,726
Why do the Japanese waste all their money flying to Australia to play against these nothing teams?

Because it's play against "these nothing teams" or don't play at all and for some reason they prefer to "waste all their money flying to Australia" then not play any games at all, and good on them to.
 

Sports Mad

Juniors
Messages
44
Pretty disapointing to see.
With so many Asian countries taking up RL of late, there would have been more worthwhile, even more cost effective ventures to undertake.

The Phillipines have made public their desires to stage the 2013 Asian cup at the same time the 2013 World Cup is on in Britain. Does this mean Japan will not being competing?

Hawaii would have been another perfect option. I guess they're turned away by the last experiece though. There hundreds of thousands of Japanese on Oahu at one time. Couldnt get a more perfect venture in my opinon.
 

Evil Homer

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
7,178
Because it's play against "these nothing teams" or don't play at all and for some reason they prefer to "waste all their money flying to Australia" then not play any games at all, and good on them to.
No, it isn't. They don't have a domestic competition and haven't made any serious attempts to set one up in about a decade, they clearly aren't serious about developing the sport which obviously is their prerogative but is a shame considering they have the money to spend on ventures like this. And as for 'Portugal', the less said the better.
 

Bluebags1908

Juniors
Messages
1,258
Why do the Japanese waste all their money flying to Australia to play against these nothing teams?

I think you will find that the Japanse are coming to Australia primarily for the Cabramatta 9's, with a game against Portugal being an add-on.

I hope that this trip to Australia still leaves them with enough money to play Thailand or the Philipines in an Asia Cup at the end of next year. They is where the real development lies.
 

Arucard

Juniors
Messages
589
Looking forward to seeing our 40+ year olds lining up again lol.
Fully expect our 40 year old RLIF player of the year who spent half the Tokyo series as a ref/touchie to line up :crazy:

As was said above, the mates club that's in charge isn't making much progress here.
We have 1 team with the 2nd being a rugby union team Tokyo crusaders.
 

Arucard

Juniors
Messages
589
Tokyo 13 Warriors played a 7 game series against Shinjuku Giant-Crusaders(RU team with some RL guys from different places around Japan). Warriors won 5 - 2.
Japan RL guys are sending a team to the ITFF(oztag) World Cup in Auckland begining of December.

Theres ya news for 2012.
 

Arucard

Juniors
Messages
589
Warriors train together weekly.
Giant-crusaders don't. It's just whoever turns up on the day.
If the RU team plays again next year, we will continue with 2 teams.
 

expansionist

Juniors
Messages
827
Thanks. Are these players Expats or Japanese nationals?

Is there a governing body as such to oversee these games?
 

Arucard

Juniors
Messages
589
Crusaders are mostly foreigners.
Warriors are mostly Japanese.

The "mates club" is the governing body here.
 

slickrabbit

Juniors
Messages
126
RL in Japan will be very hard to bring success due to the popularity of rugby there. Most of all the top rugby style players go to union due to the pathway to good universities and then onto a good company job. No amount of money will change this behaviour and anyone complaining of the lack of league development in Japan, needs to take this into account. There simply is very little interest in league other than the core area of Kyushu where it's popular in high schools.
 

mattystans000

Juniors
Messages
326
From the Portuguese RL website:

Thursday 31st January 2013
Portugal v Japan
Norford Park, Sefton. Kick-off 6pm

(Obvious shame that games like this aren't played in their nations, with domestic & pro talent, etc, etc, but...) Who's going? I'm thinking i'll be there!
 
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