Qantas Wallabies and Japan to clash in 2017
The Qantas Wallabies will visit Japan next November to take on the Cherry Blossoms, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) announced today.
The November 4 fixture will be the first Test match played on Japanese soil between the two nations, who have met on four previous occasions dating back to 1975.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver said: “This Test match will be a historic occasion as the Qantas Wallabies play their first Test match against Japan on Japanese soil, less than two years before Japan hosts its first ever Rugby World Cup in 2019.
“Japan’s win against South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup is legendary and the rise of Japanese Rugby has continued with the inclusion of the Sunwolves in the Super Rugby competition this year.
“This match will give the Wallabies a taste of playing Test Rugby in Japanese conditions ahead of the World Cup and will springboard their tour of Europe and the United Kingdom next year.”
The Qantas Wallabies have played one Test in Japan previously, a 32-19 Bledisloe Cup defeat to New Zealand at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo in 2009.
The venue for the Japan Test on November 4 will be confirmed in early 2017.
Australia has won each of its four previous meetings against Japan, including a 91-3 victory in their most recent clash in Lyon, France at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Following the clash with Japan, the Wallabies will head to Europe to continue their 2017 Spring Tour. On this tour, they will face England on November 18 at Twickenham Stadium, with the remaining fixtures yet to be announced.
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