Boom and bust: All Black Sam Cane joins power shift to Japan amid losses, bankruptcies in UK, Australia, New Zealand
- Former New Zealand captain Cane’s move to Tokyo-based Suntory Sungoliath adds to allure of a country attracting top players and bumper crowds
- ‘We want to make Japan Rugby League One the centre of the Asia-Pacific,’ competition’s chairman Genichi Tamatsuka says
As professional rugby teams and tournaments around the world contend with tough financial headwinds, Japan continues to buck the trend with historic growth in teams and crowds.
The Japan Rugby League One will add three new clubs next season, growing to 26 teams over three divisions. The first division will have 12 teams, the second division will have eight and there will be six in the third division.
Large corporations in Japan continue to show a strong interest in getting involved in rugby through team sponsorship. Top foreign players are being drawn to Japan at a younger age than in the past, and are staying longer.
At the same time, the picture for professional rugby is challenging in many other countries.
In England, two powerful clubs – Wasps and Worcester Warriors – have collapsed financially and closed down.
Losses by Premiership Rugby in Britain have doubled in the past year to 36 million pounds. Many individual clubs are heavily in debt.