Japan will wait until World Rugby confirms on Thursday the revised autumn international campaign in Europe before announcing whether it will take part in an eight-country tournament involving the Six Nations and Fiji.
World Rugby’s executive committee last week recommended doubling the number of Tests in the autumn from three to six to allow the Six Nations tournament to be concluded before the autumn internationals are staged on four successive weekends from 14 November.
The Six Nations have had to revise their schedules with New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and Argentina intending to stage the Rugby Championship in November. They have devised an eight-team, two-pool tournament that would conclude with the sides who finished in the same position in their groups meeting on the final weekend. Fiji and Japan have been invited to take part.
Fiji’s players are based largely in Europe and would be available with the executive committee recommending that the regulation governing the release of players is extended for the whole six weeks. Japan lit up the World Cup they hosted last year with the energetic and innovative approach that took them to the quarter-finals.
With the Gallagher Premiership and Guinness Pro14 resuming next month and the Top 14 kicking off in September, players from seven of the eight sides will be match-hardened by the start of the autumn series. In contrast, Japan will be arriving cold after their Top League was called off in February and the cancellation of their summer Tests against Wales and England.
“We are waiting for the final decision of World Rugby which is expected on 30 July,” a Japan Rugby Football Union spokesperson said. “Until then we will not be making any comment on reports.”
Asked about whether Japan were looking to arrange any warm-up matches to prepare the Brave Blossoms for the tournament, the spokesperson said: “The JRFU has been exploring all possibilities with flexibility under the current circumstances. We expect to make an announcement after World Rugby’s decision and after we have had further discussions with stakeholders.”
Japan, who were due to play Ireland and Scotland in November, would be in a group with France, Scotland – the side they beat in the final World Cup group match in Yokohama to clinch their place in the last eight – and Italy while England, Wales, Ireland and Fiji make up the other quartet. The Six Nations is expected to make an official announcement next week.
