Pacific Nations Cup history

Number of tournaments: 13
Best finish: Champions (2011, 2014, 2019)
Most points in a match: 62 (62-24 v Tonga in 2025)
Biggest win: 42 (57-15 v Canada in 2025)

Did you know...? Japan’s first-ever victory in a rugby international was on 31 January, 1932, when they beat Canada in front of a reported crowd of 25,000.

Kit colour: Cherry red and white
Team logo: Cherry blossom, known as sakura
Nickname: Brave Blossoms
Known for: Super-fast rugby and the ability to strike from anywhere on the pitch

Current form

World Ranking: 12
Form: WLLLL

Head coach: Eddie Jones

It’s Eddie Jones. What more needs to be said? The controversial, quotable, workaholic continues to divide opinion and continues not to care what anyone outside those closest to him think. His job is to get results and help Japan climb the World Rugby Men’s Rankings. 

In brief

Japan have lost in the Pacific Nations Cup final for the past two years and will be aiming to make it third time lucky on home soil in 2026.

The Brave Blossoms pushed Jones’ native Australia all the way in the first of their recent two-test series, losing 35-32 in Osaka before a comprehensive 56-17 defeat in Townsville.

Jones, now in his second spell in charge of Japan, presided over a 27-10 victory over Italy in the Nations Championship opener against Italy before his men suffered successive defeats at the hands of Ireland and France.

On home soil, they will fancy their chances of going all the way and winning a fourth Pacific Nations Cup title – and a first since 2019.

Key player: Warner Dearns

The Japan captain was born in Wellington, New Zealand but moved to Japan at the age of 14 when his father Grant was working as a coach for NEC Green Rockets.

The second-row was part of the Hurricanes squad that won the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific title after defeating the Chiefs 60–5 in the final.

He debuted for the Brave Blossoms as a teenager in 2021 and coach Eddie Jones recently said of Dearns: “Warner has been absolutely outstanding in Super Rugby.

“He’s playing with good players, he’s in the strongest Super Rugby team and that’ll make him a better player.”

Legend: Ayumu Goromaru

The iconic former full-back earned 57 caps for Japan and rocketed to stardom after scoring 24 points for Japan in their famous 34-32 victory over South Africa, dubbed the Miracle of Brighton, at Rugby World Cup 2015 in England.

This lead to spells with the Reds in Australia and Toulon in France – both of which were marred by injuries – and he eventually retired in 2021.

Squad

Forwards: Sojiro Otsuka, Sho Furuhata, Takato Okabe, Shigure Takao, Shun Arakawa, Hayate Era, Kenji Sato, Mamoru Harada, Shuhei Takeuchi, Keijiro Tamefusa, Jack Cornelsen, Michael Stolberg, Warner Dearns, Harry Hockings, Ben Gunter, Tiennan Costley, Kanji Shimokawa, Esei Haangana, Aseri Masivou, Michael Leitch, Waisake Raratubua.

Backs: Itsuki Kamimura, Naoto Saito, Haruto Watanabe, Ryunosuke Ito, Sam Greene, Yuki Ikeda, Samisoni Tua, Shota Taira, Yuya Hirose, Dylan Riley, Kippei Ishida, Kazuma Ueda, Inoke Burua, Shunsuke Uenobo, Takuro Matsunaga, Taira Main.

(squad to be reduced to 30 players for tournament)

Schedule

Semi-final v USA on Saturday, 12 September 12 – Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Osaka
Final day v Fiji/Canada on Saturday, 19 September – Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo

They said

“It was a great experience, albeit quite a difficult experience, but sometimes the most difficult experiences are the best experiences.” – Head coach Eddie Jones after last month's 56-17 defeat to Australia in Townsville