Elementary school students from seven rugby schools in Tokyo participated.All games were filled with energy and were heated.

　The rugby experience session for elementary and junior high school students was held with the cooperation of players and staff from Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo and Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath, and included experiences such as lineout experience and kicking towards the goal post used in matches. It was conducted in groups. It was a valuable opportunity for children to experience rugby, with comments such as ``I learned directly from the players,'' ``I enjoyed rugby,'' and ``I hope it will be held again.''

　As a first attempt, the "TOKYO RUGBY MONTH Special Match" was held between the Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo and the Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath. Elementary school students from rugby schools in Tokyo who had participated in the friendly match in the morning accompanied the players as escort kids when they entered the stadium. In addition, to make it easy to understand and enjoyable for those watching rugby for the first time, Mr. Hiroyuki Tanuma and Mr. Shinya Makabe provided live commentary on the match and handed out leaflets explaining the rules for children. The day was blessed with good weather, and 9,445 people, including parents and children, came to watch the match.

　This event was carried out with the cooperation of Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo players and staff.The children who participated were enthusiastic about the activities, such as dividing into groups and passing the ball around and catching the high ball. They expressed great satisfaction, saying, ``It was fun because they taught me so well,'' ``I got interested in rugby,'' and ``Parents and children had fun together.''

　We held a clinic for elementary school rugby school coaches, with instructors Leo Kawai, former member of the Japan rugby team, and Masahiro Komori, former analyst for the Japan Rugby Sevens team.
　In addition to teaching methods to improve handling (catching and passing) techniques, the children were taught a menu that would allow the children to have fun while practicing.

　Elementary school students from eight rugby schools in Tokyo participated in a heated game on two separate fields while their parents and coaches watched.

　An exchange match was held for junior high school students belonging to rugby schools in Tokyo, with 11 schools participating.Powerful play unfolded on the grass field, which was also used by teams participating in the Rugby World Cup 2019.

　On the final day of the event, "TOKYO RUGBY WOMEN'S DAY" was held at Yoyogi Park Stadium, which was newly constructed as a legacy of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, with the aim of improving the competitive ability of women's rugby and spreading its popularity.

　At the women's rugby experience session, which was our first attempt, we welcomed instructors Ms. Wasana Fukushima, former member of Japan's rugby women's national team, and Ms. Louise Dalgliesh, former member of Scotland's rugby women's national team. While doing so, I experienced passing and contact plays.We received comments from participants such as ``I was happy to hear from the coaches so many times'' and ``Parents and children had fun together.''

　For the girls' joint training session, former Japan national team players Eri Kamimura, Chisato Yokoo, and Keiko Kato were welcomed as female coaches for elementary school girls belonging to rugby schools in Tokyo. The children practiced with their coaches while also engaging in recreational activities. After the practice, a friendly match was held under the supervision of the female coaches, and the children put into practice the plays they had learned while receiving advice as needed.

　A 7-a-side exchange game was held between junior high school girls.Junior high school students from not only Tokyo but also Saitama and Chiba participated, and it was a valuable opportunity for interaction as they played games in special mixed teams.As we played together across team boundaries, we could see smiling faces from time to time, and it looked like we were having a lot of fun.

　Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo official mascot character ``Rammaru'', Tokyo sports promotion ambassador ``Yurito'', and Japan Rugby Football Union official mascot ``Renji'' appeared at each venue.They interacted with the participants by appearing at halftime during the special match and posing for commemorative photos together at the trial session.

【Contact Us】

Office for Sports Promotion, Sports General Promotion Department, Sports Division, Sports Exchange Section
Email:S1180718@section.metro.tokyo.jp
Phone: 03-5000-7410