Japan's November schedule now set

Japan now have a November schedule set with 2 home games against the Maori All Blacks followed by a trip to Europe to face Romania and Georgia again.

The Maori All Blacks tour of North America was surprisingly successful, especially given neither of their opponents were at full strength. The game against Canada even set a record crowd at BMO Field in Toronto.

Now  this year the Maori All Blacks side, which is mostly made up of Super Rugby players and last year included 6 former full All Blacks, will tour Asia instead this time playing 3 games.

The first game of the tour takes place outside the international release window on November 1 at the Noevir Stadium in Kobe. Unlike Canada last year the timing of the game won't effect the strength of the team Japan can put out as they have no players based in Europe. Another game then follows at the Chichibunomiya Stadium in Tokyo on November 8.

The Maori All Blacks had a successful
tour of North America last year, where
the USA gave them a tough encounter.

It is tough to gauge what Japan's chances without the Maori All Blacks having named their squad, but the Maori All Blacks are on a 16 match unbeaten streak against national team opposition which includes wins over the British & Irish Lions in 2005, Ireland and England in 2010 and also won the Pacific Nations Cup without a loss in 2008.

However they didn't look all that overwhelmingly dominant in North America last year either, even though both opponents were weakened. The USA in particular gave them a tough game.

The main test of the games though with the 2019 World Cup approaching are how well they do off the field, Japan didn't get a great crowd against Italy last June and barring sell outs against Wales and New Zealand last year crowds in general have been pretty lacklustre for the last decade or so. If with the momentum of an unbeaten June added to a win over Wales last November can't match the North Americans ticket sales, then worries about their hosting in 2019 will increase.

After that game the Maori All Blacks will play Super Rugby hopeful Asia Pacific Dragons in Singapore, whilst Japan will fly out to Europe and repeat their tour of 2012 in playing Romania in Bucharest then Georgia in Tbilisi.

2 years ago they won managed to win both games without a scrum, the latter against Georgia where they came down from 9 points behind twice to win with a last minute drop goal remaining one of their best games under Eddie Jones' leadership.

All the games should offer a test on the field for Japan in various ways, with the game against Georgia a real 50/50.

Japan November 2014 Fixtures:

01/11 – Maori All Blacks (Noevir Stadium, Kobe)

08/11 – Maori All Blacks (Chichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo)

15/11 – Romania (TBC)

22/11 – Georgia (TBC)

(Video: Last play of Japan's win over Georgia in November 2012)