Dateline: 22nd September, 2012

Your mission Ikuo Fukuda, if you choose to accept, is to get at least 30 players to go on a bus tour to Yamansahi Prefecture to play a double-header against two local clubs. Well Ikuo accepted but this part of the mission seemed an impossibilty with many team members seemingly busy with other things on this particular weekend. In fact the day started with miserable weather and heavy rain which caused 5 drop-outs on the morninig of the tour, something that must have given Ikuo grey hairs as that meant the team was now down to 16 players. What's more Natsu Kunitomo had just woken up and it was past  departure time. At least he didn't let the team down and got on a train and got himself out to Yamanashi on time. So that part of the Ikuo's mission was not accomplished.

Dateline: 15th Septemeber, 2012

The 2nd round of the Shuto League saw Tokyo Gaijin RFC come up against All Jin Jan at the beautiful Tatsumi Field. All Jin Jan have traditionally been the toughest rivals for the title but have been runners up to the Gaijin over the past three years. The game was sure to be a tough battle and the Gaijin would have to overcome the absence of two of their best players from the week before in Sam Deroeck and Nik Pavesic. They did however have big Kiwi standoff Blake Walker back for his first game of 15's rugby for 18 months after complications from knee surgery.

Dateline: 8th September, 2012

The Gaijin gathered at Yanokuchi Field for their first round Shuto League game of 2012, in their quest to remain Shuto League champions. The opposition was All France who had just been promoted from the 2nd Division. The Gaijin had a big squad and the aim was to get an early lead and get as many players as possible onto the field in the second half as the Shuto League has fairly relaxed rules and allows more than the regulation 7 reserves; in fact the number of reserves allowed is unlimited.

Dateline: July 31st, 2012

This is the column where you find out what is happening with your team. Read on to find out about the comings and goings nto and from your team, the rumours and innuendo, with a few sprinkles of real news to top it off. This is the first Around the Traps since February 1st so there has been a lot of new players join the team and a lot has happened.