June 26, 2012

Too young, fit and fast

Dateline: June 24th, 2012

With the Tokyo Cup over for 2012 the Tokyo Gaijin RFC organized a few 'friendlies' to get more game time for some of their fringe players and to give new guys a run out before the summer break over August. First cab off the rank was a young Sofia University side of which the team knew very little about. Like most University teams in Japan the TGRFC knew they would be well-drilled and fit and fast. The Gaijin squad was a mixture of experience and the raw. In a game littered with mistakes the Sofia University side didn't disappoint and saw the Gaijin fail to get on top of a much younger, fitter and faster University team.

June 11, 2012

TGRFC wins Setagaya 7’s

Dateline: June 3rd, 2012

After the intensity of the Tokyo Cup 1st Division and the disappointment of losing the semi-finals to Tama RFC the Gaijin turned up at Setagaya Field in Futako Tamagawa to participate in the Setagaya 7's mainly looking to enjoy their rugby and have a fun day out. Expectations were not high as the team was missing a few of their 'stars' and Bryan O'Brien, arguably the fastest man in the club, had pulled out in the morning after a week battling a bad cold.

June 11, 2012

Scene 2: Act 1 – Yellow cards prove costly

Dateline: 27th May, 2012

The Tokyo Gaijin RFC (TGRFC) gathered at Edogawa Rinkai Kyugijou ready for the battle of their lives as they faced Tama RFC in the semi final of the 1st Division of the Tokyo Cup. Tama RFC are a very successful club often finishing near the top of the Tokyo Cup and could be considered one of the best amateur teams in Japan, and the TGRFC were making history by being the first TGRFC team to make it to the semi-finals of the Tokyo Cup 1st Division. The TGRFC hadn't played Tama Club for about 10 years when they regularly played them in the Tama League before the Gaijin switched to the Shuto League.

May 31, 2012

Act 4: Comeback knocks off Waseda

Dateline: May 20th, 2012

The Tokyo Gaijin RFC (TGRFC) turned up at the Edogawa Rinkai Kyugijyo for their match against Waseda Old Boys in the Tokyo Cup 1st Division two and a half hours before their 2:30pm kickoff to go through the usual strict Tokyo Cup rigmarole of registration and dress check. It was then that they found out that Mosese Rarasea had forgotten to bring the jerseys. He made some quick phone calls to his wife but in the mean time the TGRFC managed to procure a set of jerseys from another team (Fuji Club) but found out at the dress check that the colours would clash with their opposition. They then borrowed a set from Baku & Clover Club. All the jerseys had been worn earlier in the day and with it being quite a hot morning they were all a bit on the nose but beggars can't be choosers. To everyone's relief Mrs. Rarasea turned up with the team jerseys just a minute before kickoff and the Gaijin quickly changed into their own strip.