Dateline: 11th September, 2011

A hatrick from debutant Sam Deroeck and a dominant scrum helped the Tokyo Gaijin RFC start their 2011 Shuto League campaign with a comprehensive 62 v 12 win over Fuji RFC. This augers well in a season with two strong newcomers in the First Division of the Shuto League and the Gaijin hoping for a third consecutive Shuto League title.

A strong 30 man squad gathered at Mizonokuchi Station at 8 a.m for the bus to take them on their long awaited tour to Numazu, Shizuoka Prefecture, to play Ashitaka RFC and Daen RFC in a three way tournament. The initial fixture was slated for March 12th, 2011, but was cancelled as it came just two days after the devaststing earthquake and subsequent tsunami that flattened northern Japan.

A friendly match was arranged during the off-season between the Japanese National Rugby League team and the Tokyo Gaijin RFC. This match served the purposes of ensuring that at least a modicum of fitness was carried into the autumn, introducing some new players to the team and having some fun with rugby league.

The TGRFC Northern Hemisphere squad arrived fit and ready for work in the stifling heat of the day. Numbers gradually increased over the course of the day, but the core playmakers and gameplan stayed roughly consistent for the day. The NH were placed in a different pool for the first stage of the tournament.