The Japan Rugby Football Union (President: Masato Tsuchida, Minato-ku, Tokyo) has started the “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Program” in April 2024 as a project to accelerate the development of future Japanese national team players.
We would like to inform you that we will be recruiting (some) participants for the “JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Program 2026” through open recruitment. If you would like to participate, please apply using the form below.
*JAPAN TALENT SQUAD program
In collaboration with the universities to which the target athletes belong, we regularly provide skill sessions by Japan National Team staff, S&C, and nutritional guidance and advice from specialized staff to selected university student athletes, with the aim of developing world-class athletes who can represent Japan on the world stage.
■Purpose
In order to discover players who will be active on the world stage as representatives of Japan in the future, we will publicly recruit players with the following characteristics (1, 2, 3) and select them from among the applicants to become the JAPAN TALENT SQUAD.
1. hungry spirit
2. Physical capacity to match test match level
3. special rugby skills
■Training camp schedule *Subject to change
・A total of 4 times from early February to the end of March 2026 (domestic)
・After selection, toured Australia as U23 Japan representative from early April
*Participating members will be announced once they are decided.
■About selection
① Similar to last year, the members selected by the Japan National Team staff will be selected as core members.
② Separately from ①, we will set up a self-recommendation slot in this open recruitment for university students from across the country who are in their third year or younger, and will recruit a small number of applicants.
*Players selected as core members last year may not be selected this year as well. For this reason, we will also allow open recruitment of players who were selected as core members last year.
■Self-recommendation qualifications
Under 3 years of college
Prop: 105kg or more
Hocker: 100kg or more
Lock: 90kg and above + 190cm and above
Backrow: 90kg or more + 185cm or more
Backs: Standing long jump of 260cm or more, 50m dash of 6.5 seconds or less, GPS Max velocity 30km / h (8.5m/sec), Acceleration 4.5m/s.
*The above contents are required conditions,Self-promotion video andOwn PR articleThe selection will be made taking into account the following.
■How to apply
Fill in the required information
on the application form (below) and respond.
In addition, create a self-promotion video (within 3 minutes of your strengths), upload it to a private YouTube channel, and enter the URL in the form.※Deadline for submission:
1/10 (Sat)
■Application formURL：
https://forms.gle/atJhuFUbVarMFQDR7
※Necessary matters
①Prefecture
② Currently enrolled
③School year
④Name
⑤ Furigana
⑥Date of birth
⑦Position
⑧Height/Weight
⑨ Record of 50m dash or standing long jump
⑪URL of self-promotion video
⑫Name of the teacher/representative of the rugby club advisor at the school you are enrolled in
⑬Your contact information
⑭Publish your own PR article
*Acquired personal information will be managed based on the Japan Rugby Football Union’s basic policy on personal information protection.
■ Person in charge/contact information
Kenichi Murakami (JAPAN TALENT SQUAD Head Analyst)
kenichi.murakami@rugby-japan.or.jp
