1953 Japan v Cambridge University

Rugby - Japan v Cambridge University - 1953

Cambridge University played eight games in Japan on their 1953 tour. In the first match on 9 September Cambridge University defeated a Kansai Student XV 32-3. In the second match on 13 September Cambridge University defeated Keio University 14-3. In the third game on 16 September Cambridge University defeated Meiji University 26-14.  In the fourth game on 20 September Cambridge University defeated Waseda University 30-0. In the fifth game on 23 September Cambridge University defeated a Kyushu XV 16-12. In the sixth game on 27 September Cambridge University defeated the Japan National Team 34-11. In the seventh game on 30 September Cambridge University defeated a Kansai XV 21-9. In the final game on 4 October Cambridge University defeated the Japan National Team 35-6 to make it eight wins out of eight.

The official Japanese programme for the Cambridge University tour, a teamsheet for the final game between Cambridge University and the Japan National Team on 4 October and a medal probably originally presented to one of the players or officials are shown below. The programme has 46 pages, 18 of which are adverts and is almost all in Japanese. The programme opens with four pages of welcome introductions in both Japanese and English from the Princess Chichibu, Ambassador of Great Britain, President and Chairman of the Japan Rugby Football Union, followed by a page listing the results of past Cambridge University games and 5 pages with details of the Cambridge University players including small photos of each player. The centre pages show photographs of city of Cambridge and photos of Cambridge University in action. Five pages then list the players and a team photo for each of the Kansai Student XV, Keio University, Waseda University, Meiji University and the Kyushu teams. There is a page listing the Cambridge University fixtures in Japan followed by two pages with space to write in the results of the Cambridge University tour games. There are two pages with past results for the Japan national rugby team and finally there are 2 pages with a list of the names of the companies and organisations sponsoring the Cambridge University tour of Japan.

Managers Tour Report