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AFT Interviews

AFT Interviews: View from the eye of surrealist photographer, Cristian Townsend (AU/JP)

Some photographs maybe be inappropriate for younger viewers. Discretion is advised. For viewers of age, this is art. Please do not proceed if nudity offends you.

Twice Gold Award-winner for ‘Fairy Tales’ (2017), Special Photographer of the Year and ‘The Circus of Extinction’ (2020) 1st Place / Special/Digitally Enhanced at the prestigious International Photography Awards (IPA) in New York, Cristian Townsend is a West Australian, living and working in Osaka, Japan.

Through dreamlike photomontages, he questions and push boundaries beyond cultural conventions… in order to seek truth. Inspired by Surrealism’s provocation and Buddhist philosophy, Townsend was one of 124 participants from 52 different countries who exhibited their works at the 14th edition of The International Surrealism Now Exhibition held in May 2021 at the Center of Arts and Spectacle (CAE) in the city of Figueira da Foz in Portugal, a project created by Santiago Ribeiro, Portuguese surrealist artist. The exhibition is the largest exhibition of surrealism of the 21st century in the world, consisting of works of painting, drawing, digital art, sculpture, and photography.

In an email interview, team AFT asks Townsend about his artistic direction and inspirations. His photomontages use motifs from Classical to Modernist Art, from War-time Propaganda to Modern Advertising, the Cinema, the Mass Media and Science Fiction.

AFT: Which pieces of works did exhibit at the International Surrealism NOW exhibition, and why did you choose those pieces?

Townsend: Santiago Ribeiro has been a driving force in the visionary art scene. The International Surrealism NOW exhibition is an amazing effort and I’m very happy to be included in it. I have two photos in this exhibition. Both are older works.

One is called Gondola in the Desert. It was inspired by a trip to Venice and is about the power of creativity.

The other image is called Body Politik: Monarchy. This is part of a series that expresses some political ideologies as human bodies fighting against themselves. Most political Art is propaganda and usually depicts the desired ideology as an Utopian ideal. I wanted to depict ideology as something that is in flux and that is in constant conflict. With the rise of ideology in recent times I think that is an important point.

Gondola in the Desert, one of the pieces exhibited at the International Surrealism NOW exhibition.
Model: Clement Denquin | All rights reserved – Cristian Townsend.

“Everything should be questioned and everything should be explored. Art is the exploration of what is possible.”

Cristian Townsend
Body Politik: Monarchy
Model: Lucy Chi Chi | All rights reserved – Cristian Townsend

AFT: Tell us about your environment, while growing up.

Townsend: I grew up in Perth, Western Australia. My family were English and they moved to Australia when I was two. My father worked in TV, first at the BBC, working on TV shows like Dr Who, and then at the ABC in Australia. He was also a photographer who took photos of local and international celebrities. He gave me a basic camera when I was a kid, and I used to take photos of my toys putting them in dioramas. Also, there were many art and photo books around the house, which fired my imagination. I was always interested in fantasy and Surrealism from a young age. There were photo books on Bill Brandt, Man Ray, Helmut Newton, Horst, Beaton, Uelsmann and many others. These photographers still inspire me today.

I used to draw and paint a lot as a child. Eventually I got into a Special Art program at High School. It taught me different painting and photography techniques as well as Art History. The well known children’s book artist Shaun Tan also went to the same high school.

AFT: What or who were your influences?

Townsend: My dad had a traditional darkroom and, inspired by Surrealist painters and particularly Jerry Uelsmann’s and Man Ray’s pre Photoshop photomontages, I started to experiment with my own style. First I used lith film masks to create photomontages. I had some promising early success; I got published in some local magazines and started winning some local awards. After I finished studying communications at university I started working for one of the first digital photo labs in Perth. I used to do all the retouching and photo manipulation for local photographers.

I love Surrealism, but I don’t really believe in Art categories. The artists that I have always admired are the Visionary artists like Bosch, DaVinci Goya, Dali, Magritte, Moreau, Redon and many others. The world we live in is full of cliches. The best artists in my view, open up the world of imagination and the possibilities of what can be achieved. This is even more important these days of political divisiveness and misinformation.

AFT: What is the one thing you strive to do with your art? Have you been successful?

Townsend: Art, primarily, should be about expressing truth through personal symbolism. For me, it is all about trying to understand the complexity of the world in a deeper, symbolic way, even if that may be disturbing or controversial to some.

I hope to have symbolic consistency and a unique worldview in my photographs. I think I’m getting closer to achieving that. I have also won many international awards recently. From the Px3 in France to the International Photography Awards in New York, where I won photographer of the year in my category and attended the awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall. Definitely a highlight in my career.

Artists need to be flexible. Photographers especially rely on others; models, dancers, and makeup artists for example. Although it is important to have vision, it is essential to use the creativity of others in your work. I have been lucky to know many creative people who have wanted to collaborate with me. Some have even made their own prop and costumes for the shoots!

‘The Circus of Extinction’ series, which won a Gold Award at the IPA New York (2020)
view all
‘Fairy Tales’ series picked up the Gold Prize ((2017) at the IPA Awards in New York and Silver at the TIFA, Tokyo International Foto Awards
The Book of Life, a part of the ‘Fairy Tales’ series – view all

AFT: Did you produce any work during Covid-19?

When COVID 19 became an international incident I was working on my latest series ‘The Circus of Extinction’. This series is about the ‘Circus’ of life and how our darker impulses are leading us to disaster. I was lucky that the series was mostly complete. I had one more photo to finish, which involved ‘a Tattooed Lady’. I had many of the elements photographed already, but I started to have many scheduling problems. However, I managed to finish the image before Osaka went into shut down.

AFT: Is there any work that you have not finished or can’t complete?

With photography many things can go wrong: Talent gets sick, bad weather, you name it and it can go wrong. I usually have contingency plans. Of course some things come together easily, and others are a real struggle. Sometimes the struggle can make the work stronger. It’s like bad weather. Sometimes you get storm clouds or rain, but the unexpected weather can sometimes produce better results. More beautiful clouds or dramatic lighting. Etcetera. Sometimes you have to abandon plans for different reasons. I did attempt to do a series based on Tarot imagery, but that was not completed. I think I was not ready at the time for such an undertaking. I often return to images and ideas. Artists are obsessive people. So I might end up finishing it someday. Who knows. My main goal is to remain open to new possibilities and not become obsessed with unfinished projects.

AFT: Is health and fitness important to you? Do share some of your daily routines.

As far as my health is concerned, I do try and eat healthy food. Particularly green vegetables and whole grain or rye bread. I also try to restrict carbs in my diet. My wife sometimes bakes bread though. Fresh rye bread is my favourite. We live in Japan, so fish is an important part of my diet. I love Salmon and often cook baked Salmon and fresh herbs. We have a small herb garden. We often use dill, basil and coriander in our cooking. There is a gym near our house. I used to exercise regularly, but after the gyms have shut, I often take my 3 kids out walking at a big park near our house. Spending time with my kids and exercising is a great way to keep mentally and physically healthy and grounded.

AFT: What is your ultimate favourite thing to do?

Life can be tough, but being open to it’s beauty and rich complexity is essential. It is my ultimate goal to create work that reflects the lightness and darkness of the world, and for that work to reach people in a deep way, beyond financial gain. I also want to lead a full life, and travel to many wonderful places with my family and show them the incredible diversity of life and world cultures.

Team AFT would like to thank Santiago Ribeiro and Cristian Townsend for making this interview possible. Follow Cristian Townsend via Instagram @oswaldfitchjapan or visit his website: https://cristian-townsend.squarespace.com.

What is Surrealism?

Surrealism was an artistic, intellectual, and literary movement led by poet André Breton from 1924 through World War II. The Surrealists sought to overthrow the oppressive rules of modern society by demolishing its backbone of rational thought. To do so, they attempted to tap into the “superior reality” of the subconscious mind. “Completely against the tide,” said Breton, “in a violent reaction against the impoverishment and sterility of thought processes that resulted from centuries of rationalism, we turned toward the marvelous and advocated it unconditionally.”

Source: MoMA Learning

Other references:

Cite this article:

Published by Australia Fitness Today, “AFT Interviews: View from the eye of surrealist photographer, Christian Townsend (AU/JP)”, Authored by: Jasmine Low, URL: https://www.australiafitnesstoday.com/2021/09/06/aft-cristian-townsend, first published on 6 September 2021 in Asia Fitness Today.

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Features Japan

Japanese art island Chichu

If I could go anywhere: Japanese art island Chichu, a meditation and an education

Time/Timeless/No Time (2004) by Walter De Maria. Todd Lappin/Flickr, CC BY-NC
Julian Meyrick, Griffith University

In this series we pay tribute to the art we wish could visit — and hope to see once travel restrictions are lifted.

The Chichu Art Museum is located on the tiny island of Naoshima, off the southern coast of Japan, in the Kagawa district, reachable only by ferry.

A cross between Buddhist simplicity and Modernist brutalism, from an aerial view Chichu looks like a series of weirdly-shaped concrete pits cut into a gently sloping, grassy hill.

The architect, Tadao Ando, is known for his masterful control of natural light, and to walk through Chichu is to embark on a journey of discovery in which that most ignored element — daylight — is both a mode of transformation and an object of wonder in its own right.

Even before social distancing, Chichu limited the number of tickets sold. Once inside, there are restrictions on how many people can be inside certain rooms and sometimes, how long you can spend there. No photographs are permitted, and quietness is encouraged.

Almost as good as being there … almost. A virtual tour of Chichu.

Read more: Great time to try: travel writing from the home

An epic canvas

There are three artists on display at Chichu, the best-known being Claude Monet and his epic canvas, Water Lilies. The acquisition of this “grand decoration” painted, incredibly, when Monet was in his 70s and suffering from cataracts, was the prime catalyst for establishing the museum.

I had seen paintings from this series years before, in Britain’s morgue-like National Gallery. But in the warm, rounded rooms of Chichu, daylight spilling in from high, oblong windows, the paintings are a miraculous blending of form, colour and reverence for nature. They come alive in ways no viewing technology, however sophisticated, can enhance or emulate.

Claude Monet’s Water Lily Pond at Chichu Art Museum. Wikimedia Commons/Chichu Art Museum

Ando’s building organically relates to the artworks in every way — the colour of the walls, the tiles on the floor, the dark corridors that link rooms where each visual experience is unique not because it is “world class” but because the relationship being cultivated with visitors is a personal one. The Chichu Handbook reads:

To provide a better understanding of Monet’s large decorative work from a contemporary perspective, we selected artists Walter De Maria and James Turrell. Both have been referred to as ‘land artists’ for the work they created in vast desert regions and desolate natural settings … Whether outside, inside a room, or in the surrounding environment, all the works are specifically intended for these spaces … The spatial boundary between the real world and contemporary art is indistinct.

Galleries are gatherings of art organised according to the principles of the people who set them up. More than theatres or concert halls, where rapid changes in repertoire create a spirit of flux, they rarely lose a connection with their founders’ underlying philosophy.

All art is reflective of the moment in which it occurs. But galleries are compass points from which, as a society, we take our bearings. MOMA, GOMA, the Guggenheim, Bilbao, the Powerhouse, the Pompidou Centre, the Hermitage. The meaning of these collections is larger than their real estate.

Visitors at Chichu are almost as carefully placed as the art itself. Chinnian/Flickr, CC BY

Read more: Hikikomori artists – how Japan’s extreme recluses find creativity and self-discovery in isolation

Art amid nature

What has given rise to Chichu’s powerful vision of art? The answer is, of course, a powerful vision of life; of what our lives could be. Ando writes:

Chichu … opened as a museum in pursuit of ‘a site to rethink the relationship between nature and people’ in July 2004. The establishment of the museum was a personal way of answering and realising a question that I withheld myself for many years — ‘what does it mean to live well?’

As suggested by its name, chichu (underground), this museum is built below a slightly elevated hill that was once developed as a saltpan facing the Seto Inland Sea. Without destroying the beautiful natural scenery of the Island and seeking to create a site for dialogues of the mind, the museum is an expression of my belief that ‘art must exist amid nature’.

The view from Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan. Kaori/Unsplash, CC BY

A visit to Chichu is not a prescriptive experience. There is no overriding message, as there is with MONA or the Tate Modern, for which visitors must brace. Instead, there is light, space, and quiet.

There is scope to let the senses unfold, and an expansion of self that permits the mind to occupy a zone of potentially greater understanding. There is nothing clever about Chichu, and a tertiary degree in art history is not required to appreciate what it offers. To walk through the building is education enough.

Minus commentary and cameras, asked to buy a modestly priced ticket ahead of time, to wait, to be silent, the resulting “dialogue of the mind” is structured but open-ended. This is perhaps what artists mean when they talk about “freedom within the form”.

Truth, value and alternative ways of life are related concepts, reliant on each other. There is a truth to visiting the Chichu collection that is expressed also in its wooden furniture made from shioji, a variety of Japanese ash, its strange triangular courtyards, and its breathtaking view of the Seto Inland Sea.

Read more: Why philosophy is an ideal travel companion for adventurous minds

“To get the most enjoyment out of the works, the viewer should take a moment between each gallery to reflect on the lingering sensation before moving on to the next group of works”, says the handbook.

Zen Buddhist awareness of the transience of existence marries with a large scale public building in the Western democratic tradition to produce a purposeful, spiritual encounter not filled with dogmatic content.

If there was a preciousness to the Chichu Art Museum I didn’t feel it. It was a relaxed, well-appointed and functional place, rather like the Japanese Shinkansen train that brought me to the ferry terminal. Leaving, I felt lighter, as if something I did not need had been discretely removed.

Julian Meyrick, Professor of Creative Arts, Griffith University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

AFTNews, AFTNews, Features Japan, Fitness at Work

Moving with Japan’s Rajio Taiso

Asia Fitness Today x Move8 fitness movement will be conducting Rajio Taiso lessons virtually every Friday starting 19th Feb 2021. Click here to join us for our Facebook Live sessions!

It is commonly known that regular exercise is needed to have a healthy and disease-free life but in the current fast-paced life, it is extremely difficult for a lot of us to exercise daily. 

From commuting to and from work to the long office hours, most of us want to relax and rest once we reach home. So how do we fit exercise into our busy schedules? 

Japan has figured out the answer and it is really simple- exercising at work. In Japan, it is a must to exercise at work.   

When the clock hits 1:00pm, workers jump up from their table and undergo a 10-minute vigorous stretching and bending routine. Companies like Toyota have their own in-house workout space. Sony employees join an exercise drill daily at 3:00 PM and it’s for all levels of floor workers up to management executives. Rakuten installed some 12,000 movable desks so that its employees could switch between sitting and standing positions throughout the day.

Radio Taiso done in Vietnam

In Japan, this morning exercise is referred to as “Rajio Taiso” or “Radio Exercise.” The radio comes on, employees gather together, and the exercise routine begins. Exercise programmes at work are so common in Japan that there is a radio station – Radio Taiso – that plays nothing but music to exercise to, along with instructions for simple, low-impact aerobic exercises to be performed in groups.

Radio-taiso is Japan’s national exercise. It has been a key role in promoting the health of the citizens. These are short exercises that can be done by people of all ages and some can even be done while seated.  

Radio-taiso gymnastic exercises are carried out in schools, workplaces and other community gathering spaces. For Japanese people, these exercises are deeply familiar. Participants carry out thirteen types of exercises in about three minutes to record light piano music.

According to Japan Post Insurance, the first broadcast took place in 1928, and the aim was to improve the health of the general public in Japan. Ever since then, this tradition of Rajio (radio in Japanese) Taiso has been incorporated into a lot of Japanese people’s morning routines.

However, you will be surprised to know that Radio- taiso was invented in the U.S and was brought to Japan from America. Radio calisthenics was invented in the 1920’s to inspire Americans in major cities to start their day with some light, healthy exercise.

Inspired by a similar exercise in the US, Radio Taiso was designed to keep Japanese soldiers as well as women and children at home fit and healthy. Even after nearly 9 decades, Radio Taiso remains a popular morning activity.

Radio-taiso is a radio program that broadcasts a set of warm-up exercise guidelines along with music. In Japan, the public broadcasting company NHK, broadcasts the program at 6:30 am every morning in their channel NHK Radio 1. The program lasts for approximately 10 minutes. 

A gentle but upbeat male voice begins the steady exercises, instructing listeners to jump forwards and backwards, roll their hips and stretch their joints to the beat of a cheerful piano tune. There is even a visual version available through NHK where a seated routine is demonstrated for those who cannot stand.

Radio-taiso exercises are divided into two sections. The first section is for improving the fitness of people at all ages and the second section is designed to improve muscle strength. The second half is mainly aimed at the younger generation.

This effective method of exercising saw an increase in productivity of the employees. One study conducted by Briston University on 200 employees found that employees who exercised had a higher score than those who didn’t.

Consultate General of Japaan in Los Angeles, USA

Participants’ scores were 21% higher for concentration on work, 22% higher for finishing their work on time, 25% higher for working without unscheduled breaks, and an incredible 41% for feeling motivated to work. 

Many other companies around the world have taken inspiration from Japan and incorporated a similar model of movement for their employees. 

Also featured in Mongolia!

For instance- Swedish company Skanska took a note from Japan and encouraged their construction workers to participate in a 10 minute exercise and stretching workout in the morning. As a result, workers reported fewer injuries, better sense of motivation and a feeling of community. 

Honda introduced a similar model in their South Carolina plant. Before every shift, the workers engage in a two minute routine with music. The exercises target hands, shoulders and other muscles that the workers repeatedly use during their shifts. As a result, they were able to reduce health costs and injuries. 

Japan’s radio-taiso shows us how simple exercising can be and how even 5 minutes of exercise can make a huge difference in our productivity.  

This article has been researched, compiled and written by the team at Asia Fitness Today News Network (AFTNN); Sneha Ramesh – Intern, Monash University (Sunway campus), Syuhada Adam – Editorial consultant, Nikki Yeo & Jasmine Low – Director/Producer.

References:

Hall, M. (2020, October 30). Japan’s Historical Radio Taiso Workout. VOYAPON. https://voyapon.com/japans-historical-radio-workout/

How to Increase Your Productivity by 21% with Exercise. (2018, June 3). Productivityist. https://productivityist.com/increase-productivity-21-exercise/

Sasaki, T. (2019, October). Rajio Taiso: Japan’s National Exercises | October 2019 | Highlighting Japan. Government of Japan. https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/html/201910/201910_05_en.html

The Japanese Morning Exercise Routine – Rajio-Taiso – JAPANKURU. (2019, August 21). Japankuru. https://www.japankuru.com/en/culture/e2263.html

AFT TV, Features Japan, Seniors' Health, Wellness

Ikigai

Video

Tim is a successful jazz musician from Alberta, Canada and for twenty years, he was immersed in music; from performing with bands, singing at events and in front of prime ministers and royalty and writing this book, How to Ikigai: Lessons for Finding Happiness and Living Your Life’s Purpose.

My cousin Angeline gifted me with a best seller by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles titled, Ikigai The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. Not so secret anymore, it seems, this ideology that originated from Okinawa, Japan. Or not…

Photo credit: Louis Low

The authors interviewed residents of the Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds—one of the world’s Blue Zones in Okinawa. How did they eat, how did they move, how they worked, how they fostered collaboration and community, and—their best-kept secret—how did they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives?

1. Stay active and don’t retire

2. Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life

3. Only eat until you are 80 per cent full

4. Surround yourself with good friends

5. Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise

6. Smile and acknowledge people around you

7. Reconnect with nature

8. Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.

9. Live in the moment

10. Follow your ikigai

So I decided to do a quick check on what others thought of the concept, especially Japanese people (including foreigners who live in Japan).

What is ikigai?

Melbournian editor in Japan, Lucy Dayman wrote about the origin of ikigai in online magazine Savvy Tokyo. Here’s what she wrote:

The origin of the word ikigai goes back to the Heian period (794 to 1185). Clinical psychologist and avid expert of the ikigai evolution, Akihiro Hasegawa released a research paper in 2001 where he wrote that the word “gai” comes from the word “kai” which translates to “shell” in Japanese.

During the Heian period, shells were extremely valuable, so the association of value is still inherently seen in this word. It can also be seen in similar Japanese words like hatarakigai, (働きがい) which means the value of work, or yarigai ~ga aru (やり甲斐がある), meaning “it’s worth doing it.”

Ikigai Tribe podcast

I also found Ikigai Tribe – a podcast by Ikigai coach Nick Kemp. His ikigai, is about what ikigai truly means to the Japanese and how you can find it to make your own life worth living. This first episode features Professor Akihiro Hasegawa of Toyo Eiwa University, one of Japan’s leading researchers and experts on ikigai. Together, they discuss the meaning and origin of the word “ikigai”, his research, the Mother of Ikigai Psychology, Mieko Kamiya, and more.

One of the takeaways from the podcast, was his study in dementia patients. Patients with strong sense of Ikigai, deferred dementia.

A diagram depicted in Garcia and Miralles’ book about the meaning of Ikigai went viral very quickly but it turns out many Japanese people disagreed and didn’t think it was a good representation of the concept. It was a gentrified version, simplified and wrongly inserted a line, “that you can be paid for”, which was something of err to the original ideology. Google Ikigai diagram images and you will see so many versions plagiarised from one to another, but based on the wrong interpretation – a peril of good information that’s wrongly interpreted but gone viral. I found Kyle Kowalski’s SLOWW movement and he described the origin of the diagram in detail, the Ikigai concept.

So what is really the true meaning of Ikigai and how can one achieve it?

“Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.”

Japanese proverb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=708OD9AdTwU
Penguin’s promotional video

In the podcast interview, Hasegawa Sensei shared that Ikigai was a way of life and not so much something you’d do which you can be paid for.

  • Health
  • Intellectual Activeness
  • Social Roles in Communities
  • Family Structure (especially in rural areas)

These were the core areas of Ikigai, as described by Hasegawa Sensei.

Read more here: https://ikigaitribe.com/ikigai
Peggy Oki

Peggy Oki talks about flow and motion and it’s clear her ikigai is sharing tales about the ‘Cetacean Nation’. A Surfer, Skateboarder, Artist and Activist, Peggy founded the Origami Whales Project in 2004 to raise awareness about commercial whaling. She has also developed the Whales and Dolphins Ambassador Program and led campaigns such as ‘Let’s Face It’, which petitions to save New Zealand’s critically endangered Maui’s dolphins and Hector’s dolphins.

Follow your heart with vision and actions,

Create your own folds and you will connect with your purpose in life.

Peggy Oki

Thought I’d end this ikigai piece with a real life example like Peggy’s story. I’m sure we’ll each find our way, whichever way that works for us but one thing is true – it’s about having a deep sense of purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI-6LMU6OWA
AFT TV

Family Romance, LLC

Video

AFT recommends FAMILY ROMANCE, LLC.

Family Romance is a Tokyo-based company that offers the perfect stand-ins for absent family, friends or admirers – available to rent for any occasion. Blending fiction storytelling with documentary-style visuals, FAMILY ROMANCE, LLC is a striking meditation on truth and artifice in the age of loneliness.

Werner Herzog (AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD; CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS) directed and also serves as writer and cinematographer. The film premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival and tells the story of a Tokyo-based company that offers the perfect stand-ins for absent family members, friends or admirers – available to rent for any occasion.

In a fictionalised take on this real-life company, Herzog follows founder Yuichi Ishii as he helps his clients make their dreams come true. But when the mother of 12-year-old Mahiro hires Ishii to impersonate her missing ex-husband, the line between performance and reality threatens to blur. Shot by Herzog himself, the film blends fiction storytelling with documentary-style visuals for a striking meditation on truth and artifice in the age of loneliness.

Rugby, Sport

New research links Japan’s Rugby World Cup hosting with national pride and excitement boost

Rugby World Cup hosting was a catalyst for national pride growth in Japan, capturing the imagination, growing rugby interest and leaving a positive legacy for the sport, according to a major new study.


Japan 2019, which was won by South Africa, saw the best-ever performance of the Japanese Brave Blossoms as the hosts became the first team from Asia to reach the quarter-finals during a tournament that broke viewership, engagement, match and fan-zone attendance records.

GAME-CHANGING RUGBY WORLD CUP 2019 IS A RECORD-BREAKER >>

Another major endorsement of the significant positive impact of Rugby World Cup as a high return on investment proposition for host nations and unions, the Nielsen Sports DNA study immediately after the tournament determined:

  • 78 per cent of the general public thought that Rugby World Cup hosting in a so-called “non-traditional” rugby market was positive for the future of the sport
  • 46 per cent of the general public thought Rugby World Cup was the most exciting sporting event of 2019 (70 per cent in Japan), compared to 25 per cent who disagreed, demonstrating the value of hosting to international marketing and national pride
  • The level of Rugby World Cup interest almost doubled from 26 per cent in 2018 to 44 per cent in 2019, representing more than 50 million people
  • Nine out of 10 people in Japan believed that Rugby World Cup hosting captured the imagination, boosting national pride, excitement and engagement
  • Nine out of 10 people in Japan got behind the national team on their run to the quarter-finals, reflecting a 33 per cent increase in ‘niwaka fans’ or new fans during the tournament
  • 83 per cent of people in Japan believe that hosting Rugby World Cup generated a positive legacy for rugby, delivering future major rugby event hosting opportunities for Japan
  • 50 per cent of those in Japan who followed Rugby World Cup had become interested in the sport in the last year, highlighting the significant legacy opportunity for host nations
  • 54 per cent of those in Japan who followed the tournament were doing so for the first time
  • 74 per cent of Japanese who were aware of Rugby World Cup believe that the tournament will encourage more children to play the sport

Almost half the population – a staggering 54.8 million – tuned-in on national free-to-air broadcaster NTV to watch Japan’s decisive pool match against Scotland, representing a single market audience record for rugby, while a record 1.2 million people visited fan-zones the length and breadth of the nation.

Another record was set with a 99.3 per cent of available tickets sold across the 45 matches, reinforcing Rugby World Cup as one of the must-see events. More than 400,000 international visitors travelled to Japan, many for the first time, to witness a unique celebration of rugby and Japanese culture.


Importantly, a dedicated partnership between World Rugby, Asia Rugby and the Japan Rugby Football Union saw 2.27 million new participants get into rugby in Asia since 2016 (1.17 million in Japan) through an innovative participation model.

A dual selection process for 2027 and 2031

The research comes as World Rugby prepares to announce details of the host selection process for Rugby World Cup 2027 and 2031.

The dual selection process, which will launch later this month, will enable World Rugby to select an optimal combination of hosts, as achieved for England 2015 and Japan 2019. The process will give successful candidates a longer preparation time that will optimise deliver and cost management.


World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “We believe that Japan 2019 was one of the great Rugby World Cups and this latest study proves that hosting is of significant value to the host nation.


“Rugby World Cup is not just a six-week world-class sporting event, it is an attraction, a driver of sporting, social and economic growth and a low-investment, high return-on-investment proposition for host nations and host unions.


“Japan was a model of that statement. It maximised the hosting opportunity with full buy-in from national governments, host cities and the wider public. It was a unique shop window for the whole of Japan, its culture, tourism and business.”

AFT Features, AFTNews, Rugby, Sport

Du Toit and Scarratt named World Rugby Players of the Year 2019

South Africa’s Pieter-Steph du Toit and England’s Emily Scarratt have been named World Rugby Men’s and Women’s 15s Player of the Year 2019 in association with Mastercard respectively at the World Rugby Awards in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday.

On a night to remember at The Prince Park Tower, only 24 hours after South Africa had lifted the Webb Ellis Cup for the third time with a 32-12 defeat of England, greats of the game past and present and the rugby family celebrated the outstanding achievers of the year.

On a celebratory night for world champions South Africa, Rassie Erasmus was named World Rugby Coach of the Year and the Springboks were also crowned World Rugby Team of the Year for the first time since 2009.

Du Toit was named the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year 2019, becoming the first Springbok recipient since Bryan Habana in 2007 and third overall.

He received the award ahead of five other nominees in Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, England flanker Tom Curry, New Zealand flanker Ardie Savea, South Africa team-mate Cheslin Kolbe and USA hooker Joe Taufete’e.

Du Toit said: “To my team-mates and our coaching staff, everyone here tonight said it is a team sport and I can’t emphasise it more. To my team-mates, the friendship we made over these last few months is unbelievable and for me personally it is a massive honour for me to accept this award.

“I think if the players around you play good rugby as well and you have got good coaching staff around you and you set your standards a bit higher it is just the way your life goes forward. It is an unbelievable feeling and the Springboks mean so much to me, I can’t describe it.”

Scarratt slipped seamlessly back into 15s in 2019 to claim the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award, the first English player to do so since her captain Sarah Hunter in 2016.

She received the award ahead of four other nominees in England team-mates Sarah Bern and Katy Daley-Mclean, France scrum-half Pauline Bourdon and New Zealand scrum-half Kendra Cocksedge.

Scarratt said: “We don’t chase after individual accolades and achievements in a team sport and I have been unbelievably lucky to play with and against some fantastic players over the years and it is pretty cool for sure.

“The quality of rugby in England and around the world is going through the roof. It is really exciting, I think the women’s game over the last few years has really pushed on and it is definitely down to us to showcase what we are about, put good quality rugby out there for people to see and hopefully New Zealand 2021 is going to be one hell of a spectacle.”

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “This has been a very special year for rugby, culminating in one of the great Rugby World Cups.

“All of the nominees should be very proud, but Pieter-Steph du Toit and Emily Scarratt have been outstanding this year and thoroughly deserve their accolade.

“They have not just demonstrated their excellence on the field, but they are also superb ambassadors for the game and an inspiration for a new generation of players and fans.”

The award winners were selected by independent panels, who voted on every match from the Six Nations through to the Rugby World Cup 2019 final. The process also involved player input. For more details on the respective awards panels, click here.

World Rugby Men’s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard – Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)

A linchpin in the South African pack, Du Toit has started nine of the Springboks’ 11 tests in 2019 and been an unused replacement in the RWC 2019 win over Canada. The towering 27-year-old may have flitted between second-row and flanker in the early days of his international career, but he has made the No.7 jersey his own over the last two years and his work-rate and versatility mean he is one of the first names down on Rassie Erasmus’ team sheet.

Nominees: Tom Curry (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa), Ardie Savea (New Zealand), Joe Taufete’e (USA)

World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard – Emily Scarratt (England)

The centre slipped back into 15s rugby in 2019 as if she had never been away playing sevens since Rugby World Cup 2017, starting four matches in a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam winning campaign, and scoring a try against Scotland. The 29-year-old always seems to have more time on the ball, gliding through gaps or releasing team-mates into space. She was at her most dangerous in the Women’s Rugby Super Series, scoring four tries in her three starts and 43 points in total.

Nominees: Sarah Bern (England), Pauline Bourdon (France), Kendra Cocksedge (New Zealand), Katy Daley-Mclean (England)

World Rugby Team of the Year – South Africa

South Africa have created history on a number of fronts in 2019, the first to win both the Rugby Championship and Rugby World Cup in the same year but also the first to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after losing a match, against New Zealand in their Pool B opener. That loss, 23-13, is their only one of the year, having won 10 and drawn the other of their 12 tests. On the back of their third Rugby World Cup success, the Springboks have risen to also number one in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since November 2009.

Nominees: England, Japan, New Zealand, Wales

World Rugby Coach of the Year – Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)

It might not have been Rassie Erasmus’ intention to become Springboks head coach when he returned to South Africa but he has taken to the role with aplomb. An astute tactician, he has bonded the team together impressively and been rewarded with results. This year South Africa have won the Rugby Championship title and become the first team to lose a match in the pool stages and go on to lift the Webb Ellis Cup after a dominant 32-12 defeat of England, a result which took them back to the top of the World Rugby Men’s Rankings for the first time since November 2009.

Nominees: Warren Gatland (Wales), Steve Hansen (New Zealand), Eddie Jones (England), Jamie Joseph (Japan)

World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in association with Tudor – Romain Ntamack (France)

A World Rugby U20 Championship winner in 2018, Romain Ntamack is calmness personified on a rugby pitch despite being just 20 and the youngest member of France’s RWC 2019 squad. He made his debut at centre in the Six Nations opener against Wales in February but has now made the fly-half berth his own, starting eight of his 12 tests there, including three in Japan. The son of RWC 1999 runner-up Émile, he has clearly inherited his father’s vision, flair and desire to attack the line.

Nominees: Joe Cokanasiga (England), Herschel Jantjies (South Africa)

World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Jerry Tuwai (Fiji)

Fijian playmaker Jerry Tuwai was nominated for the third year running after once again carving open defences at will with his vision and step, making the most of his diminutive frame to dart through gaps to create opportunities for himself or those around him. He may no longer have the captain’s armband but he is still the heartbeat of the Fijian side, helping them win titles in Cape Town, Hamilton, Hong Kong, London and Paris and a third series title for himself. The 30-year-old also featured in the HSBC Dream Team for the third year in a row.

Nominees: Folau Niua (USA), Stephen Tomasin (USA)

World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)

A powerful runner and tireless worker at the breakdown, Ruby Tui is one of the first names down on coach Allan Bunting’s team sheet and someone who never gives less than 100 per cent for the Black Ferns Sevens’ cause. The 27-year-old, like her fellow nominees, was named in the HSBC Dream Team for the 2019 series, having started every match and scored 15 tries in their title-winning season. A New Zealand team without Tui in it is not as scary a prospect for teams, not only for her physicality but the way she inspires others around her with her performances.

Nominees: Sarah Hirini (New Zealand), Tyla Nathan-Wong (New Zealand)

World Rugby Referee Award – Wayne Barnes (England)

The 40-year-old is one of the most experienced referees of all time, having taken charge of his 90th test on Friday with the bronze final in Tokyo at the end of his fourth Rugby World Cup. A good communicator on the field, and a part-time barrister and trial advocate in London off it, Barnes has been an international referee for 13 years. With an attention to detail that is first-class, he is a great team player and leader who is always willing to help others learn.

Nominees: Jérôme Garcès (France), Nigel Owens (Wales), Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Award for Character in association with Land Rover – The city of Kamaishi

Rugby has a long, proud history in Kamaishi and the rugby community was a pillar of strength in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake and resultant tsunami on 11 March, 2011 that claimed more than 1,000 lives in the town. As Kamaishi began the long road to recovery the idea was raised of hosting Rugby World Cup 2019 matches to bring hope to the local people. An emotional presentation convinced Japan 2019 organisers to name Kamaishi one of its 12 host cities and the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium was duly built on the site of the elementary and junior schools that were destroyed. On 25 September, 14,025 fans were welcomed for the Fiji v Uruguay match on a day of celebration and remembrance. Typhoon Hagibis sadly forced the cancellation of the Namibia v Canada match on 13 October – with both teams pitching in to help the recovery effort – but Kamaishi was already one of the endearing stories of RWC 2019.

Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Bernard Lapasset (France)

The former World Rugby Chairman is recognised as an exceptional leader and a true visionary. He oversaw many of the significant moments in the game’s history, including Rugby World Cup 1995 in South Africa and the transition to professionalism during his first spell, and then rugby’s return to the Olympic Games programme in the form of sevens and the decision to award RWC 2019 to Japan during his eight-year tenure from 2008-16. A recipient of the Légion d’Honneur in 2006 and the Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur a decade later, Lapasset was also instrumental in France hosting RWC 2007 and is currently co-chairman of the Organising Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

IRP Try of the Year – TJ Perenara (New Zealand, v Namibia)

Playing in the unfamiliar role of fly-half against Namibia at Tokyo Stadium, TJ Perenara side-stepped Prince Gaoseb before racing into opposition territory and producing a stunning pass to George Bridge. Once play was recycled Rieko Ioane popped a pass to Brad Weber whose ridiculous offload found Perenara on the left wing. The All Blacks replacement set a course for the line, brushing off tackles from Obert Nortje and Helarius Kisting to touch down in the corner. Just.

Nominees: Charles Ollivon (France, v Wales), Sergio Parisse (Italy, v Russia), Cobus Reinach (South Africa, v Canada)

IRP Special Merit Award – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)

Jamie Heaslip played 95 tests for Ireland, 13 of them as captain, and five for the British and Irish Lions from 2006-17 to take his place in the centurions’ club. The number eight enjoyed unprecedented success with Ireland, including Six Nations titles and a Grand Slam, not to mention numerous honours on the domestic front with Leinster. Off the field, Heaslip has worked with International Rugby Players and as a representative on World Rugby’s Rugby Committee and Rugby Athletes’ Commission, and also with the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Olympic Committee, speaking for players at all levels, men’s and women’s, sevens and 15s. The 35-year-old has also worked proactively with Rugby Players Ireland on issues such as protecting sensitive player data and image rights.

Full list of World Rugby Awards winners
World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year, in association with Mastercard – Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa)
World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, in association with Mastercard – Emily Scarratt (England)
World Rugby Team of the Year – South Africa
World Rugby Coach of the Year – Rassie Erasmus (South Africa)
World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in association with Tudor – Romain Ntamack (France)
World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Jerry Tuwai (Fiji)
World Rugby Women’s Sevens Player of the Year in association with HSBC – Ruby Tui (New Zealand)
World Rugby Referee Award – Wayne Barnes (England)
Vernon Pugh Award for Distinguished Service – Bernard Lapasset (France)
Award for Character in association with Land Rover – The city of Kamaishi
IRP Special Merit Award – Jamie Heaslip (Ireland)
IRP Try of the Year – TJ Perenara (New Zealand, v Namibia)

For more details on the World Rugby Awards, visit www.world.rugby/awards.

AFT Features, AFTNews, Rugby, Sport

Game-changing Rugby World Cup 2019 is a record-breaker

• Record 99.3 per cent attendance with 1.84 million tickets sold
• Record 1.13 million people in fanzones
• Record 54.8 million television audience for Japan v Scotland (Japan team involved in top 5 biggest ever television audiences)
• Record 437 billion Yen economic impact
• Record more than 1.7 billion digital video views
• Record legacy programme with 1.8 million new participants
• Record CSR programme with more than £2 million raised for ChildFund Pass It Back
• Record competitiveness with 30.5 average winning margin between Tier 1 and Tier 2
• Record attendance of 70,103 spectators at Yokohama International Stadium for the final

The first Rugby World Cup in Asia draws to a close with South Africa crowned champions and a multitude of records broken in the most impactful and ground-breaking Rugby World Cup in history.

With a record 99.3 per cent attendance across the tournament resulting in 1.84 million tickets sold, in addition to more than 1.13 million people filling the official fanzones and over 400,000 international visitors enjoying the incredible hospitality of hosts Japan, Rugby World Cup once again took its place at the top table of global sporting events.

Japan 2019 also smashed records for fan engagement around the globe with an incredible 1.7 billion digital video views and an estimated worldwide broadcast audience of 400 million, including a domestic all-time record television audience of 54.8 million for the unforgettable Japan v Scotland pool phase match.

World Rugby and the Japan Rugby 2019 Organising Committee can look back on an incredible six weeks of action that saw competitiveness again increase on the field of play with the outstanding performances of Japan’s Brave Blossoms and admirable efforts from the likes of Uruguay, Georgia, Namibia and Tonga contributing to a decrease in the average winning margin between established and developing nations, and demonstrating that the future of international rugby is increasingly competitive.

Off the pitch Japan 2019 has proved to be the most impactful in history with more than 1.8 million new rugby participants across Asia as part of World Rugby’s Impact Beyond legacy programme, while the generosity of the global rugby family has seen a record breaking £2 million raised for the ChildFund Pass It Back initiative, Rugby World Cup’s principal charity partner, benefitting over 25,000 underprivileged young people in Asia via rugby and life skills programmes.

With a record 437 billion Yen economic impact delivered for Japan, the Rugby World Cup has not only shone a spotlight on rugby in Asia but contributed significantly to business and commercial communities.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Rugby World Cup 2019 has been one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all time, and certainly the most ground-breaking in terms of bringing the game to new audiences and attracting new fans to the sport we love.

“On behalf of the whole global rugby family, I would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts Japan and the Japanese people for being such wonderful, humble and history making hosts.

“While South Africa will rightly take home the Webb Ellis Cup following their outstanding victory, the amazing performances of the Brave Blossoms undoubtably brought some of the most memorable moments of the tournament.

“The way Japan reacted to the incredibly difficult events surrounding Typhoon Hagibis was a tribute to the resilience and determination of the people of this wonderful country and we continue to think about all those who lost loved ones or were affected by this tragic event.

“Finally, I would like to thank all 20 teams, the players, match officials, organising committee, host cities and the amazing ‘No Side’ volunteers who all played their full part in ensuring Rugby World Cup 2019 will live long in the memory. Japan 2019 has broken records galore and has changed the face of rugby forever.”

Rugby World Cup 2019 Organising Committee CEO Akira Shimazu added: “The incredible action on the field and the amazing response from fans here in Japan and around the world have made the 44 days of competition pass in the blink of an eye. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the players who made the tournament truly special. With their on-field heroics and desire to embrace being in Japan, they have shown the very best attributes of rugby and in doing so, captured the hearts and minds of the host nation.

“Thanks also to all the fans. Your support, energy and enthusiasm has been truly wonderful and like the players, have shown the Japanese public why the global rugby family is such a special, unique and integral part this great game.

“I would also like to thank World Rugby for their partnership in running this tournament. We have worked together in a positive and proactive way, ensuring that the tournament was a major success.

“Finally, I send my best wishes to the people of France for a wonderful Rugby World Cup 2023. We are sure the tournament will be a great success and we offer all possible assistance and support during your preparations.”

As attention turns to the future, preparations are already well advanced for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, with a delegation from the organising committee participating in an official handover at the World Rugby Awards on Sunday 3 November.

AFTNews, Rugby, Sport

Nominees for World Rugby Players of the Year announced

World Rugby has announced the shortlists for the prestigious Men’s and Women’s 15s Player of the Year awards for 2019, which will be presented at the World Rugby Awards at The Prince Park Tower in Tokyo, Japan, on 3 November.

Following a stellar year for international rugby culminating in a very special Rugby World Cup 2019, the shortlists for the ultimate accolade feature players who have excited and inspired fans around the world with their feats during the year.

The nominees for World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard are: Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa), Tom Curry (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa), Ardie Savea (New Zealand) and Joe Taufete’e (USA).

The nominees for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year in association with Mastercard are: Sarah Bern (England), Pauline Bourdon (France), Kendra Cocksedge (New Zealand), Katy Daley-Mclean (England) and Emily Scarratt (England).

The shortlists were selected by the star-studded World Rugby Awards panels.

The men’s panel comprises Rugby World Cup winners Richie McCaw, John Smit, George Gregan, Maggie Alphonsi and Melodie Robinson, alongside Fiona Coghlan, Brian O’Driscoll, Fabien Galthié, Agustín Pichot and Seilala Mapusua.

The women’s panel features Rugby World Cup winners Melodie Robinson and Danielle Waterman alongside World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Liza Burgess, Lynne Cantwell, Fiona Coghlan, Gaëlle Mignot, Jillion Potter, Karl Te Nana and journalist Stephen Jones.

International players have also had the opportunity to vote to determine the nominees of the prestigious awards.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “The World Rugby Men’s and Women’s 15s Player of the Year awards are the ultimate accolade for test players and this year there have been an exceptional number of outstanding candidates. I would like to congratulate all 11 players who, deservingly, have been nominated for this year’s award.”

WORLD RUGBY MEN’S 15S PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES:

PIETER-STEPH DU TOIT (SOUTH AFRICA)
A linchpin in the South African pack, Du Toit has started eight of the Springboks’ 10 tests in 2019 and been an unused replacement in the RWC 2019 win over Canada. The towering 27-year-old may have flitted between second-row and flanker in the early days of his international career, but he has made the No.7 jersey his own over the last two years and his work-rate and versatility mean he is one of the first names down on Rassie Erasmus’ team sheet.

TOM CURRY (ENGLAND)
The youngest of the nominees at only 21, Curry has been at his destructive best during RWC 2019, tormenting teams at the breakdown and winning turnover ball with regularity as one half of England’s dynamic flanker pairing with Sam Underhill. A strong ball carrier who was named Player of the Match in the quarter-final against Australia, he has started 13 of England’s 14 tests in 2019, beginning the year at openside before switching to blindside in an inspired move by Eddie Jones.

ALUN WYN JONES (WALES)
He may easily be the oldest of the nominees at 34, but Jones is playing some of the best rugby of his career in 2019 – a year in which he has become his country’s most-capped player and moved to joint second in the history of the game. The towering second-row is a master in the lineout and carries the ball endlessly during a game, his energy levels seeming to have no limit as he pushes Wales forward. Captaincy clearly agrees with Jones, who has already led Wales to the Six Nations Grand Slam this year.

CHESLIN KOLBE (SOUTH AFRICA)
The dancing feet of Kolbe have lit up Rugby World Cup 2019 with the diminutive winger showing that size isn’t everything, his footwork and pace allowing him to turn a defence inside out and leave players clutching at thin air in his wake. The Springbok, who turned 26 earlier this week, has started six tests in 2019 and scored five tries, including two in the pool stage against Italy when he was named Player of the Match. An ankle injury ruled him out of the semi-final with Wales but the Springboks will be delighted he is back for the final.

ARDIE SAVEA (NEW ZEALAND)
With the ability to play anywhere across the back-row, Savea has been at his rampaging best in 2019, starting eight of the 10 tests played by New Zealand and coming off the bench against Canada in the RWC 2019 pool stage. His work-rate is such that you would be forgiven for thinking there was more than one Savea on the pitch at times, turning over ball at the breakdown, charging at the defence or popping up in a flowing attack.

JOE TAUFETE’E (USA)
The Eagles hooker has enjoyed a record-breaking year in international rugby, his hat-trick against Uruguay in March making him the most prolific try-scorer in front-row history – 18 tries in just 21 tests smashing Keith Wood’s record that had stood for nearly 14 years in a third of the caps. Taufete’e ended the Americas Rugby Championship as the top try scorer with six and was a key member of the Eagles’ squad for RWC 2019, starting all four matches in Japan.

WORLD RUGBY WOMEN’S 15S PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES:

World Rugby Women’s 15S Player of the Year Nominees

SARAH BERN (ENGLAND)
The epitome of modern props, the 22-year-old is certainly not defined by the number on her back, possessing a turn of pace, quick feet and power – a hangover perhaps from her days as a back-row before converting to tight-head. Bern has started eight of England’s nine matches in 2019, including every match in a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam winning campaign in which she scored five tries, second only to Red Roses winger Jess Breach.

PAULINE BOURDON (FRANCE)
Nominated for the second year running, Bourdon is a player in the modern mould of French half-backs who are equally happy at nine or 10 as she showed during Les Bleues’ Women’s Six Nations campaign, scoring three tries from scrum-half – including a brace against England – before moving to fly-half for the final two matches. Blessed with quick feet and an impressive step, Bourdon has started eight of France’s nine matches in 2019, including the Super Series win over New Zealand.

KENDRA COCKSEDGE (NEW ZEALAND)
An inspirational figure on and off the pitch with her infectious passion for the game and drive for success, Cocksedge has already received this accolade once, back in 2015. The scrum-half started all six of New Zealand’s matches this year, winning five of them – the only exception the loss to France in the Women’s Rugby Super Series when she captained her country on the occasion of becoming the second Black Ferns player to reach 50 tests.

KATY DALEY-MCLEAN (ENGLAND)
The oldest of the nominees at 33 and a test centurion, Daley-Mclean is both a talisman and playmaker for the Red Roses. She was the top point scorer in the Women’s Six Nations in 2019 with 53 points as England won a second Grand Slam in three years. The fly-half passed 500 test points during the Championship – a figure bettered only by Jonny Wilkinson and Owen Farrell for England – but missed the Women’s Rugby Super Series in San Diego due to injury.

EMILY SCARRATT (ENGLAND)
The centre slipped back into 15s rugby in 2019 as if she had never been away playing sevens since Rugby World Cup 2017, starting four matches in a Women’s Six Nations Grand Slam winning campaign, and scoring a try against Scotland. The 29-year-old always seems to have more time on the ball, gliding through gaps or releasing team-mates into space. She was at her most dangerous in the Women’s Rugby Super Series, scoring four tries in her three starts and 43 points in total.

These awards are two of 12 categories of awards, including the World Rugby Team of the Year, World Rugby Coach of the Year, World Rugby Men’s and Women’s Sevens Players of the Year in association with HSBC and World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in association with Tudor.

For more information on the World Rugby Awards, visit www.world.rugby/awards.

Previous World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Award winners

2018 – Johnny Sexton (Ireland)
2017 – Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
2016 – Beauden Barrett (New Zealand)
2015 – Dan Carter (New Zealand)
2014 – Brodie Retallick (New Zealand)
2013 – Kieran Read (New Zealand)
2012 – Dan Carter (New Zealand)
2011 – Thierry Dusautoir (France)
2010 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2009 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2008 – Shane Williams (Wales)
2007 – Bryan Habana (South Africa)
2006 – Richie McCaw (New Zealand)
2005 – Dan Carter (New Zealand)
2004 – Schalk Burger (South Africa)
2003 – Jonny Wilkinson (England)
2002 – Fabien Galthié (France)
2001 – Keith Wood (Ireland)

Previous World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year Award winners

2018 – Jessy Trémoulière (France)
2017 – Portia Woodman (New Zealand)
2016 – Sarah Hunter (England)
2015 – Kendra Cocksedge (New Zealand)
2014 – Magali Harvey (Canada)
2012 – Michaela Staniford (England)
2011 – Ruth Mitchell
2010 – Carla Hohepa (New Zealand)
2009 – Debby Hodgkinson (Australia)
2008 – Carol Isherwood (England)
2007 – Sarah Corrigan (Australia)
2006 – Maggie Alphonsi (England)
2005 – Farah Palmer (New Zealand)
2004 – Donna Kennedy (Scotland)
2003 – Kathy Flores (USA)
2002 – Monique Hirovanaa (New Zealand)
2001 – Shelley Rae (England)

AFTNews, Rugby, Sport

Rugby World Cup 2019 Final referee appointed

World Rugby has announced that France’s Jérôme Garcès will referee the Rugby World Cup 2019 final between England and South Africa at International Stadium Yokohama on 2 November.

One of the world’s most experienced referees with 55 tests, Garcès will be the first Frenchman to take charge of a Rugby World Cup final, in what will be his 11th Rugby World Cup match.

Garcès will be joined by Romain Poite (France) and Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand) as assistant referees and Ben Skeen (New Zealand) as TMO.

Garcès said: “I am honoured and delighted to be appointed to referee the Rugby World Cup 2019 final. It is a dream as a referee, but this is a team sport, and as a team of four, we will be out there to do the best for the teams, the fans, the sport, but also the entire match officials team, selectors and support team, who have worked so hard over the last four years, culminating in Rugby World Cup 2019.”

England’s Wayne Barnes will take charge of the bronze final – as he did at RWC 2011 – between New Zealand and Wales at Tokyo Stadium on 1 November. It will be his 90th test match as a referee and his 21st at Rugby World Cup.

He will be joined by Jaco Peyper (South Africa) and Pascal Gaüzère (France) as assistant referees and Marius Jonker (South Africa) as TMO.

Click here to view appointments >>

The appointments were made after a comprehensive review of the weekend’s semi-finals by the World Rugby Match Officials Selection Committee comprising Chairman Anthony Buchanan (council member), Joel Jutge (EPCR), Lyndon Bray (SANZAAR), Nick Mallett (former international coach) and Alain Rolland (World Rugby).

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “This has been one of the great Rugby World Cups, perhaps the greatest and there is significant excitement ahead of what promises to be an exceptional final between two former champions – England and South Africa.

“Our match officials have played their full role in this special tournament and I would like to congratulate Jérôme and the team on their appointments, which are thoroughly deserved. I would like to wish them all the best for what promises to be a very exciting finale to Rugby World Cup 2019.”

Previous Rugby World Cup final referees:

1987 – Kerry Fitzgerald (AUS)
1991 – Derek Bevan (WAL)
1995 – Ed Morrison (ENG)
1999 – Andre Watson (RSA)
2003 – Andre Watson (RSA)
2007 – Alain Rolland (IRE)
2011 – Craig Joubert (RSA)
2015 – Nigel Owens (WAL)