Japan was still basking in the glow of the 2019 Rugby World Cup when the coronavirus pandemic arrived and turned the sporting calendar upside down. “It’s a little bit strange in an empty stadium but it’s still a beautiful place to play some rugby. Japanese rugby fans who were there to witness the heroics of 2019 were trying to reconcile their disappointment at being shut out of the Olympics with concern over the recent coronavirus surge in Tokyo. “People talked about the Rugby World Cup as the best ever,” Hisayoshi Tanaka told the Guardian. “I was really looking forward to everything about Olympic rugby … the pre-tournament training camps, meeting fans from other countries and them getting to know more about Japan.

Source: The Guardian July 26, 2021 14:48 UTC