Mie Women's Rugby Football Club Pearls (commonly known as Mie Pearls) is a Japanese women's rugby union team based in Yokkaichi, Mie. They compete in Japan's National Women’s Rugby Championship.
| Full name | Mie Women's Rugby Football Club Pearls |
|---|---|
| Union | Japan Rugby Football Union |
| Nickname(s) | Mie Pearls |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Location | Yokkaichi, Mie, Japan |
| League(s) | National Women’s Rugby Championship |
| 2024 | Runner-up |
| Official website | |
| mie-pearls | |
History
editThe Mie Women's Rugby Football Club Pearls was established in May 2016 with the slogan "From Mie to the World!". Their aim is to become number one in Japan's domestic tournaments and to develop players who can perform on the world stage.[1]
Mie Pearls won the 2020–21 National Women’s Rugby Championship competition.[2][3]
MoU deal with Chiefs Manawa
editIn 2024, Mie Pearls signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Chiefs Manawa of New Zealand's Super Rugby Aupiki competition.[4][5] The agreement operates alongside the existing MoU that New Zealand Rugby and the Japan Rugby Football Union has already established.[6][7] Furthermore, the deal allows both clubs to "explore opportunities that enhance the game for players, coaches and management through the sharing of knowledge and resources".[4][5]
Mie Pearls met Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix for the 2023–2024 National Women’s Rugby Championship final which was played for the first time at the Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.[2][3] They were defeated by Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix 24–40.[8][9]
Current squad
editNote: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
Coaching staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| General Manager | Hisashi Saito |
| Head Coach | Janna Vaughan |
| Asst. Coach / Asst. Manager | Takashi Tomikawa |
| S&C Coach | Luke Vasu |
| Trainer | Yuko Shinzaki |
| Team Manager | Emi Ito |
References
edit- ^ "クラブ｜ＰＥＡＲＬＳ（パールズ）". mie-pearls.com. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ a b "Japan National Women's Rugby Championship Final 2024". RugbyAsia247. 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- ^ a b "Tokyo Set to Host National Women's Rugby Championship Final". Japan Rugby Football Union. 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ a b "Chiefs sign MoU with Mie Pearls". Chiefs. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ a b "Chiefs deepen ties with Japanese rugby via women's partnership". www.stuff.co.nz. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ Knowler, Richard (2023-05-10). "NZ Rugby keeps door shut on offshore All Blacks despite deal with Japan". www.stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Chiefs create tie to assist women's rugby in New Zealand and Japan". NZ Herald. 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix Rugby Club wins the 10th National Women's Rugby Football Championship for the second consecutive year". www.osp-holdings.co.jp. 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
- ^ "Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix champion du Japon pour la 2ème fois de son histoire!". Asierugby (in French). 2024-02-03. Retrieved 2024-06-01.