The Ganbatte Trophy was a silver cup presented to the winner of any rugby union match between the Melbourne Rebels team from Australia and the Sunwolves team from Japan. The word Ganbatte (Japanese: 頑張って, "Do your best") is often used as an exhortation at Japanese sporting events meaning to "Go for it!" or to strive.[1]
History edit
The Melbourne Rebels recruited Japanese international players Shota Horie in 2013, followed by Keita Inagaki, Male Sau, and Kotaro Matsushima.[2] The club was the first in Australia to launch a website in the Japanese language.[3] In 2016, following the introduction of the Sunwolves team to the Super Rugby competition, the Ganbatte Trophy was inaugurated to mark the relationship between the Rebels and Japanese rugby.[3][4] The Rebels won the trophy on 5 of the 6 occasions the trophy was contested, with the Sunwolves solitary win coming in February 2020. The 7th and final contesting of the trophy scheduled for March 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Sunwolves being disbanded in June 2020 following the cancellation of the 2020 Super Rugby season.
Winners edit
- 2016 Rebels
- 2018 Rebels
- 2018 Rebels
- 2019 Rebels
- 2019 Rebels
- 2020 Sunwolves
Fixtures edit
| 19 March 2016 | Sunwolves | 9–35 | Rebels | Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo | ||
| 13:15 | Pen: Tusi Pisi  3', 28', 43' (3/3)
|
Report Scoreboard[6] |
Try: Jordy Reid  12' Ben Meehan 49' Tom English 57' Sean McMahon 70'Con: Jack Debreczeni 50', 58' (2/3) Daniel Hawkins 71' (1/1)Pen: Jack Debreczeni 26', 36', 54' (3/3)Cards: Lopeti Timani  60'
|
Attendance: 16,444[5] Referee: Mike Fraser |
| 3 March 2018 | Sunwolves | 15–37 | Rebels | Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo | ||
| 13:15 | Try: Will Tupou 35' Ed Quirk 78'Con: Ryoto Nakamura (2/2) 36', 78'Pen: Ryoto Nakamura (1/1) 26'Cards: Ed Quirk 81'
|
Report | Try: Jack Maddocks (3) 9', 48', 52' Amanaki Mafi 12' Sefa Naivalu 44' Penalty try 81'Con: Jack Debreczeni (0/3) Reece Hodge (1/2) 49'Pen: Jack Debreczeni (1/1) 42'Cards: Dane Haylett-Petty 75'
|
Attendance: 11,181[7] Referee: Egon Seconds (South Africa) |
| 25 May 2018 | Rebels | 40–13 | Sunwolves | AAMI Park, Melbourne | ||
| 19:45 | Try: Marika Koroibete (3) 6', 68', 71' Jack Maddocks (2) 17', 48' Amanaki Mafi 21'Con: Reece Hodge (5/6) 6', 17', 23', 49', 72'
|
Report | Try: Lomano Lemeki 3' Con: Hayden Parker (1/1) 4'Pen: Hayden Parker (2/2) 32', 38'Cards: Hosea Saumaki 63'
|
Attendance: TBC Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina) |
| 6 April 2019 | Rebels | 42–15 | Sunwolves | AAMI Park, Melbourne | ||
| 19:45 | Try: Reece Hodge (3) 7', 16', 61' Bill Meakes 25' Quade Cooper 39' Will Genia 68'Con: Quade Cooper (6/6) 7', 17', 26', 40+1', 63', 69'Cards: Semisi Tupou 75' Campbell Magnay 80+1'
|
Report | Try: Semisi Masirewa (2) 31', 42' Con: Hayden Parker (1/2) 44'Pen: Hayden Parker 14'Cards: Nathan Vella 75'
|
Attendance: TBC Referee: Nic Berry (Australia) |
| 25 May 2019 | Sunwolves | 7–52 | Rebels | Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo | ||
| 14:00 | Try: Jason Emery 63' Con: Hayden Parker 64'
|
Report | Try: Angus Cottrell 13' Marika Koroibete (2) 16', 28' Jack Maddocks (2) 53', 78' Dane Haylett-Petty 58' Michael Ruru 73' Jordan Uelese 80+2'Con: Quade Cooper (6/8) 14', 17', 54', 74', 79', 80+3'Cards: Matt Philip 22'
|
Attendance: TBC Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand) |
| 1 February 2020 | Sunwolves | 36–27 | Rebels | Level5 Stadium, Fukuoka | ||
| 12:45 | Try: Keisuke Moriya 9' Jaba Bregvadze 19' Tautalatasi Tasi 26' James Dargaville 41' Garth April 61'Con: Garth April (4/5) 20', 28', 42', 62'Pen: Garth April 36'
|
Report | Try: Anaru Rangi 23' Dane Haylett-Petty 31' Andrew Kellaway 65' Andrew Deegan 76'Con: Matt To'omua (1/3) 66' Reece Hodge 76'Pen: Matt To'omua 15'
|
Attendance: TBC Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Patterson, Tim (17 March 2011). "Japan's Resolve is found in its language". Matador Network. Archived from the original on 12 May 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- ^ Ward, Roy (5 February 2016). "Melbourne Rebels sign Japanese back Kotaro Matsushima for Super Rugby season". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- ^ a b 17 March 2011 Rebels And Sunwolves Unveil Ganbatte Trophy Archived 21 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine（Official Website of Melbourne Rebels, 18 March 2016 Retrieved 20 March 2016）
- ^ Ganbatte Trophy 創設 Archived 1 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine（Official Website of Sunwolves, 18 March 2016 Retrieved 20 March 2016）
- ^ "Rebels Overpower Sunwolves in Tokyo". Green and Gold Rugby. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
- ^ "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sunwolves 9–35 Rebels". South African Rugby Union. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
- ^ サンウルブズ、レベルズに完敗. J Sports (in Japanese). 3 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
