475 Anniversary Senior Rugby Tour July 2016

As part of the planning and preparation for the 475th Anniversary Senior Rugby Tour to Japan in July 2016, we were delighted to welcome Mrs Satoko Yasuda to the school on Thursday.

It was great to see Kanon Yasuda back in school, too; Kanon was in de Winton House, and left CCB in 2014 to go on to study for an Arts Foundation course at Central St Martin’s.

Mr & Mrs Yasuda are generously supporting the Tour, and have had a great deal to do with the itinerary and planning for the visit to Japan.

The Tour has also enjoyed the support and assistance of a long-time friend and associate of Christ College, Dr Sohei Takatsuki,at whose invitation the Tour is taking place. We have been helped as well by a former pupil who played for the 2nd XV during his time at the school, Mutsumasa Suzuki (Donaldson’s House, 1992).

The touring party, led by Director of Rugby, Jonathon Goodridge, and 1st XV coach, Gary Halpin, will leave for Japan on Monday 11th July. The 11-day tour will involve matches against four Japanese schools, including Meikei High School in Tsukuba City, one of CCB’s exchange schools in Japan.

From Tsukuba, the group will head by bullet-train to Kyoto, before returning to Tokyo for the final matches and sight-seeing.

The visit by Mrs Yasuda and Kanon certainly heightened levels of anticipation and excitement amongst the senior rugby players. Mrs Yasuda talked with players and staff about the tour and the schools they will be matched against.

Captain of Rugby, Alex Ryan, said: “The boys can hardly wait for this trip – it will be a great way for those leaving school this year to finish their time at CCB. The season has started well, and this Tour is something we can look forward to all year.” Jonathon Goodridge added, “The squad and staff were very pleased to meet Mrs Yasuda, and to express all our thanks for their support of the Tour to Japan. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for Alex and the squad – they are hugely grateful for the opportunity.” With Japanese Rugby very much in the news, the Rugby World Cup taking place in Japan in 2019, and Christ College celebrating its 475th Anniversary in 2016, there could hardly be a better time or destination for such a Tour.