Japanese rugby authorities failed to build on the team’s success in 2015 but, as a groundbreaking home tournament draws to a close, there are signs the boom may not turn to bust

The shift in the rugby world’s axis was apparent in a suburban Tokyo park last weekend. There was nothing unusual about the dozen schoolboys letting off steam in the late afternoon sunshine. But for the first time any of their parents could remember, they had abandoned their regular kickabout to experiment with a squeaky clean oval ball.

Rugby mania is also seeping into offices and bars, sparking conversations among people who Japanese sporting convention dictates should be chewing over the recent climax to the professional baseball season.

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