2017 Asia Rugby Championship
# 2017 Asia Rugby Championship

The 2017 Asia Rugby Championship, or ARC, was the third annual tri-nations series for top-level rugby union in Asia and the thirtieth continental championship for the Asia Rugby nations. The Asia Rugby Championship replaced the former Asian Five Nations in 2015, with only three nations competing in the top division instead of the previous five. The 2016 series included Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea. Other Asian nations competed in the lower division tournaments.

The format of the competition is a double round-robin where the three nations play each other twice on a home and away basis. The team finishing on top of the standings is declared the winner.

## Teams

The teams involved, with their world rankings prior to the 2017 tournament in brackets:

| Nation | Home stadium | City | Head coach | Captain |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Japan (11) | Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium | Tokyo | Jamie Joseph | TBA |
| Hong Kong (26) | Hong Kong Football Club Stadium | Hong Kong | Leigh Jones | TBA |
| South Korea (28) | Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field | Incheon | John Walters | TBA |

## Standings

* Champions

| Position | Nation | Games | Games | Games | Games | Points | Points | Points | Points | Points | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Position | Nation | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Difference | BP1 | BP2 | Total |
| 1 | Japan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 172 | 56 | +116 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
| 2 | Hong Kong | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 99 | 65 | +34 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | South Korea | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 59 | 209 | -150 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Four points for a win, two for a draw, one bonus point for four tries or more (BP1) and one bonus point for losing by seven or less (BP2). |

## Fixtures

### Week 1

* 22 April 2017 12:07

| South Korea | 29-47 | Japan |
| - | - | - |
| Try: Han 10' Kim K.S. 13' Lee Y.S. 40' Shin K.C. 45' Chang 80' Con: Yu 10', 41' | Asia Rugby Report | Try: Nakamura 1', 18' Usami 7', 33' Noguchi 23', 49' Ishihara 69' Con: Ogura 2', 8', 19', 23', 34' Matsuda 70' |

* Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium, Incheon

| FB | 15 | Lee Jae Bok |
| - | - | - |
| RW | 14 | Jeong Yeon Sik |
| OC | 13 | Kim Nam Uk |
| IC | 12 | Mun Jeong Ho |
| LW | 11 | Kim Gwong Min |
| FH | 10 | Yu Jae Hyeok |
| SH | 9 | Shin Ki Cheol |
| N8 | 8 | Lee Yong Seung |
| OF | 7 | Kim Jeong Min |
| BF | 6 | Kim Hyun Soo |
| RL | 5 | Han Kun Kyu |
| LL | 4 | Yang Dae Yeong |
| TP | 3 | Kim Kwang Sik |
| HK | 2 | Kim Jeep |
| LP | 1 | Na Kwonyoung |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Lim Junhui |
| PR | 17 | Kim Seong Tae |
| PR | 18 | Kang Taehyeon |
| | 19 | Shin Dahyeon |
| | 20 | Jung Hyojin |
| | 21 | Kim Sunghyun |
| | 22 | Chang Yong Heung |
| | 23 | Jang Jeong Min |
| Coach: John Walters ||
| FB | 15 | Seiya Ozaki |
| RW | 14 | Ryuji Noguchi |
| OC | 13 | Ryohei Yamanaka |
| IC | 12 | Ryoto Nakamura |
| LW | 11 | Amanaki Lotoahea |
| FH | 10 | Jumpei Ogura |
| SH | 9 | Yutaka Nagare |
| N8 | 8 | Yoshitaka Tokunaga |
| OF | 7 | Naoki Ozawa |
| BF | 6 | Daiki Yanagawa |
| RL | 5 | Kazuhiko Usami |
| LL | 4 | Yuya Odo |
| TP | 3 | Takayuki Watanabe |
| HK | 2 | Takeshi Hino |
| LP | 1 | Shintaro Ishihara |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Atsushi Sakate |
| PR | 17 | Kohei Assahori |
| PR | 18 | Genki Sudo |
| | 19 | Naohiro Kotaki |
| | 20 | Yoshiya Hosoda |
| | 21 | Takahiro Ogawa |
| | 22 | Rikiya Matsuda |
| | 23 | Chikara Ito |
| Coach: Jamie Joseph ||

### Week 2

* 29 April 2017 14:07

| Japan | 80-10 | South Korea |
| - | - | - |
| Try: Anise 2' Lotoahea 15', 61', 66' Nagare 19' Ozawa 23' Yamada 31' Sakate 41' Yatabe 49' Yamanaka 56' Nakamura 71' Hino 79' Con: Ogura 3', 24', 32', 42', 50' Yamasawa 58', 61', 68', 72', 80' | Asia Rugby Report | Try: Kim H.S. 39' Yu 44' Con: Yu 40' |

* Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo

| FB | 15 | Ryuji Noguchi |
| - | - | - |
| RW | 14 | Amanaki Lotoahea |
| OC | 13 | Ryohei Yamanaka |
| IC | 12 | Rikiya Matsuda |
| LW | 11 | Akihito Yamada |
| FH | 10 | Jumpei Ogura |
| SH | 9 | Yutaka Nagare |
| N8 | 8 | Shuhei Matsuhashi |
| OF | 7 | Naoki Ozawa |
| BF | 6 | Malgene Ilaua |
| RL | 5 | Samuela Anise |
| LL | 4 | Kotaro Yatabe |
| TP | 3 | Genki Sudo |
| HK | 2 | Atsushi Sakate |
| LP | 1 | Shintaro Ishihara |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Takeshi Hino |
| PR | 17 | Shogo Miura |
| PR | 18 | Yu Chinen |
| | 19 | Naohiro Kotaki |
| | 20 | Yoshitaka Tokunaga |
| | 21 | Kaito Shigeno |
| | 22 | Takuya Yamasawa |
| | 23 | Ryoto Nakamura |
| Coach: Jamie Joseph ||
| FB | 15 | Lee Jae Bok | |
| RW | 14 | Jeong Yeon Sik | |
| OC | 13 | Kim Sung Soo | |
| IC | 12 | Mun Jeong Ho |
| LW | 11 | Chang Yong Heung |
| FH | 10 | Yu Jae Hyeok |
| SH | 9 | Shin Ki Cheol | |
| N8 | 8 | Lee Yong Seung |
| OF | 7 | Kim Jeong Min |
| BF | 6 | Kim Hyun Soo |
| RL | 5 | Han Kun Kyu |
| LL | 4 | Yang Dae Yeong | |
| TP | 3 | Kim Kwang Sik | 15' to 25' |
| HK | 2 | Kim Jeep | |
| LP | 1 | Na Kwonyoung | |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Lim Junhui | 76' to 80' |
| PR | 17 | Kim Seong Tae | |
| PR | 18 | Kang Taehyeon | |
| | 19 | Shin Dahyeon | |
| | 20 | Jung Hyojin |
| | 21 | Kim Sunghyun | |
| | 22 | Kim Gwong Min | |
| | 23 | Jang Jeong Min | |
| Coach: John Walters ||

### Week 3

* 6 May 2017 16:30

| Japan | 29-17 | Hong Kong |
| - | - | - |
| Try: Matsuhashi 1' Yamada 38', 60' Horie 67' Tatekawa 76' Con: Matsuda 2', 68' | Asia Rugby Report | Try: Yiu 24' Spitz 54' Con: Hood 25', 56' Pen: Hood 16' |

* Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo Attendance: 8238

| FB | 15 | Ryuji Noguchi |
| - | - | - |
| RW | 14 | Akihito Yamada |
| OC | 13 | Kanta Shikao |
| IC | 12 | Harumichi Tatekawa |
| LW | 11 | Seiya Ozaki |
| FH | 10 | Rikiya Matsuda |
| SH | 9 | Kaito Shigeno |
| N8 | 8 | Shuhei Matsuhashi |
| OF | 7 | Shokei Kin |
| BF | 6 | Malgene Ilaua |
| RL | 5 | Samuela Anise | 15' to 25' |
| LL | 4 | Naohiro Kotaki |
| TP | 3 | Yu Chinen |
| HK | 2 | Atsushi Sakate |
| LP | 1 | Shintaro Ishihara |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Shota Horie |
| PR | 17 | Shogo Miura |
| PR | 18 | Takayuki Watanabe |
| | 19 | Kotaro Yatabe |
| | 20 | Yoshitaka Tokunaga |
| | 21 | Naoki Ozawa |
| | 22 | Yutaka Nagare |
| | 23 | Takuya Yamasawa |
| Coach: Jamie Joseph ||
| FB | 15 | Rowan Varty |
| RW | 14 | Salom Yiu Kam Shing |
| OC | 13 | Tyler Spitz |
| IC | 12 | Eliesa Kaleca Rauca |
| LW | 11 | Sebastien Alfonsi |
| FH | 10 | Matthew Rosslee |
| SH | 9 | Jamie Hood |
| N8 | 8 | Daniel Falvey |
| OF | 7 | Toby Fenn |
| BF | 6 | Philip Whitfield |
| RL | 5 | Adrian Griffiths |
| LL | 4 | James Cunningham |
| TP | 3 | Dylan Rogers |
| HK | 2 | Benjamin Roberts |
| LP | 1 | Benjamin Higgins |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Jamie Tsang Hon Man |
| PR | 17 | Alex Ng Wai Shing |
| PR | 18 | Angus Dixon |
| | 19 | Kyle Sullivan |
| | 20 | Thomas Lamboley |
| | 21 | Alastair Maclay |
| | 22 | Cado Lee Ka To |
| | 23 | Robert Keith |
| Coach: Leigh Jones ||

### Week 4

* 13 May 2017

| Hong Kong | 0-16 | Japan |
| - | - | - |
| | Asia Rugby Report | Try: Lotoahea 45' Con: Yamasawa 46' Pen: Yamasawa 28', 41', 65' |

* Hong Kong Football Club Stadium

| FB | 15 | Alexander Mcqueen |
| - | - | - |
| RW | 14 | Salom Yiu Kam Shing |
| OC | 13 | Tyler Spitz |
| IC | 12 | Eliesa Kaleca Rauca |
| LW | 11 | Alastair Maclay |
| FH | 10 | Matthew Rosslee |
| SH | 9 | Jamie Hood |
| N8 | 8 | Daniel Falvey |
| OF | 7 | Matthew Lamming |
| BF | 6 | Nicholas Hewson |
| RL | 5 | Adrian Griffiths |
| LL | 4 | James Cunningham |
| TP | 3 | Dylan Rogers |
| HK | 2 | Benjamin Roberts |
| LP | 1 | Benjamin Higgins |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | John Markley |
| PR | 17 | Angus Dixon |
| PR | 18 | Jack Parfitt |
| | 19 | Kyle Sullivan |
| | 20 | Thomas Lamboley |
| | 21 | Charles Higson-smith |
| | 22 | Cado Lee Ka To |
| | 23 | Benjamin Rimene |
| Coach: Leigh Jones ||
| FB | 15 | Ryuji Noguchi |
| RW | 14 | Akihito Yamada |
| OC | 13 | Kanta Shikao |
| IC | 12 | Ryoto Nakamura |
| LW | 11 | Amanaki Lotoahea |
| FH | 10 | Takuya Yamasawa |
| SH | 9 | Yutaka Nagare |
| N8 | 8 | Shuhei Matsuhashi |
| OF | 7 | Naoki Ozawa |
| BF | 6 | Yoshitaka Tokunaga |
| RL | 5 | Samuela Anise |
| LL | 4 | Kotaro Yatabe |
| TP | 3 | Takayuki Watanabe |
| HK | 2 | Atsushi Sakate |
| LP | 1 | Shintaro Ishihara |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Kosuke Horikoshi |
| PR | 17 | Kohei Assahori |
| PR | 18 | Yu Chinen |
| | 19 | Yuya Odo |
| | 20 | Malgene Ilaua |
| | 21 | Kaito Shigeno |
| | 22 | Rikiya Matsuda |
| | 23 | Seiya Ozaki |
| Coach: Jamie Joseph ||

### Week 5

* 27 May 2017

| South Korea | 17-43 | Hong Kong |
| - | - | - |
| Try: Kim G.M. 35' Lee Y.S. 70' Kim H.S. 78' Con: Coquillard 70' | Asia Rugby report World Rugby Report | Try: Cunningham 11' Spitz 13', 47' Rauca 21' Yiu 43' Maclay 63' Con: Hood 12', 15', 22', 43', 47' Pen: Hood 40' |

* Yesan Stadium, Chungnam

| FB | 15 | Chang Yong Heung |
| - | - | - |
| RW | 14 | Jeong Yeon Sik |
| OC | 13 | Lee Jae Bok |
| IC | 12 | Kim Sung Soo |
| LW | 11 | Kim Gwong Min |
| FH | 10 | Lee Seokgyun |
| SH | 9 | Shin Ki Cheol |
| N8 | 8 | Lee Yong Seung |
| OF | 7 | Kim Jeong Min |
| BF | 6 | Kim Hyun Soo |
| RL | 5 | Kim Sangjin |
| LL | 4 | Shin Dahyeon |
| TP | 3 | Kim Kwang Sik |
| HK | 2 | Kim Jeep |
| LP | 1 | Na Kwanyoung |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Lim Junhui |
| PR | 17 | Kim Seong Tae |
| PR | 18 | Sin Woosung |
| | 19 | Kim Daewhwan |
| | 20 | You Jihoon |
| | 21 | Kim Sunghyun |
| | 22 | Yu Jae Hyeok |
| | 23 | Andre Jin Coquillard |
| Coach: John Walters ||
| FB | 15 | Jamie Hood |
| RW | 14 | Salom Yiu Kam Shing |
| OC | 13 | Tyler Spitz |
| IC | 12 | Eliesa Kaleca Rauca |
| LW | 11 | Alastair Maclay |
| FH | 10 | Matthew Rosslee |
| SH | 9 | Cado Lee Ka To |
| N8 | 8 | Thomas Lamboley |
| OF | 7 | Matthew Lamming |
| BF | 6 | Nicholas Hewson |
| RL | 5 | Adrian Griffiths |
| LL | 4 | James Cunningham |
| TP | 3 | Dylan Rogers |
| HK | 2 | Benjamin Roberts |
| LP | 1 | Benjamin Higgins |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | John Markley |
| PR | 17 | Angus Dixon |
| PR | 18 | Alex Ng Wai Shing |
| | 19 | Kyle Sullivan |
| | 20 | Toby Fenn |
| | 21 | Charles Higson-Smith |
| | 22 | Benjamin Rimene |
| | 23 | Robert Keith |
| Coach: Leigh Jones ||

### Week 6

* 3 June 2017 16:07

| Hong Kong | 39-3 | South Korea |
| - | - | - |
| Try: Hewson 25' Penalty Try 44' Rimene 66' Falvey 74' Lee 80' Con: Hood 26', 44' Rimene 75' Falvey 80' Pen: Hood 12', 38' | report | Pen: Yu 9' |

* Hong Kong Football Club Stadium

| FB | 15 | Jamie Hood |
| - | - | - |
| RW | 14 | Salom Yiu Kam Shing |
| OC | 13 | Tyler Spitz |
| IC | 12 | Eliesa Kaleca Rauca |
| LW | 11 | Alastair Maclay |
| FH | 10 | Matthew Rosslee |
| SH | 9 | Cado Lee Ka To |
| N8 | 8 | Thomas Lamboley |
| OF | 7 | Matthew Lamming |
| BF | 6 | Nicholas Hewson |
| RL | 5 | Adrian Griffiths |
| LL | 4 | James Cunningham |
| TP | 18 | Dylan Rogers |
| HK | 2 | Benjamin Roberts |
| LP | 1 | Benjamin Higgins |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 3 | Alex Ng Wai Shing |
| PR | 16 | John Markley |
| PR | 17 | Rohan Cook |
| | 19 | Kyle Sullivan |
| | 20 | Daniel Falvey |
| | 21 | Benjamin Rimene |
| | 22 | Charles Higson-Smith |
| | 23 | Toby Fenn |
| Coach: Leigh Jones ||
| FB | 15 | Lee Jae Bok |
| RW | 14 | Chang Yong Heung |
| OC | 13 | Kim Sung Soo |
| IC | 12 | Mun Jeong Ho |
| LW | 11 | Kim Gwong Min |
| FH | 10 | Yu Jae Hyeok |
| SH | 9 | Kim Sunghyun |
| N8 | 8 | Lee Yong Seung |
| OF | 7 | Kim Jeong Min |
| BF | 6 | Kim Hyun Soo |
| RL | 5 | Kim Sangjin |
| LL | 4 | Kim Daehwan |
| TP | 3 | Sin Woosung | 50' to 60' |
| HK | 2 | Lim Junhui |
| LP | 1 | Kim Seong Tae |
| Replacements: ||
| HK | 16 | Kim Jeep |
| PR | 17 | Na Kwanyoung |
| PR | 18 | Lee Gyusang |
| | 19 | Shin Dahyeon |
| | 20 | You Jihoon |
| | 21 | Hong Sungjojng |
| | 22 | Kim Nam Uk |
| | 23 | Jeon Yeon Sik |
| Coach: John Walters ||
