England to tour Japan in 2024 in a historic Test match
The match will take place on June 22 with the venue yet to be announced
©PA
England will be heading to Japan next year to lock horns with the Brave Blossoms in what would be the first Test match between the two sides in the country.
The game has been scheduled to be played on 22nd June, 2024 with the venue yet to be confirmed.
England had already toured Japan on two occasions in 1971 and 1979 for a bilateral clash but the games did not have a Test match status. There were also scheduled to take on the Brave Blossoms in a two-match Test series in 2020 which got cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We are delighted to announce England will play its first ever Test match against the Brave Blossoms in Japan," RFU CEO Bill Sweeney said. This is a landmark occasion for our two rugby nations.
"After hosting Japan twice at Twickenham Stadium in recent years, we're eager to continue building our strong relationship with the JRFU. We have a lot of respect for Japanese rugby, and I know there will be mutual excitement between fans from both countries for this fixture."
The last time England went to Japan was during the 2019 Rugby World Cup where they went on to reach the final before losing to the Springboks.
"We are delighted to welcome England to Japan next year for this historic test match and to have the opportunity to test ourselves against one of the world's best teams, Masato Tsuchida, JRFU President, said.
"The JRFU and Japanese rugby fans have great respect for English rugby and recognise England as the birthplace of our great sport.
"We fondly remember England's performances at the World Cup in 2019, especially their incredible semi-final victory in Yokohama. English fans made a fantastic contribution to the atmosphere of the tournament, making up the largest contingent of visiting international fans.
"They left a wonderfully positive impression on the Japanese public, and we look forward to welcoming the team and English fans back to Japan and renewing the great rugby connection between our two nations."
Both England and Japan are grouped in Pool D for the upcoming Rugby World Cup scheduled later this year with Nice holding their clash on 17th September.
