Ganbatte Trophy

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

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
  • 2016 Rebels
  • 2018 Rebels
  • 2018 Rebels
  • 2019 Rebels
  • 2019 Rebels
  • 2020 Sunwolves

Fixtures
19 March 2016 Sunwolves 9–35 Rebels Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo  
13:15 Pen: Tusi Pisi  3', 28', 43' (3/3) Report
Scoreboard[5]		 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[6]
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 Toomua (1/3)  66'
Reece Hodge  76'
Pen: Matt Toomua  15'		 Attendance: TBC
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)

See also

References
  1. 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.
  2. Ward, Roy (5 February 2016). "Melbourne Rebels sign Japanese back Kotaro Matsushima for Super Rugby season". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
  3. 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）
  4. Ganbatte Trophy 創設 Archived 1 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine（Official Website of Sunwolves, 18 March 2016 Retrieved 20 March 2016）
  5. "SA Rugby Match Centre – Sunwolves 9-35 Rebels". South African Rugby Union. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  6. "Rebels Overpower Sunwolves in Tokyo". Green and Gold Rugby. 20 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  7. サンウルブズ、レベルズに完敗. J Sports (in Japanese). 3 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
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