When it comes to longevity, Japan holds a number of unique records when it comes to the game of Rugby Union. The game has been played in Japan for over 150 years, with the Yokohama Football Club formed in 1866, four years before New Zealand’s first recognised game featuring the Nelson Football Club, and more than 20 years before the New Zealand Rugby Union was even conceived.

At the Golden-Oldies Rugby Tournament held in Christchurch this week, “For The Love Of The Game’ had the opportunity to talk to 80 year old Koichi Seino. Seino-san is certainly one of the oldest active rugby players in the world in the current era and he was the oldest player at the Christchurch Tournament.