▁ 1 8 7 8 , ▁and ▁although ▁little ▁official ▁information ▁from ▁the ▁period ▁is ▁available , ▁the ▁team ▁won ▁the ▁All - Ind ia ▁cup ▁in ▁Mad ras ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁The ▁first ▁recorded ▁match ▁in ▁Malays ia ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁but ▁the ▁first ▁confirm ation ▁of ▁rugby ▁is ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁the ▁HMS ▁Mal aya ▁Cup ▁which ▁was ▁first ▁presented ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁and ▁is ▁still ▁awarded ▁to ▁the ▁w inners ▁of ▁the ▁Mal ay ▁se vens . ▁ ▁Rugby ▁union ▁was ▁introduced ▁to ▁Japan ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁by ▁two ▁Cambridge ▁students : ▁G inn os u ke ▁Tan aka ▁and ▁Edward ▁Br am well ▁Clar ke . ▁The ▁Japan ▁R F U ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁and ▁its ▁place ▁in ▁rugby ▁history ▁was ▁c ement ed ▁with ▁the ▁news ▁that ▁Japan ▁will ▁host ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁World ▁Cup . ▁It ▁will ▁be ▁the ▁first ▁country ▁outside ▁the ▁Commonwealth , ▁Ireland ▁and ▁France ▁to ▁host ▁the ▁event , ▁and ▁this ▁is ▁viewed ▁by ▁the ▁IR B ▁as ▁an ▁opportunity ▁for ▁rugby ▁union ▁to ▁extend ▁its ▁reach , ▁particularly ▁in ▁Asia . ▁Other ▁Asian ▁playing ▁countries ▁of ▁note ▁include ▁Singapore , ▁South ▁Korea , ▁China ▁and ▁The ▁Philippines , ▁while ▁the ▁former ▁British ▁col ony ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁is ▁notable ▁within ▁rugby ▁for ▁its ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁rugby ▁se vens ▁game , ▁especially ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Se vens ▁tournament ▁which