On Saturday, 22nd February, Rugby School Japan had the pleasure of hosting Meikei High School for a day of competitive yet friendly sport. Meikei are a wonderful school, and from the first whistle to the last, both teams played with fairness, sportsmanship, and mutual respect.
The fixture saw a full schedule of matches, with junior and senior boys competing in football and basketball, and junior and senior girls taking part in basketball and dodgeball. To maximise participation, two teams played in each sport, ensuring that as many students as possible had the opportunity to represent their school. The dodgeball match was particularly interesting, as RSJ played the American version of the game, which contrasted with the Japanese version played during our visit to Meikei. This small cultural difference added to the uniqueness of the day and highlighted the value of learning from each other.
While RSJ won all the fixtures, the real focus was on the school’s values displayed throughout the day. Kindness was evident in the way students encouraged each other, aspiration shone through in their determination and effort, integrity was displayed in fair play, and respect was mutual between both schools. These values defined the fixture far more than any scoreline could.
As the day came to a close, students from both schools deepened their friendships over lunch, sharing stories and experiences. The spirit of camaraderie was clear, and it was fantastic to see the bonds between RSJ and Meikei students growing stronger. We look forward to future fixtures against Meikei and the opportunity to expand the range of sports we compete in together.
