We’ve created the perfect guide to impressing your friends with quirky facts about this year’s tournament.

When it comes to any major sporting event, pundits are happy to share their facts and figures at record speed and Rugby World Cup 2019™ is no exception. From England being the first sole host nation to exit in the group stages (2015) to South Africa apparently winning every third tournament since 1995, you will hear plenty more as the tournament progresses. 

However, Japan is a country steeped in rich culture and heritage and this has carried over into its hosting of  Rugby World Cup 2019™, offering up a whole new host of interesting facts. So if you fancy deviating from the crowd and impressing your friends or colleagues next time conversations turn to the rugby, look no further: 

1. The ​ticket designs​ for this year’s tournament have been inspired by traditional Musha-e art. This type of art usually depicts warriors in battle but for Rugby World Cup 2019™, the warriors have been replaced with rugby players in action.

2. No tournament would be complete without its mascots. The Rugby World Cup 2019™ mascots are two mythical Japanese creatures known as ​shishi​, they are said to bring happiness wherever they go and ward off evil. Known as Ren-G, they are said to have been brought into the world to spread the spirit of rugby. Anyone lucky enough to bump into the mascots in Japan throughout the tournament or spot them on TV should watch out to see if they are swinging their hair in a circle. This is a sign that Ren-G is happy and probably about to break out into a dance! 

3. When the Australian rugby team visited Japan in 2017, the bars were drunk dry before the match had even kicked off. So in order to keep up with demand for Rugby World Cup 2019™, Heineken (the tournament’s official beer sponsor) had its Japanese brewery increase production by 80%. Spectators at the games also won’t have to leave their seats to get their drink as traditionally at Japanese sporting events, the Uriko (beer vendors) patrol the stands with mobile taps to keep spectators’ thirst at bay.

4. For this year’s tournament, the New Zealand team ​enlisted the help​ of Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto (AKA Y-3) to create their jerseys incorporating motifs that combine both Japanese and Maori cultures. If you look closely at the kit, you will notice this in the hand drawn koru and fern motifs, as well as the fuko neko (Japanese lucky cat symbol) on their training top. 

5. While you may know that the official anthem of the tournament is again “​World in Union​,” did you know that the lead singer of the band performing it also had a role to play in the film Pokémon the Movie: Genesect? Kiyoe Yoshioka, lead singer of the Japanese band Ikimono-gakari also contributed the theme song to the movie, Smile.

6. This year’s tournament will be run with the help of 13,000 volunteers across 12 host cities, known as Team No Side. The oldest of these volunteers is 88-year old Toshio Yasuda. Volunteers can be spotted in their brightly coloured uniforms, featuring blue and yellow stripes that are said to symbolise unity, smiles and memories. 

7. Usually, for large events, journalists are issued with official badges or passes in advance that gain them entry. However, Japan is trialling new technology in its Tokyo stadiums for Rugby World Cup 2019™ whereby all journalists will gain entry via a facial recognition scanner. The hope is for this technology to be used for all of the athletes, staff, officials and media at future large sporting events.