The New Zealand provincial rugby team of the North Otago Rugby Football Union, which has been supported for nine years by Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, a subsidiary located in New Zealand, visited Japan this autumn to take part in a series of friendly matches. Rugby is New Zealand's leading national sport and this dream team included international players drafted to play for the team from such countries as Ireland, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji now. 

During the tour of Japan, the team's first, the North Otago team played friendly matches against Suntory, NEC, and IBM, all teams in Japan's  Top League. Team manager, Mr. Gerard McCarthy, said the team was happy to be in Japan for the first time and the players thoroughly enjoyed the matches, despite the tough competition.

On November 6, a welcome reception was held at the New Zealand Embassy under the joint sponsorship of the New Zealand Embassy, our Textile Department in Osaka and Sumitex International Company Ltd. The New Zealand ambassador to Japan and his wife as well as people from Japan's rugby circle attended the event, enjoying a taste of New Zealand's renowned cheeses and lamb. At the beginning of the reception, the North Otago players performed the famous haka, a war dance of New Zealand's indigenous Maori that is traditionally performed at the start of all international rugby games. We very much look forward to the team's continued success in the future.