James Arlidge
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
international rugby union
player. He plays primarily at fly-half.
In 2001 having started the NPC season with Auckland, Arlidge would spend the majority of the season on loan with another side in the Blues franchise, Northland. After another season back with Auckland and the Blues, Arlidge opted to sign for South Island side The Highlanders for the 2003 Super 12 season, as well as playing his NPC rugby with Otago.
After a single season in Dunedin, Arlidge began a four year stint in Japan with Osaka based club NTT DoCoMo Kansai. Having been listed by the Japanese Rugby Union as being unaffiliated to a club, on 5 May 2008 The South Wales Argus quoted new Newport Gwent Dragons signing Tom Willis as "looking forward to joining forces with his compatriots and former Highlanders team-mates, including James Arlidge, in Dragons colours next season.".
In June 2010 Nottingham Rugby announced that Arlidge had joined them on a one year contract.
Having qualified for Japan on residency grounds, Arlidge was named by new "Cherry Blossoms" coach and fellow New Zealander John Kirwan's first squad. His test debut came in an emphatic 82–0 win over South Korea in Tokyo, scoring two tries and converting all of his ten conversions. Having looked a certainty for a berth in the 2007 World Cup squad, a fractured leg obtained against a Classic All Blacks side forced Arlidge onto the sidelines, until the 2008 Asian Five Nations
.
In the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
Arlidge was the top points scorer with 56 for Japan, six points ahead of Callum Bruce
for the New Zealand Maori.
Arlidge was included in Japan's 2011 Rugby World Cup
squad. He played in 3 of Japan's 4 matches during the World Cup, scoring 34 points, one of the highest amounts in the tournament so far, consisting of 2 tries, 3 conversions and 6 penalties.
In the whole of Arlidge's international career, he has played for Japan 32 times, with 286 points. These points consist of 8 tries, 78 conversions, 28 penalties and 2 drop goals.
Japan national rugby union team
The Japan national rugby union team represent Japan in international rugby union competitions. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia but has both enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. He plays primarily at fly-half.
Club career
Unusually he made his Super rugby debut for the Auckland Blues, prior to making his first start in provincial rugby, making the step from junior rugby with Pakuranga and Auckland Colts, due to the then Blues first choice outside half Carlos Spencer being injured. Later in 2002 Arlidge would go onto make his debut for Auckland in New Zealand's NPC Tournament.In 2001 having started the NPC season with Auckland, Arlidge would spend the majority of the season on loan with another side in the Blues franchise, Northland. After another season back with Auckland and the Blues, Arlidge opted to sign for South Island side The Highlanders for the 2003 Super 12 season, as well as playing his NPC rugby with Otago.
After a single season in Dunedin, Arlidge began a four year stint in Japan with Osaka based club NTT DoCoMo Kansai. Having been listed by the Japanese Rugby Union as being unaffiliated to a club, on 5 May 2008 The South Wales Argus quoted new Newport Gwent Dragons signing Tom Willis as "looking forward to joining forces with his compatriots and former Highlanders team-mates, including James Arlidge, in Dragons colours next season.".
In June 2010 Nottingham Rugby announced that Arlidge had joined them on a one year contract.
International
Prior to leaving New Zealand, Arlidge made his New Zealand Maori debut, against a Canada All Stars side, on their 2003 North America tour.Having qualified for Japan on residency grounds, Arlidge was named by new "Cherry Blossoms" coach and fellow New Zealander John Kirwan's first squad. His test debut came in an emphatic 82–0 win over South Korea in Tokyo, scoring two tries and converting all of his ten conversions. Having looked a certainty for a berth in the 2007 World Cup squad, a fractured leg obtained against a Classic All Blacks side forced Arlidge onto the sidelines, until the 2008 Asian Five Nations
2008 HSBC Asian Five Nations
The 2008 Asian Five Nations, known as the 2008 HSBC Asian 5 Nations due to its sponsorship by HSBC, was the inaugural series of the rugby union Asian Five Nations which is the flagship competition devised by the International Rugby Board to develop the sport in the Asian region...
.
In the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup
The 2008 Pacific Nations Cup was a rugby union tournament held between six national sides on the Pacific Rim: Australia A, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand Māori . The inaugural competition was held in 2006. This year the tournament started on 7 June and ended on 6 July 2008.The tournament...
Arlidge was the top points scorer with 56 for Japan, six points ahead of Callum Bruce
Callum Bruce
Callum Bruce is a New Zealand rugby union player.-Super 14:Bruce formally played for the Super 14 team Highlanders. He now plays for the Super 14 team Chiefs. Although his normal position is second five-eighth, Bruce has also covered first five-eighth for the Highlanders when regular fly-half Nick...
for the New Zealand Maori.
Arlidge was included in Japan's 2011 Rugby World Cup
2011 Rugby World Cup
The 2011 Rugby World Cup was the seventh Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. The International Rugby Board selected New Zealand as the host country in preference to Japan and South Africa at a meeting in Dublin on 17 November 2005...
squad. He played in 3 of Japan's 4 matches during the World Cup, scoring 34 points, one of the highest amounts in the tournament so far, consisting of 2 tries, 3 conversions and 6 penalties.
In the whole of Arlidge's international career, he has played for Japan 32 times, with 286 points. These points consist of 8 tries, 78 conversions, 28 penalties and 2 drop goals.