RFU President Brian Williams at the 2008 Oku Trophy game with Kew captain Rupert Vessey, London Japanese captain Masayuki Hori and referee Reg Clark.

November 28^th, please note the new kick off time of *1:30pm( previously 2.15pm)
Richmond Athletic Ground
Spectators welcome

The Oku Memorial Trophy is contested each year by London Japanese RFC, of which Ambassador Katsuhiko Oku, Katsu to his friends, was a founder, and Kew Occasionals RFC a London based team of mostly Oxford and Cambridge graduates, of which again he was an enthusiastic member. The trophy itself was presented  by Reg Clark, a close friend of Katsu’s for over 20 years.

The sides have got together every year since 2005 in late November on the nearest Saturday to the anniversary of Katsu’s tragic assassination in Iraq 6 years ago to play a game in his memory. In 2006 the two sides were joined in a three way tournament by New York Japanese RFC and now each year Japanese players travel from all over Europe to participate in this annual event.

In the first three years the trophy was presented by Ambassador Nogami, a very close friend and associate of Ambassador Oku, during his time in London and last year the teams were delighted when the President of the Rugby Football Union, Brian Williams, attended the game to do the honours in this respect.

In addition to the game this year on November 28^th at the Richmond Athletic Ground, kick off 2.15pm, to which all spectators would be welcome, the organisers are delighted that the Japanese Embassy has chosen to mark the 5^th anniversary of the memorial event by inviting the participants and other guests, particularly those who knew Ambassador Oku well,  to a reception on Thursday 26^th November.

Ambassador Oku was the first Japanese national to represent the Blues XV at Oxford whilst studying at Hertford College in the early 1980’s and he was a long standing and globally well known member of the international committee of the Japan Rugby Football Union. The organisers of the Oku Trophy rugby game trust that it will become a lasting and fitting annual memorial to a much loved and greatly missed figure.

Please click here to view the Embassy of Japan memorial and tribute page for Ambassador Oku.