Japan Rugby Team train at Kensington Leisure Centre prior to England match
Kensington Leisure Centre were delighted to host the Japan Rugby team on Sunday 11th November as they came down to use the facilities as part of their current training camp. Over 30 of the squad visited the centre for some water based exercise as they prepare to face England at Twickenham on Saturday 17th November as part of the Autumn International series.
The match will be only the second time that the two teams have faced one another, with the last encounter being more than 30 years ago. Japan are hosting the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and, after staging the biggest upset of the 2015 tournament by beating the mighty South Africa, are set to offer England a stern test.
The players were in good spirits as they exercised in the pool and happily posed for photographs. Japan Captain Michael Leitch thanked the centre for hosting the team and praised the quality of the pool. Centre Manager Oliver Stacey noted, “It’s been fantastic to have the Japanese players and coaching staff here at Kensington Leisure Centre. Being selected as a training venue by elite international athletes highlights the quality of the facilities that we have on offer, and we wish the team the best in their upcoming fixtures”
Kensington Leisure Centre, which was built by the Royal Borough at a cost of £30 million, was opened in March 2015 and recently won the 2018 UK Active ‘Centre of the Year’ award as the leading fitness facility in London.
The centre also acted as a training venue for the England Rugby team in 2017 as they used the swimming pools for water based workouts in preparation for a Six Nations clash with Italy.