Watch: Bizarre decider in Japanese university rugby match

Former England fly-half Freddie Burns is adjusting to life in Japan as he continues his adventure with Toyota Industries Shuttles (formerly Shokki Shuttles) in the country’s second tier.

And he recently spotted this unique approach to ‘knockout’ rugby in the univeristy game.

The tweet from Burns shows two team captains opening envelopes to decide which side progresses in the university game.

As Burns remarks in his tweet: “Thoughts on this kind of thing coming into Premiership rugby when a game can’t be played due to Covid?

“After a 19-19 draw in the Uni knock out stage, instead of extra time the captains pick an envelope to decide to [sic] winner.”

He finished with the hashtag ‘Only in Japan’.

As Rugby World cotributer Rich Freeman also points out, there should really be a better way of dealing with draws in the university game…

Of course, we all remember what happened last time there was a notable ‘shoot-out’ to decide a knockout match…

Related: Cardiff Blues and Leicester Tigers Penalty Shootout: An Oral History

Here’s how BT Sport reacted to Burns’s question about bringing the envelope system into the Premiership game for covid cancellations.

How much uproar do you think there would be if this system was brought in the English game or the European Champions Cup?

Maybe you are one of those who likes the idea of a shoot-out to decide a deadlock. You’d better hope your forwards pack has some dead-eyed sharpshooters in the ranks though!

Which begs a question for another day: Which forward is the best goal-kicker of all time…?

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