The story behind Ren-G

The shishi are sacred lion-like mythical creatures that are said to bring happiness and ward off evil They have been seen depicted in Japanese culture in a variety of forms since ancient times. Whether it be as a renjishii traditional Japanese theatre, Noh and Kabuki (the lion-like creatures often appear as a pair of father and son and perform a dance onstage), a shishimai (lion-like creature appearing in the lion dance) or a komainu (guardian lion statues often found at the entrance of shrines), the shishi has been known to take on different forms. Ren-G were born when this ancient spirit met the five values of rugby –integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline

Role

As Ren-G embodies the five spirits of rugby, their very purpose in life is to spread the spirit of rugby from Japan to Asia and to the rest of the world.

Where Ren-G were born and where they can be found

The exact location of their birth is unknown but they were born somewhere in Japan. He is usually found at the Rugby World Cup host cities or at the official team camps located across Japan. Sometimes he will jump into cyberspace to meet and interact with people around the world.

What are Ren-G usually up to?

Ren-G was brought into this world to spread the spirit of rugby, but with Rugby World Cup 2019 just around the corner, they are gearing up to put in their utmost effort to promote the tournament. They will be going around to the host cities to teach the values of rugby and to promote RWC 2019. They will also be promoting the host cities to the rest of Japan and to the world.

What they are good at

When they are happy, they will swing their hair in a circle and break out into the Ren-G dance.

What they are most interested in

They have been focusing their efforts on figuring out how best to relay the spirit of rugby and as to how they can provide all of the players, stakeholders and fans coming to Rugby World Cup 2019 with an amazing, unforgettable experience.

Friends

As they have been involved in the promotional activities for rugby, they have had the opportunity to meet and get to know the mascots of the host cities. They share a mutual goal of making the Rugby World Cup 2019 a success and a strong friendship have developed between Ren-G and the host city mascots.

Future plans for Ren-G

They will be spreading the rugby spirit in the host cities and the official team camp locations, as well as relaying the greatness of Rugby World Cup to everyone. Ren-G will be hard at work to get as much information about the host cities and Japan out to the international visitors as they can. They will be leading the way as they await with open arms to welcome all of the locals and the visitors from across Japan and the world to Rugby World Cup 2019.

 

Who is Ren?

He loves the spirit of rugby and how it connects and brings everyone together. He also loves the spirit of moving forward without fear. Ren embodies two of the five values of rugby, integrity and discipline, and he shares solidarity with G.

Who is G?

He absolutely loves the fighting spirit of the rugby players, the fair play and the cheering voices of the spectators. He embodies the two values of rugby, passion and respect, and he shares solidarity with Ren.

Together they are known as Ren-G