Japanese rugby star fails drugs test after trying to grow a moustache

The World Cup dreams of one of Japan’s rising rugby stars is in tatters after he attempted to cultivate a manly moustache.

Ryohei Yamanaka, a fly-half for the national team, is awaiting the result of a second test to confirm that the hair growth cream he rubbed on his top lip did contain a banned steroid.



If that result is also positive, which appears likely, the 22-year-old player is likely to face a ban of a minimum of six months - ruling him out of Brave Blossoms’ squad for the World Cup that kicks off in New Zealand on September 9.

In a worst-case scenario, Yamanaka could be banned for as much as two years as the Japan Rugby Football Union takes a notoriously dim view of drugs in the sport.