While there has been past selection debates on an over reliance of expatriate players, the local development programme (National Rugby Academy) has seen success only at age group levels and hence see more local players through the ranks. Regrettably whilst development of the game has been successful at the schools level & in organizing international games & tournaments events here in Singapore in conjunction with the Tourism Board, we do not see the local rugby lads progressing strongly as an all citizens national rugby team as once evident back in the 1980s. Singapore have been competitors in the Asian 5 Nations competition since the inaugural 2008 tournament. In 2009 they competed in the premier division of the series. They kept the tournament winners Japan to a 30-point deficit, the smallest of any of Japan's games.