James Arlidge (ジェームス・アレジ, Jēmusu Areji); born 11 August 1979) is a Japanese international rugby union player.
After a single season in Dunedin, Arlidge began a four-year stint in Japan with Osaka based club NTT DoCoMo Kansai.
Having been listed by the Japan Rugby Football Union as being unaffiliated to a club,[3] on 5 May 2008 the South Wales Argus quoted new Newport Gwent Dragons signing Tom Willis as "looking forward to joining forces with his compatriots and former Highlanders team-mates, including James Arlidge, in Dragons colours next season.".
[5] Having qualified for Japan on residency grounds, Arlidge was named by new "Cherry Blossoms" coach and fellow New Zealander John Kirwan's first squad.
Having looked a certainty for a berth in the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad, a fractured leg obtained against a Classic All Blacks side forced Arlidge onto the sidelines,[7] until the 2008 HSBC Asian Five Nations.