Kanto Gakuin University rugby players Taiki Nakamura and Keiji Umeno are suspected of growing about 16 plants in the apartment they share in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, according to the Kanagawa prefectural police.

Police arrested the two third-year students on suspicion of violating the Cannabis Control Law after finding the plants in a closet at about 7:05 p.m. Thursday. 

They also seized a pipe that had signs of having been used.

The club's head coach, Hiroshi Haruguchi, contacted the police earlier that day after speaking with the pair following a tip-off from someone at the university that they were "growing something strange in the dormitory room."

Nakamura, 21, and Umeno, 20, were not regular first team players at the club, which boasts six University Championship titles, and clinched its third consecutive Kanto University League crown on Sunday--its 11th overall.

The club leases the apartment building, which is close to its training ground on the university's Kanazawa Hakkei campus in the ward.

 Coach to 'give up training team'

Haruguchi indicated to reporters at a press conference at the training ground Friday morning that he would never coach the team again.

"I apologize to rugby lovers," he said. "I will train [rugby players] again and will devote myself to giving guidance.

"I feel my responsibility as head coach. I will leave it up to the rugby union to decide whether I should stay or go."

He added, however, that he hopes the team does not withdraw from further league matches or the championship.

The suspects reportedly told Haruguchi when he heard about the plants on Thursday that they did it out of curiosity and had been growing the plants since the summer's training camp finished in August.

"I kind of heard something about it, but didn't know for sure," a club member said.

The apartment where the cannabis plants were found was shared by the suspects and one other rugby club member, according to Haruguchi.