Did YOU knOw?

Goromaru is a keen fisherman who in his 56 tests has netted 708 points – a Japan record. the figure is significantly higher than second-placed Keiji Hirose’s 422. 2009), all i could do was to play my best for whoever i was playing for at the time, be it Waseda University or Yamaha. i was recruited by Yamaha at the age of 22, when i graduated. Eddie Jones has probably influenced me the most. He built and spearheaded a (Japan) team that could go out and play and get results, win, on the international stage. i was with him and that team for four years. Rugby was referred to as a sport in which you can’t take down a giant. However, that perception has changed with Japan’s win (over south africa at rWc 2015). everybody, in Japan and around the world, thought that south africa would win. that game is my most memorable rugby moment. It’s said that 80% of the Japanese people now know my face. so (since the World cup) i feel that i’m always being looked at. The year 2019 will be the first time a Tier Two rugby nation has hosted the World Cup. Up until now the World cup has been held in strong rugby countries, like australia, new Zealand, south africa and england. in 2020 the olympics will be held in tokyo, so the 2019 World cup will play an important role in creating a buzz around sport in Japan leading up to those olympics. Up until this year, I had only ever played in Japan. communication and different ways of thinking have caused me some issues, but my experience at the reds was great thanks to the support i received from my team-mates and all the staff. i really enjoyed my time there.