Summary of Rugby in AUS & IRE

I would like to summarise my rugby playing history in overseas.

At First, I arrived at Wagga Wagga from Japan with a formar team-mate Mark Marry who played rugby together for Toyota Shokki Shuttles in Japan.

At Reddies, I had to travel country towns at the most of weekend for games which helped me to get into the team quickly. Good thing at Reddies was that every weekend I could take my wife to games. Player's partners, wives and girl friends were there for her to join the enjoyable atmosphere. We were really lucky that the first place we arrived and played rugby was Wagga Wagga.

We also had a really special moment with this club. We made Grand Final and won it, what's more, I was awarded as "Man of the Match on the Ground Final" and "Club's 1st Grade Best and Fairest". Winning the grand final was my first time experience in my whole life and we were really enjoyed the moment with team-mate and the supporters, including my wife of course.










After spending 10months at Wagga, we headed to Dublin in Ireland for a year to play Irish rugby. Beautiful place to be in spring and summer for sure but in winter (rugby season), it was killing fingers on hands and toes at feet. My wife was still at side line to check my plays but without having Bective's warm treatment to her, she would not be able to stay on the side line. Thanks for clubs and team-mates to help my wife to be warm.

Also this was my first experience that i was categorised as foreign player who can not be on the 1st grade member if other foreigner is already on the field. Competing against NZ players sounded tough but I felt pretty special in the environment as Japanese player in Ireland. What is Irish rugby about ........ if you want to know it, you have to go there and live with it, play with it and punish yourself to be in the coldest and wettest winter rugby. It was awesome rugby out there and I am sure experience I got and people we met in Ireland were something special that not many players would gain. I was also really lucky that I could train at ground of Leinster rugby union.

After spending one season in Ireland, we decided to head back to AUS for more challenging opportunity. The reasons I got back to AUS were, to finish my playing career, to start studying at higher education sector for further coaching opportunity, to work and support our life and expose myself to more professional environment.

I played 2006-2008 for 3 seasons for Vikings rugby club where many Wallabies and S15 players are coming from. A few injuries affected my playing career in the 1st and 2nd years. But I guess even in the time, I could push myself to grab existed opportunity. In the 3rd season in 2008, I could manage myself to not get injured and my other commitments, such as school and work seemed easier to manage than 1st and 2nd seasons. I made some 1st grade appearances and played at several positions, such as 4,5,6,7&8. I thought this would be my last season as I had been feeling my body's damages. The feeling helped me to play even harder in the season to maximise my chance to play for 1st grade games.

At the end of season presentation, I was awarded as club's 24th "Player of the Year". I still remembered the feeling that I did not expect anything at the time, I was just drinking a beer for fun. But the moment came, and I lost myself for a few second and realised that the award I got. It was special feeling of course but more than this, showing our achievement to my wife was special for us.

Coaches and players I and my wife met are still great mates who opened my next door. I believe that people's connection was the best developed in hard working environment where every one of us moving toward same goal. This feeling can not be forgotten. I should keep challenging myself for future opportunity.

To conclude this, our rugby travel was something that other Japanese rugby players should try and gain open knowledge/skills in rugby. Hope I can help out Japanese players to go overseas when they realise that they need it for Japan.

Thanks, AUS and Thanks IRE.

I love to head back and expand my future doors.

http://reds.rugbynet.com.au/default.asp
http://www.bectiverangers.com/
http://vikingsrugby.com.au/about-us/honour-board/player-of-the-year/