“That Hiiragi” is the man who climbed from the expected value “zero” to the Japanese national team February 1, 19:56

Four years ago, the Rugby World Cup, which was held in Japan, excited the whole of Japan with the rapid progress of the national team.

This September, the stage will be moved to France this time, and the World Cup of the Japanese national team will start again.

Last year, one man put his name forward in the fierce competition for members.

Shuhei Takeuchi of League One "Urayasu D-Rocks", 25 years old.

His position is 'Prop', the front row of the scrum where he wrestles opponents.

A man born and raised in Miyazaki, where rugby is not popular.

He doesn't have any special talent.

However, Takeuchi went straight on the path he decided.

There are more important things in his life than talent and environment.

(Miyazaki Broadcasting Station Reporter Ushio Niibori) * Honorifics omitted in the text

dream time

Last June, a warm-up match between Japan and Uruguay.

In the 20th minute of the second half, Takeuchi, dressed in a cherry blossom jersey, stood on the pitch at Prince Chichibu Rugby Stadium.

It rushes powerfully between the big foreign players.

He also won the scrum and let out a roar of "Yosher!" that echoed through the stadium.

I'm glad to say that the Japanese national team's debut match was a great success.

The playing time was about 20 minutes, and Takeuchi wrote on his Twitter, "It was a dream-like time."

Everyone who carries the Hinomaru may think so at first.

However, if you know Takeuchi's history, you can understand how it was a "dream time".

lie about the teacher

Takeuchi first encountered rugby when he was in the 6th grade of elementary school.

The naughty and curious boy was most looking forward to playing dodgeball during recess.

There was a teacher who played rugby at an elementary school in Miyazaki City where Takeuchi attended.

That doesn't mean I wanted to play rugby from the beginning.

Takeuchi

: “I got tired of playing regular dodgeball, so I thought it would be fun to play with a rugby ball, so I went to ask my teacher to lend me one. I thought he wouldn't give me the ball if I said 'no' so I said 'Yes'."

A quick lie leads Takeuchi to the world of rugby.

Takeuchi

: “I was told to come next Saturday in a dress that I could move around in, so I was taken to a nearby junior high school rugby club. It made me feel that there was something I could do.”

Takeuchi's rugby career began.

special invitations

``He's small and doesn't have high athletic ability

.

Today, Takeuchi is 183 cm tall and weighs 115 kg, but even when he was in the third year of junior high school, he was still thin at 160 cm and 60 kg.

His physique and ability gradually differed from those of his classmates, and when he entered the game, he was targeted as a weak point.

According to Yasunori Imata, who was a coach at the school, when the parents of his teammates at the time talked about Takeuchi's recent successes, there were two words he would always say.

Mr. Imata: "When you say 'that Hiiragiga', you always end up with 'that'. I didn't stand out as a player.

"

Takeuchi said he was not good at studying.

He wanted to enter a rugby powerhouse in high school, but no school would invite him.

Only one person, Kiyofumi Sato, the director of the local Miyazaki industry, called out.

Miyazaki Rugby School, which Takeuchi attended, rented a space at Miyazaki Kogyo's grounds to practice on weekdays.

Sato had the opportunity to see Takeuchi play, but he didn't think he was a good player.

Then why did he call out to Takeuchi?

Mr. Sato:

“At the time, there were about 10 members. In 15-a-side rugby, you couldn’t even play in a match. Somewhere, that 'like' will come alive.

An invitation from a school unrelated to the national tournament "Hanazono".

It seemed like a special invitation to Takeuchi.

Takeuchi

: “All my classmates at the rugby school were calling out to me, but I was the only one who didn’t, so I had half given up on continuing rugby. It was the first time in my rugby life that someone wanted me to play.

Become this person's "pride"

When I joined the club, the training was more difficult than I had imagined.

The weight was placed on the menu that builds basic physical strength, and in the summer, the menu called "Rampus", which continues to dash while connecting passes, was thoroughly run.

For Takeuchi, who was the slowest in the team, it was a tough practice that he will never forget.

Even so, Takeuchi clings to Sato's guidance.

In order to make his slender body bigger, he sometimes packed 3 cups of rice in one meal.

By the time he was in his third year, his weight had increased by more than 20kg since he first joined the club, and his bench press, which was all he could do to lift a 40kg barbell, had become strong enough to lift more than 100kg.

Inspired by Takeuchi, the other club members also improved their strength.

It was the last prefectural tournament in my high school life, thinking that

"I can also aim for Hanazono" , but the world of competition is not easy.

Lost in the first match after being scooped up by an opponent who had never lost.

He failed to live up to the expectations of his teacher, who saved him from giving up rugby.

He thought while looking at Sato's face who spoke to the players without showing tears.

"Someday, this person will become a player who can be proud to say, 'Takeuchi is my student.'"

decision

He goes to Kyushu Kyoritsu University, which is not famous nationwide, but has produced top leaguers.

The feelings he had in high school grew even stronger.

Takeuchi

: “I have been able to continue playing rugby thanks to Mr. Sato, the manager and seniors in my university days. The only way to become famous is to go upstairs.”

By the end of my sophomore year of college, I was determined.

However, there was a problem in aiming for a professional.

Until then, Takeuchi had mainly played in the position of number eight.

He has a wide range of play, such as running with the ball to break through defenses and catching pinch eyes with tackles.

A versatile player who has both power and speed is entrusted to him, and as his level rises, the talent and body size that he possesses speaks for itself.

Takeuchi

: "I've been watching a lot of top league and Japan national team games, but at that level, number 8 doesn't work at my size. It's tough to compete with technology. Let's change positions and challenge. I thought"

The position that caught my eye was the "prop".

Don't overwhelm the props who wrestle with the opponent in the front row of the scrum anyway.

The most important role given is to bring the shoving attack into an advantageous form in the scrum.

Although it is a professional position, it is also a position where there are many players with a lot of experience.

Takeuchi, who is almost an amateur, took a risk in switching, but he said, "I can make use of my core strength and leg strength."

funny you

College star players are generally scouted to join top teams.

In order for players who are not to join the team, it is necessary to catch the eye of the people involved in tryouts.

Takeuchi also participated in tryouts.

I entered as a prop, so naturally there is a scrum test.

However, this was the first time Takeuchi had formed a proper scrum.

Saito Saito, who participated as one of the people involved, talks about his first impression.

Coach Saito

: “In the scrum, there was a player who was completely amateur, and that was Takeuchi.”

Saito was active as a prop for many years in the top league, the highest peak in Japan, and became a coach of his old club after retiring.

He approached Takeuchi and he said,

Coach Saito

: “You’re a bit strange.”

Takeuchi : “I

’m sorry.

If it were normal, it would be disappointing.

However, Saito felt a charm that other players did not have.

Coach Saito

: “When I listened carefully, I thought this player was interesting when I heard that he changed his position just to pass the tryouts.”

Takeuchi

: “To be honest, they burst out laughing and said, ‘You’re funny.’ That was my first contact.”

Coach Saito

: “I was surprised, but I got a feel for how passionately he put his passion into a one-shot match.”

Of course, I didn't just evaluate it for its uniqueness.

The physique is completely different between Number 8, which requires agility, and Scrum-specialized props.

In just one month, Takeuchi had transformed into a heavy, stout body suitable for scrums.

Saito knew how hard it was.

The team that Takeuchi will join has been decided.

Shuhei Takeuchi = Rugby

It's been over two years since I joined.

It is said that Takeuchi's growth speed is outstanding so much that Saito, who instructs him, says, "It's ridiculously fast."

According to Saito, in addition to the overwhelming amount of practice, the key is the attitude of exchanging opinions with the other members of the scrum every time they practice.

Coach Saito

``In the end, you can't build a scrum by yourself. It's important for the props in the lead to be pushed by the players behind them and to be able to convey their strength well. Takeuchi understands that very well.It's still rough around the edges, but I think that's the reason for its rapid growth."

Following his debut match against Uruguay in the Japan national team, he participated in a warm-up match against France, ranked No. 2 in the world last November.

They pushed each other evenly in a scrum.

In his team, he has contributed to the opening four league wins as a main force.

The World Cup is now within reach.

Takeuchi

: “Until now, there have been many downhills and uphills, and I overcame them to finally reach this point. I definitely want to achieve my goal in order to give back to the people who have supported me.”

At the end of the interview, I asked Takeuchi what rugby means to him.

Takeuchi

: “Shuhei Takeuchi = Rugby is so central to my life that I can proudly say “rugby” and I am myself.”

There was no hesitation in his words.

Miyazaki Broadcasting Station Reporter

Ushio Shinbori Joined the station in

2019 After working at the Toyama station,

he was a member of the softball club at his

current university, and was also selected as a candidate for the national softball competition at the Toyama station.