Kotaro Matsushima

Kotaro Matsushima

Personal information
Born	26 February 1993 Pretoria, South Africa
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	86 kg (13 st 8 lb)
School(s) attended	Tōin Gakuen High School, Yokohama
Club information
Playing position	Winger / Fullback / Centre
Current club	Suntory Sungoliath / Rebels
Youth career
2012–13	Sharks
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Pts)^†
2013	Sharks (Currie Cup)	2	(5)
2014–	Suntory Sungoliath	10	(20)
2015	Waratahs	0	(0)
2016–	Rebels	2	(0)
Representative team(s)^‡
2014–	Japan	16	(30)
* Senior club appearances and points correct as of 5 September 2015. † Appearances (Points). ‡ Representative team caps and points correct as of 11 October 2015.

Kotaro Matsushima (Japanese: 松島幸太朗) (born 26 February 1993 in Pretoria, South Africa) is a South African-born Japanese international rugby union player, currently playing with Top League side Suntory Sungoliath and with Super Rugby side the Rebels. He is a utility back than can play as a winger, fullback or outside centre.^[1][2][3]

Career

Youth rugby / Sharks

Matsushima was born in South Africa, but finished his schooling at Tōin Gakuen High School in Yokohama. He returned to South Africa in 2012, enrolling at the Sharks Academy in Durban, becoming the first Japanese player to do so.^[4] He played Under-20 club rugby for Harlequins and started twelve matches for the Sharks U19 side in the 2012 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring three tries as his side reached the semi-final of the competition, where they lost 46–35 to the Blue Bulls U19 side despite a Matsushima try early in the second half.^[5] At the end of 2012, Matsushima was also invited to attend a training camp for the South African Under-20 team in preparation for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship.^[6]

Matsushima made his first class debut for a Sharks XV side during the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition, starting their final round-robin match against Argentine side Pampas XV. He took just three minutes to add his name to the scoresheet by scoring an early try to set the Sharks on their way to a 46–31 victory in the match in Durban.^[7][8] He also played in their quarter-final match against eventual champions Golden Lions, but could not prevent his side suffering a 25–42 loss to be eliminated from the competition.^[9] In the latter half of 2013, he featured prominently for the Sharks U21 side in the 2013 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring three tries in eleven starts as his side reached the semi-finals of the competition, where they were eliminated by the Blue Bulls U21s.^[10]

Suntory Sungoliath

Matsushima joined Japanese Top League side Suntory Sungoliath prior to the 2014–15 Top League season. He made his debut for the side in the opening round of the tournament in a 17–13 victory over Coca-Cola Red Sparks. Two more appearances followed in the pool stage of the competition – against Kintetsu Liners and NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes – to help his side finish in second position in Pool B to qualify for Group 1, the title play-offs. He started all seven of their matches in Group 1 in the outside centre position and scored four tries – two of those in their final group match against Toyota Verblitz in a 40–19 victory – as they finished fifth in the group to qualify for the wildcard play-offs.

His performances also earned him an inclusion in the Top League Team of the Season.^[11]

Waratahs

Matsushima joined Australian Super Rugby side the Waratahs prior to the 2015 Super Rugby season.^[12]

Melbourne Rebels

He joined Australian Super Rugby side the Rebels on a short-term deal for the 2016 Super Rugby season.^[13]

Japan

Matsushima made his international debut for Japan on 3 May 2014 in a 2014 Asian Five Nations match (which doubled as a 2015 Rugby World Cup qualifier) against the Philippines in Manila. He scored tries in the 36th and 71st minutes of the match to help Japan secure a comprehensive 99–10 victory over the hosts.^[14][15] He also played in their next match against Sri Lanka, scoring a try in their 132–10 victory,^[16] as well as their next match against South Korea^[17] and in test matches against Samoa, Romania and Georgia.

References

1. "SARU Player Profile Kotaro Matsushima". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
2. "It's Rugby Player Profile Kotaro Matsushima". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
3. "ESPN Scrum Player Profile Kotaro Matsushima". South African Rugby Union. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
4. "Earthquake Disaster Fund". KZN Rugby. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
5. "Match Breakdown: Blue Bulls vs Sharks". South African Rugby Union. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
6. "Bokkies hou eerste oefenkamp vir Wêreldtoernooi" (in Afrikaans). Beeld. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
7. "Match Breakdown: Sharks XV vs ICBC Pampas XV". South African Rugby Union. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
8. "Sharks XV finish top". Sharks. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
9. "Match Breakdown: Sharks XV vs MTN Golden Lions". South African Rugby Union. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
10. "Match Breakdown: Vodacom Blue Bulls vs The Sharks U21". South African Rugby Union. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
11. "「ジャパンラグビー トップリーグ2014–2015 年間表彰式」受賞者決定のお知らせ" [Winners at 2014–2015 Top League awards ceremony] (in Japanese). Top League. 2 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
12. "Matsushima signs with Waratahs" (Press release). Waratahs. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
13. "Rebels sign Matsushima" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. 9 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
14. "Philippines v Japan at Silangan". ESPN Scrum. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
15. "2014 Asian 5 Nations, TOP 5, Match 3". World Rugby. 3 May 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
16. "2014 Asian 5 Nations, TOP 5, Match 6". World Rugby. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
17. "2014 Asian 5 Nations, TOP 5, Match 7". World Rugby. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2015.