Fumiaki Tanaka
Date of birth | 3 January 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Place of birth | Kyoto, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 166 cm (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 72 kg (11 st 5 lb; 159 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Fushimi Technical High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Kyoto Sangyo University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fumiaki Tanaka (田中 史朗, born 3 January 1985) is a Japanese
Career
Tanaka was not seen as one of the top prospects in Japan whilst at University, but after joining the
After his first season in the
After performing well at the
Following his good performances with
After signing for the
After initially being limited to mainly to substitute appearances behind
In June 2013, Tanaka helped inspire Japan to their first ever win over Wales where he continued his run of form and was praised as one of the game's outstanding performers.[20][21][22] He was also instrumental to the Japanese 32–34 victory over the Springboks in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, being selected Man of the Match.
Notes
At just 166 cm tall and weighing about 72 kg, Tanaka is one of the smallest professional rugby players in the world. He was the smallest player at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and is understood to be the smallest player ever to have been involved in Super Rugby. Tanaka has commented that his size "is an advantage".[12]
Tanaka has a tradition of shaving his head before the first game of the rugby season.[23]
References
- ^ "Rugby: Super break, big challenge". The New Zealand Herald. 9 December 2012.
- ^ "個人表彰 2007-08". Archived from the original on 2 June 2012.
- ^ "Japan v Arabian Gulf at Osaka)".
- ^ "STEADY EDDIE".
- ^ "個人表彰 2008-09". Archived from the original on 2 June 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
- ^ "個人表彰 2010-11". Archived from the original on 31 January 2013.
- ^ "Brown sings Tanaka's praises".
- ^ "Rugby: Five ITM Cup excitement machines". The New Zealand Herald. 10 October 2012.
- ^ "Fumiaki Tanaka (Highlanders & Japan)". Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ Stoney, Emma (21 February 2013). "Japanese Players Open a New Frontier: Super Rugby". The New York Times.
- ^ "The First Samurai – Fumiaki Tanaka".
- ^ a b "Huge interest in tiny player".
- ^ "Rugby: International media take shine to Tanaka".
- ^ "Tanaka makes headlines with Highlanders debut".
- ^ "Fumiaki Tanaka Total Rugby".
- ^ "Fumiaki Tanaka earns plaudits".
- ^ "Weepu stunned, Tanaka stunning".
- ^ "OPINION: Tanaka blossoming down south".
- ^ "Twitter / brettgosper".
- ^ "Japan 23-8 Wales: No complaints for Robin McBryde's team after first Japan defeat".
- ^ "Second Test: Joy for Japan as Wales wilt in Tokyo". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ^ "Robin McBryde bemoans wasteful Wales after latest calamity".
- ^ "Fumiaki's haircut".