Yoshihiro Sakata
Yoshihiro Sakata MNZM | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | Kyoto, Japan | 26 September 1942||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | University of Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Yoshihiro Sakata
Early life
Sakata was born 26 September 1942 in Kyoto, Japan.[1] He practiced judo before taking up rugby.[2]
Club rugby
He played as
International career
He first played for Japan on 12 March 1967 against New Zealand students at Osaka.
He was selected for the 1973 Japan rugby union tour of Wales, England and France. On 6 October 1973 he played against a Welsh XV at Cardiff Arms Park, the first representative match between the nations.[5] The final match of the tour was against France at Bordeaux on 27 October 1973, this was his last cap.[1]
Coaching
After retiring from playing rugby, Sakata has held coaching and administrative roles in the sport.[7]
Honours
In 2012, Sakata was the 51st player to be inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame, the first from Japan.
References
- ^ a b c "Rugby: Players: Demi Sakata". ESPN. Retrieved 10 December 2021..
- ^ a b Yoshihiro Sakata: Japan's first Hall of Famer. World Rugby. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ Smith, Tony (29 October 2016). "Crusaders forge strong Japanese links". The Press. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ "Our History". ucrugby.wordpress.com. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ a b c "Wales honour Japan's trailblazer Yoshihiro Sakata". BBC Sport. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ a b "Sakata chosen for International Rugby Board's Hall of Fame". The Japan Times. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ "Hall of Fame: Inductees: Yoshihiro Sakata". World Rugby. Retrieved 3 December 2017..
- ^ Yoshihiro Sakata was inducted IRB Hall of Fame. YouTube. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2017..
- ^ "New Year Honours List 2021". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.