Shintaro Fukuzawa: “I want to put my body on the line more than anyone” 

Toyota Verblitz have announced their squad for Round 13 of Japan Rugby League One, where they will face Yokohama Canon Eagles on the 28th of March.

Kosei Miki returns to the starting lineup at No.7 for the first time since Round 3 against Kobe, while Taichi Takahashi—who left last match with an HIA—is replaced at fullback by Shinya Komura. Second-year hooker Shintaro Fukuzawa has earned his first spot on the reserves bench.

Heading into this away game in a short week, the team took two days off following their match against Shizuoka BlueRevs to reset and refresh. The squad also features some fresh faces.

Fukuzawa has broken into a competitive hooker group alongside Ryusei Kato and Schalk Erasmus to claim his first reserve selection. Although he had been performing well in recent “Mirai Matches,” he had only just begun traveling with the squad as a backup player two games ago.

“The first feeling was surprise. I was happy, but also nervous—there were a lot of emotions.”

Head coach Steve Hansen had emphasized consistency as an area for improvement, something Fukuzawa feels he is beginning to achieve.

“I tend to get nervous, but Steve tells me, ‘Relax, trust yourself, and you’ll perform. Stay focused on yourself.’”

Nicknamed “Burger,” a name he picked up during his time studying abroad in Invercargill, New Zealand, Fukuzawa chose it because his real name was difficult for locals to pronounce—and because of his love for a certain American fast-food chain that has recently been expanding in Japan.

“Last year, Ryuhei Arita and Yusuke Kizu spoke so passionately about it. When I finally tried it, I was shocked at how good it was.”

Still, he adds with a smile:

“What really built me is the lunch my mom made for me since kindergarten.”

Born to parents who both played tennis, Fukuzawa tried the sport himself but found it lacking and instead chose rugby. He mainly played in the back row during his time at Keio University before transitioning to hooker in League One, steadily developing his game.

“I’m not very tall (168 cm), and opponents tend to target me. That’s why I want to put my body on the line more than anyone so I’m not underestimated.”

Komura, meanwhile, will start against Yokohama for the first time since their previous meeting on 7th of February, when Verblitz suffered a 14–20 comeback loss that dropped them to the bottom of the standings—making this a clear revenge match.

“That loss made us go back to basics and reset everything. That’s been the biggest factor. Our kicking game from nine is a strength, and it’s starting to click. It comes down to how much our forwards can get on the front foot.”

Earlier in the season, Komura and Rikiya Matsuda rotated at fly-half, but recently they’ve spent more time on the field together at 10 and 15.

“He has far more experience than me, so I’m always learning from his decision-making.”

Yokohama, on the other hand, welcomed back South African scrum-half Faf de Klerk, who will pair with former Japan international Yu Tamura in the halves.

“Tamura’s passing, kicking, and decision-making are all top-level. De Klerk can break the game open individually. We need to stay connected as a team in defence.”

Both sides come into this rematch having regained form after difficult stretches, setting the stage for an even more intense contest than their last encounter.