“I Was Able to Finish Without Regrets”

This spring, Takuma Nishino’s rugby journey that started from junior high school has come to an end. His time with Verblitz lasted two seasons.

“I joined the team while recovering from an injury, but honestly, I immediately felt the difference in level. The physicality, the intensity of contact—everything was on another level compared to university rugby. There was a part of me that was just trying to keep up.”

Even at 183 cm and 113 kg, Nishino found that the standard of League One far exceeded his expectations.

“To begin with, I couldn't scrum properly. I hit a wall. I asked so many people for advice—Kizu-san, Taufa, Hammy, Genki Sudo-san (currently with Urayasu D-Rocks)—but when I actually got into the scrum, my body just wasn't accustomed to the League One level. I couldn't respond. People had always told me I was a big player, but I realized that simply being big wasn't enough. I should have done more to strengthen the specific muscles needed for scrummaging.”

Injuries also plagued his career. During his third year at university, he earned his first starting appearance in a spring competition match against Meiji University. However, he suffered an injury in the following match against Waseda University. A long period of rehabilitation followed, and his first season with Verblitz was also spent recovering.

Although he sometimes wonders what might have been possible with more time to train, his decision to retire stemmed from the pride he held as a front-row player.

“During the forwards camp, I gradually became able to scrum better, but I wasn't able to do it consistently. If you can't provide a stable scrum, that's a problem for a front-row player.”

Because he understood the importance of the scrum more than anyone, he made the difficult decision to step away from the game. After playing at Kamikawa Junior High School, Kyoto Seisho High School, and Teikyo University, his career came to an end.

“More than anything, I feel that I gave it everything I had. I was able to finish without regrets. It feels like I've been released from rugby.”

In fact, after retiring, his appetite decreased.

“Even during the off-season, I was always thinking about maintaining my body. Now, I feel both a sense of loneliness and a sense of freedom.”

He currently works in the Production Control Department at the Akechi Plant and is in the process of learning his new profession.

“For now, I'm following my senior colleagues around and trying to get everyone to remember who I am. There are so many things I don't know, so I'm taking notes constantly (laughs).”

From now on, he will be supporting Verblitz from the stands. At the team's final meeting, he shared his feelings with his teammates.

“I told them that I want to see them lifting the championship trophy. I believe they'll make it happen.”

The season in which the team fought back from the bottom of the standings to the brink of the top six has become an irreplaceable memory.

“We proved that we have the strength to climb back from rock bottom. Next year, I want them to start the season with the same momentum they had at the end of this one. I know they can do it. I'll be at the National Stadium for the final.”

The office at the plant uses a free-address seating system. Every morning when he arrives at work, there is one person he immediately looks for and greets: Verblitz Senior Advisor Kazuaki Takahashi, who also serves as the plant manager of the Aketchi Plant. During his playing days, Nishino often received advice from Takahashi, who had played the same position.

“During our Miyazaki training camp, he taught me scrummaging one-on-one. Even at the office, he'd say, ‘Got a minute?’ and suddenly we'd be doing scrum drills right there. Even now, he often asks me, ‘How's it going?’”

The bonds formed through rugby will continue long after his playing days have ended.

“My first goal is to learn my job responsibilities and become independent as quickly as possible. Then I'll work hard and aim to become the plant manager myself (laughs).”

They will never pack down together in the scrum again. But Nishino has already begun chasing the example set by a senior colleague—this time, in the workplace.