Sophia Magazine vol.5 / SUMMER 2017

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1 and 2: During Sunwolves practice sessions, Shumpei records players’ movements for data analysis.©JSRA21junior high school he played baseball, but after entering a high school known for its exceptional baseball players, Shum-pei shifted his attention towards the unfamiliar sport of rugby. It was rugby’s culture and community that drew him in.“I like the rugby culture in Japan. Because everyone starts from zero, the older players have to teach younger players the fundamentals. I didn’t experience this type of interaction in baseball. I can’t speak for all rugby teams, but the atmo-sphere and community of my high school team was special,” says Shumpei.Meet Shumpei Hamano, a student at Sophia University and a member of the Japan National Rugby Union Team’s staff. He analyzes the latest plays, statistics, and sports venues to strengthen his team’s competitive edge. Rugby is a sport dominated by rst tier unions from nations such as England, New Zealand, Wales, and South Africa. Before Japan’s victory over South Africa, the sport enjoyed little popularity in Japan. This all changed after the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Shumpei recalls how stands at the national union team’s training ses-sions went from seating the occasional friend or relative in pre-vious years to being thronged with spectators, many of whom had never before watched a full rugby match in their lives. The goal of these more recent fans was to catch a glimpse of Japan’s newest sports stars. Shumpei’s interaction with rugby began in high school. In Passion Found on the Rugby Field:One Student’s Journey to the Rugby World Cup, and BeyondIn September 2015, a wave of enthusiasm for a par-ticular sport swept over Japan, as the Japan national rugby union team defeated two-time World Cup champion South Africa at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in a historic upset that sent shock waves through the sports world. Student: 05Shumpei HamanoAn Unfamiliar Sport with a Unique Culture and Community18Student