Kensuke Hatakeyama

Kensuke Hatakeyama (畠山健介, Hatakeyama Kensuke) (born 2 August 1985 in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan) is a former Japanese rugby union player who played for the New England Free Jacks of Major League Rugby (MLR).

Kensuke Hatakeyama

Birth name	Kensuke Hatakeyama
Date of birth	(1985-08-02) August 2, 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth	Kesennuma, Miyagi
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight	249 lb (17 st 11 lb; 113 kg)
School	Sendai Ikuei High School
University	Waseda University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Tighthead Prop Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2008–2016 Suntory Sungoliath 163 () 2016–2016 Newcastle Falcons 7 () 2020–present New England Free Jacks 3 () Correct as of 23 February 2020 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2008−2016 Japan 78 ((50)) Correct as of 23 February 2020

Hatakeyama has played 78 matches for the Japan national rugby union team.^[1]

Professional rugby career

Hatakeyama was a member of the Japan team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup; he played four matches and scored one try.^[2]

He was also a member of the Japan team that competed in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, including the historic victory over the South Africa Springboks in Brighton.

In July 2017, Hatakeyama was appointed a Representative Director of the Japanese Rugby Football Association.

In 2020, Hatakeyama joined the New England Free Jacks in Major League Rugby, debuting for the Free Jacks in the team's MLR debut. ^[3]

References

1. "Kensuke Hatakeyama - Japan". ESPNscrum. ESPN Inc. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
2. "RWC 2011 - Japan - Kensuke Hatakeyama". RWC 2011. International Rugby Board. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
3. "Kensuke Hatakeyama, Japan's Most Capped Front Rower, Joins The Free Jacks For Inaugural 2020 Season In Major League Rugby". New England Free Jacks. Retrieved 23 February 2020.