Haruka Hirotsu

Last updated

Haruka Hirotsu
Date of birth (2000-10-29) 29 October 2000 (age 24)
Height1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight68 kg (150 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
Nanairo Prism Fukuoka (0)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2023– Japan 17 (10)
National sevens team
YearsTeamComps
2020 Japan 7s 4

Haruka Hirotsu (弘津悠, born 29 October 2000) is a Japanese rugby union and sevens player. [1] She competed in the women's tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Contents

Personal life

Hirotsu was born in Hyogo and attended Waseda University's School of Sport Sciences in 2019. [2] Her father, Eiji Hirotsu, is a former Japan international and was a member of the Kobe Steel Rugby Club. [2] [3]

Rugby career

Sevens

In 2019, she was part of the Japan sevens training squad for the Tokyo Olympics. [2] [3] She eventually made the squad and competed in the women's tournament at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics. [4] [2]

XVs

Hirotsu was named in Japan's second test against the Fijiana's for 16 September 2023 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo. [5] [6] She also featured in her sides victory against Italy on 30 September. [7] [8] She was named in the Sakura fifteens squad for the inaugural WXV 2 tournament in Cape Town. [9] [10]

She was selected in the Sakura's squad for the 2024 Asia Rugby Championship in Hong Kong. [11] [12] She helped her side secure a place at the 2025 Rugby World Cup and the 2024 WXV 2 tournament with a try in their 64–0 thrashing of Kazakhstan. [13] [14]

In 2025, she was named in the Sakura fifteens squad for their tour to the United States. [15] She eventually started in her sides 39–33 victory over the Eagles in Los Angeles on 26 April. [16] [17]

On 28 July 2025, she was named in the Japanese side to the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. [18] [19]

References

  1. "Haruka Hirotsu". Olympedia. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Alumni Yoshikazu Fujita and School of Sport Sciences Second-Year Haruka Hirotsu Informally Selected to Represent Japan in Rugby at Tokyo 2020!". Olympic and Paralympic Project Promotion Section , Waseda University. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 Nakamura, Keita (18 March 2019). "Kobe to host World Cup in honor of Japan's "Mr. Rugby"". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  4. "Haruka HIROTSU". olympics.com. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  5. "Japan Sakura Fifteen Look To Close Out Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2023 Against Fiji". RugbyAsia247. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  6. "Sakura Fifteen Team Announced for Second Home Test Against Fijiana". Japan Rugby Football Union. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  7. "Sakura Fifteen Record Historic Victory Over Italy". Japan Rugby Football Union. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  8. Perkins, Bruce (1 October 2023). "Five Down – Italy v Japan". 4 The Love Of Sport. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  9. "Sakura Fifteen Squad Announced for Inaugural WXV 2". Japan Rugby Football Union. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  10. "WXV 2: Anticipation builds for South Africa as squads named". www.world.rugby. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  11. "Sakura Fifteen's 26-member squad". Asia Rugby. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  12. "Japan Squad Announced for Asia Rugby Women's Championship 2024". Japan Rugby Football Union. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  13. "Japan beat Kazakhstan to secure place at England 2025". www.world.rugby. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  14. Duskmourne, Quorra (27 May 2024). "Japan Secures Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Berth with Dominant Display". Global Rugby Network. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  15. "Sakura Fifteen Squad Announced for USA Tour". Japan Rugby Football Union. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  16. "Sakura Fifteen Team Announced for USA Eagles Clash". Japan Rugby Football Union. 26 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  17. "Sakura Fifteen Defeat USA Eagles in LA Epic". Japan Rugby Football Union. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  18. "Japan announce squad for women's RWC 2025". Rugby World Cup. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  19. "Sakura Fifteen Rugby World Cup Squad Announced". Japan Rugby Football Union. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.