Kanako Kobayashi

Last updated

Kanako Kobayashi
Date of birth (1998-11-13) 13 November 1998 (age 26)
Height1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Weight70 kg (154 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2021 Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars (0)
2021– Exeter Chiefs 31 (40)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2019–PresentFlag of Japan.svg  Japan 20 (10)

Kanako Kobayashi (born 13 November 1998) is a Japanese rugby union player. She plays at center for Japan's women's national rugby union team.

Contents

Early career

Kobayashi started playing as a nine year old because there was a rugby pitch near her home in Fujisawa. [1] Her parents were also rugby fans and always encouraged her. [1] She had earned a coveted spot at a high school renowned for producing rugby players in Shimane Prefecture, she then joined Nippon Sport Science University in Tokyo, which also happened to have the strongest women's team in Japan. [1]

Professional career

In 2021, Kobayashi became the fourth Japanese woman to play professionally in England. She signed a one-year contract with the Exeter Chiefs, she joined them straight from the Yokogawa Musashino Artemi-Stars in Japan. [2] [1] In her first season, she scored four tries in 16 appearances and helped Exeter win the Allianz Cup. [3] [4] She missed the entire 2022–23 Premier 15s season due to a serious knee injury. [3] [4]

Kobayashi returned to Exeter for the 2023–24 Premiership Rugby season. [5]

International career

Kobayashi was named in the Sakura fifteens tour of Europe in 2019, and made her test debut in the draw with Italy on 16 November. [6] [7] [8]

In 2021, she was named in Japan's squad for their Autumn Test series in November. [9] She was named on the bench for the test against Wales, but started in the matches against Scotland and Ireland. [10] [11] [12]

On 10 September 2023, Kobayashi scored a try against Fiji in the first test of the Taiyo Seimei Challenge Series; she also made an appearance in the second test. [13] [14] She was then named in the Sakura fifteens side for the inaugural WXV 2 tournament that was held in South Africa in October. [15] [16] She was in the starting line up in the opening match against Italy, and was moved from inside to outside-centre against Samoa for the second round. [17] [18] She was then injured in the final match against Scotland in the 26th minute. [19]

She was named in the Sakura fifteens squad for their tour to the United States in April 2025. [20] She featured for the Sakura's again when they trounced Kazakhstan 90–0 in their opening match of the Asia Rugby Championship a month later, she scored her sides first try. [21]

On 28 July 2025, she was named in the Japanese side to the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. [22] [23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ryall, Julian (20 April 2022). "The rising stars of Japanese rugby bringing the sport to a new generation". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  2. "Kanako Kobayashi signe un contrat professionnel chez Exeter Chiefs". Asierugby (in French). 17 August 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Japan centre Kobayashi to return to Exeter". BBC Sport. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  4. 1 2 Stevens, Mark (13 July 2023). "Kobayashi returning to the Chiefs". www.exeterchiefs.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  5. "Team news: Kobayashi back in the starting line-up for Sale encounter". www.exeterchiefs.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  6. "Sakura Fifteen Tour of Europe 2019 Squad". Japan Rugby Football Union. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  7. "女子日本代表対女子イタリア代表の試合結果及びHC、キャプテンのコメントのお知らせ|日本ラグビーフットボール協会|RUGBY:FOR ALL「ノーサイドの精神」を、日本へ、世界へ。". www.rugby-japan.jp (in Japanese). 17 November 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  8. Birch, John (16 November 2019). "Italy escape from Japanese shock". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  9. Scott-Munro, Harry (30 October 2021). "Chiefs duo named in Japanese squad". www.exeterchiefs.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  10. Birch, John (7 November 2021). "Confidence building win for Wales". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  11. Birch, John (14 November 2021). "Experience the difference between Scotland and Japan". Scrum Queens. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  12. Walsh, Daire (20 November 2021). "Ciara Griffin claims two tries in last game as Ireland edge Japan". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. "Japan Sakura Fifteen Look To Close Out Taiyo Seimei Japan Rugby Challenge Series 2023 Against Fiji". RugbyAsia247. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  14. "Sakura Fifteen Team Announced for Second Home Test Against Fijiana". Japan Rugby Football Union. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  15. "Sakura Fifteen Squad Announced for Inaugural WXV 2". Japan Rugby Football Union. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  16. "WXV 2: Anticipation builds for South Africa as squads named". www.world.rugby. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  17. "Sakura Fifteen Team Announced for Opening WXV Clash Against Italy". Japan Rugby Football Union. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  18. "Sakura Fifteen Team Announced for Samoa WXV Match". Japan Rugby Football Union. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  19. "WXV 2: Scotland get the job done against Japan, South Africa win". www.wxvrugby.com. 27 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  20. "Sakura Fifteen Squad Announced for USA Tour". Japan Rugby Football Union. 15 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  21. "Japan Sakura XVs Thrash Kazakhstan in Asia Rugby Women's Championship 2025 Opener". RugbyAsia247. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  22. "Japan announce squad for women's RWC 2025". Rugby World Cup. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  23. "Sakura Fifteen Rugby World Cup Squad Announced". Japan Rugby Football Union. 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.