Ai Watanabe
| Born | 5 October 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 61 kg (134 lb; 9 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ai Watanabe (née Hyugaji; born 5 October 1994) is a former Japanese rugby union player. She competed for Japan at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup.
Early years
Watanabe began playing rugby in her senior year of high school, she had previously captained her volleyball club.[1][2] In 2013, after graduating from Engaru High School, she joined Totsuka Kyoritsu Medical (now Yokohama TKM).[2]
Rugby career
Watanabe was part of the Japanese side that won the 2016 Asia Rugby Women's Championship.[3][4] She scored tries in both matches against Hong Kong.[3][4]
In 2017, she was selected for the Japan women's national team for the Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland.[1] Following the tournament, she announced her retirement from rugby due to a shoulder injury.[1]
Personal life
In 2018, she married Takayuki Watanabe who played for Kobelco Kobe Steelers and the Japanese national rugby union team.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "W杯、笑顔の「恩返しを」 元ラグビー女子代表がボランティア". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). 2019-09-07. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "「ホームの声援、力になる」 女子ラグビー・日向寺亜依". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2013-09-08. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Seven-try Japan enjoy winning start in Asia Women's Championship". www.world.rugby. 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Japan celebrate twin title success". www.world.rugby. 2016-05-28. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)