On December 28, Toyota Verblitz will kick off their home opener against Mie Honda Heat at Gifu's Nagaragawa Stadium. This match marks a special milestone for hooker Yoshikatsu Hikosaka, as he is set to achieve 100 caps just two days later. Nicolas McCurran, who transferred from Brave Lupus Tokyo this season, will earn his debut cap and pair up with Siosaia Fifita to form a Brave Blossom midfield duo. Additionally, Japan international flanker Isaiah Mapusua will start, while number eight Fetuani Lautaimi, returning after two seasons, is listed among the reserves.
“It makes me incredibly happy!” Hikosaka beamed during the pre-match press conference, knowing that the opening match will be his 99th appearance, setting the stage for his 100th cap shortly after. Last season, his progress stalled at 98 appearances due to late-season conditioning issues, delaying the milestone until this year. “Last year, I was all set to reach it,” he joked. “This season, I’ve been very mindful about my body. Not many players have achieved 100 caps for Toyota, so it’s an honor to join that group.”
Hikosaka joined Verblitz in 2013 from Tsukuba University alongside his twin brother, Masakatsu, a winger. Masakatsu retired last season, while Yoshikatsu’s achievement of 100 caps is the result of 12 seasons of dedication. For this milestone match, family, including his brother, and former teammates will gather at Nagaragawa Stadium. However, Hikosaka remains focused. “More than the 100 caps, I want to help the team achieve a good result. Celebrating a victory would mean more to me than the milestone itself.”
Mie Honda Heat comes into this match with a riding momentum from a thrilling 23–21 comeback victory against Black Rams Tokyo in their season opener. Captain Kazuki Himeno praised the team’s resilience stating, “Their goal-line defense was impressive, and I felt they’ve grown mentally, pulling off a win in a tight match. It’s going to be a tough game.”
One to watch is rookie flanker Kosei Miki, wearing the No. 7 jersey for the second consecutive game. In the opener against Spears Tokyo Bay, Miki displayed an exceptional work rate, consistently making tackles and quickly transitioning to the next play over a full 80 minutes. “I think my selection was based on my tackling and jackaling ability, so I’m glad I could execute those well,” he reflected. “However, I didn’t achieve dominant tackles, so I’ll focus on that next time and fulfill my role.”
Himeno, the team captain, has also been keeping a close eye on the young flanker.
“In university, he was the kind of player who threw himself head-first into tackles, but since joining Toyota, he’s been working on his skills. That’s reflected in his performance, and as a senior player, it’s been rewarding to see his hard work paying off.”
Miki himself acknowledged the risks of his aggressive tackling style during his university days. “Last year, I ended my season disappointed due to a concussion, so I sought advice from Masato Furukawa (now with Yokohama Eagles). Although he’s no longer with us, I also learned from Michael Hooper’s (former Australian international) training and applied that during the preseason with Akito Okui and others.” The legacy of Hooper’s training methods, passed down by Furukawa, has become a valuable resource for nurturing Toyota’s young talent.
Whether it’s Hikosaka achieving his 100th cap or Miki earning just his second, this match will feature players from different stages of their careers coming together for a common goal. Toyota Verblitz will look to secure a victory in their home opener with a united and spirited performance.
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