Toyota Verblitz have announced their 23-man squad for their final match of the season, to be held on May 10th at Toyota Stadium, where they will face Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay. Scrum-half Kaisei Tamura, who made his debut in the April 27th against the Sungoliath, will once again start at half-back. Prop Genki Sudo returns to the starting lineup for the first time in two games. At outside centre Vatiliai Tuidraki replaces Siosaia Fifita, and for the first time this season, he will start alongside his younger brother, Vilimone Tuidraki.
Verblitz avoided the relegation playoff by defeating Mie Honda Heat in an away match last round. It was a match they approached with the mindset of a “Grand Final,” and they claimed a much-needed win. “We were a little worried that the motivation might drop after last week’s win,” said hooker Yoshikatsu Hikosaka, “but everyone has the mindset of representing ‘Toyota Rugby’—we're fired up and ready to give it our all.”Having been freed from the pressure they had been carrying, the team is filled with energy as they aim to finish on a high note. Hikosaka himself often took on the role of captain in the absence of Kazuki Himeno. For Hikosaka, who had never captained a team before, it was a valuable experience. “When the team is struggling, a few words of encouragement can change everything for better or worse. I’ve grown a lot,” he reflected.
His on-field performance has also stood out. He has been named Player of the Match in three of the team’s four victories this season. Hikosaka’s tries have often served as the spark for wins. “Every time I’ve been named POM, it’s been when our forwards were moving forward. If the forwards dominate, we have more chances to win. I don’t feel we’ve achieved anything yet this year, so I want to finish with rugby that reflects Toyota’s identity.”
Tamura, who said he wanted to “be ready for the next opportunity” after his debut two weeks ago, has already earned that opportunity again. Co-Head Coach Ian Foster spoke highly of him, saying, “His growth this season has been impressive.” Looking back on his debut match, Tamura said, “I was able to establish a good tempo from the first half. My challenges are organizing the forwards in tough moments and improving the accuracy of my kicking. I’ve been training for that next chance.” He is ready to make the most of his second start.
Spear’s starting scrum-half will be Shinobu Fujiwara, Tamura’s senior by one year, whom he faced during their university days in the Kansai League when Tamura was at Doshisha University and Fujiwara at Tenri University. “We were teammates in youth rugby as well. He’s skilled and plays with confidence. If we let him take control, the game will swing their way. I want to play with confidence, but first and foremost, I need to focus on myself rather than the opponent.”
The team’s theme for the week is “Strong Finish,” but Tamura remains grounded. “For me, I’ll go into it as if it’s the Grand Final.” He hopes to finish with another strong performance, just as he did in the previous round. Co-Head Coach Ian Foster also emphasized the importance of this match, saying, “This game is a great opportunity to show how much we’ve grown as a team.” “While top teams prepare for the playoffs and bottom teams for the relegation playoff, what’s important for us is not to look too far ahead. We want to treat this game as if it’s the beginning of next season and give our all. There’s no room for excuses about poor performance. We need to be disciplined and focus on the game ahead.”
This will be the final match of the season for this group of players, held at their home ground, Toyota Stadium. After the final whistle, they hope to wave to the VOLTs fanbase with smiles, concluding the season on a positive note.
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