The front-row forward who spent six seasons with Toyota Verblitz is leaving the team.
Shunsuke Asaoka since joining in 2019, his name has almost always appeared on the team list. Yet, the jersey number he wore was usually in the double digits. Last season, he came off the bench in 11 of 16 matches. This season, he was selected for 15 out of 18 games, but started only once in Round 8 against Shizuoka Blue Revs. More and more, he found himself playing the role of an impact substitute in the second half.
His decision to leave stemmed from the desire to play as a starting member.
“I understand it had to do with tactics and my character, and that there aren’t many impact players wearing the No. 3 jersey. So I get why I was used in that role. But in my rookie years my first, second, and third season I could make a solid impact even when starting. I started thinking if I can become a player who delivers that impact from the first half, maybe I can get to where I want to be. That led me, after much thought, to make the decision to transfer.”
He had communicated his desire to be a starting member to the coaching staff. The response, however, was that there were “concerns about scrum stability.” In truth, Toyota has powerful scrummagers in Genki Sudo, Yusuke Kizu, and Runya Che. All formidable names at tighthead prop. Asaoka understood this well.
“In terms of scrummaging, those three definitely offer more stability. But I’m confident in my field play. And even if the scrum starts out shaky, if I’m playing from the beginning, I believe it will stabilize over time. The fact that I couldn’t demonstrate that in training was my own shortcoming.”
At 186 cm and 125 kg, Asaoka is built to compete at the international level. In high school (Kyoto Seisho) and at Teikyo University, he covered all three front-row positions, and with Verblitz, he even trained seriously as a hooker. His versatility was a strength, but now he intends to focus solely on the No. 3 spot.
Back in his university days, he admits he wasn’t particularly into weight training. “I didn’t like being told what to do,” he says but watching senior players succeed after joining Verblitz changed that mindset. He became determined to win through strength training. He stayed in the weight room until head S&C coach Shinji Makino would tell him to go home. He changed his diet to include protein-rich foods like chicken breast and yogurt, trimming his body fat in the process. Now, he finds even the heaviest dumbbells in the club’s gym unsatisfying.
“That really changed things. You need to go all in like that if you want results.”
Looking ahead, Asaoka also has the Japan national team in his sights. He currently holds one cap, but his aim is to become a regular in the squad.
“When I joined the Japan training camp last year, they told us they prioritize selecting starting players. I was invited again this time, but my leg isn’t in perfect condition, so I decided to sit it out. I want to go when I’m fully fit. Hopefully I’ll get another chance next year.”
Of course, deciding to leave the team wasn’t without conflict.
“People in the company supported me a lot. I really wanted to stay and help this team win a championship. But there was something that kept bothering me. I kept feeling like matches were ending before I had a chance to show what I could do that I wasn’t getting everything out.”
Subbing the front row between halves is standard now, but for a young player in his twenties wanting to grow, second-half minutes just weren’t enough.
“You only get better at scrummaging by actually playing in games.”
With Genki Sudo also leaving, the tighthead prop position is thinning out. Asaoka is passing the torch to his junior from high school and university, Takuma Nishino, who joined the team last spring. Nishino, at 186 cm and 113 kg, is almost identical in build to Asaoka.
“He’s got the physique already. With time and experience, he’ll get better. But the intensity of official matches is different. Whether you’re playing or not makes a huge difference, and that’s when you really feel what you’re lacking. I hope he works hard to get into games quickly.”
The match where Asaoka feels he played his best during his time with Verblitz was this season’s Round 11 match against Brave Lupus Tokyo. He entered in the 56th minute, and while the team lost 22–33, they spent a long stretch attacking inside the opponent’s 22 late in the game.
“Out of the 65 matches I’ve played, that was the best performance I’ve had.”
A match he’ll never forget is the opening round of the 2020 Top League season January 12th, against Yamaha Júbilo (now Shizuoka Blue Revs). In his first year, he was chosen as the starting tighthead prop.
“I lined up opposite Koki Yamamoto (former Japan international, now with Kobelco Kobe Steelers). He was a really strong opposition, and I even got a yellow card. But I felt the pressure, made some good plays, and it gave me a mental boost. You don’t grow unless you’re playing in real matches.”
Next season, Asaoka will be playing for a new team, and he’s prepared to fight for his spot there too.
“There’s competition on every team. I want to win that battle and earn a starting position. And when I face Toyota again, I want them to see a stronger version of me.”
And when that day comes, there's no doubt the number on Asaoka’s back will be No. 3.
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