Shota Horie

Shota Horie (堀江 翔太, Horie Shōta) (born 21 January 1986 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese rugby union player. His preferred position is hooker although he can also play in the back row.[1] He represents Japan at the international level.[1] He has played for the Panasonic Wild Knights in the domestic Japanese Top League competition, and in 2013 began playing Super Rugby with the Melbourne Rebels in Australia, but has since gone back to Japan to play for the Sunwolves.

Shota Horie

Shota Horie receiving the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship trophy on behalf of the Panasonic Wild Knights in 2016.
Birth name	Shota Horie
Date of birth	21 January 1986
Place of birth	Suita, Osaka, Japan
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	104 kg (16 st 5 lb; 229 lb)
School	Shimamoto High School
University	Teikyo University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2008–present Panasonic Wild Knights 84 (105) Correct as of 15 January 2017 Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 2012 Otago 5 (5) Super Rugby Years Team Apps (Points) 2013–2014 2016–present Rebels Sunwolves 18 15 (5) (15) Correct as of 21 May 2017 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 2009–present Japan 61 (50) Correct as of 15 September 2019

Japan

Horie made his debut for Japan in 2009, and represented his country at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.[1]

Early years

Horie is a native of Osaka Prefecture. He began playing rugby when he was a fifth-grade student, and later captained the Teikyo University rugby team.[2][3]

Top League

Horie played for the Panasonic Wild Knights. He was named MVP for the 2015–16 Top League Season.[4]

Super Rugby

In 2012, Horie played for Japan, and in New Zealand for Otago in the National Provincial Championship, where he attracted the attention of the Melbourne Rebels recruiting staff.[3] In November 2012, the Rebels announced Horie's signing to play Super Rugby in Australia.[5][6][7][8][9] In 2013 he became the first Japanese player to play for an Australian Super Rugby side[3] often on the reserves bench.[2]

Super Rugby statistics

As of 22 July 2016

Season	Team	Games	Starts	Sub	Mins	Tries	Cons	Pens	Drops	Points	Yel	Red
2013	Rebels	5	1	4	107	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2014	Rebels	13	6	7	531	1	0	0	0	5	0	0
2016	Sunwolves	12	10	2	718	3	0	0	0	15	0	0
Total		30	17	13	1356	4	0	0	0	20	0	0

References

1. "Shota Horie ESPN Scrum Player Profile". ESPN. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
2. Shimizu, Masakazu; Shimbun, Yomiuri (20 February 2014). "Shota Horie, title winner of the Rugby Top League". Japan News. Yomiuri Shimbun. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
3. Carroll, Theo (20 February 2014). "When you're big in Japan" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. Retrieved 20 February 2014.
4. "Horie named Top League MVP". Japan Rugby Football Union. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2016.
5. Rebels Media Unit (21 November 2012). "Japanese international Shota Horie joins Rebels" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
6. Fairbairn, Pete (11 March 2013). "Horie hungry for success in Melbourne" (Press release). Melbourne Rebels. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
7. "Rebels sign a Japanese star". Rugby 365. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
8. "Melbourne Rebels sign Japan international hooker Shota Horie". Herald Sun. News. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
9. "Shota Horie Player Profile". Melbourne Rebels. Retrieved 12 December 2012.

External links

• Shota Horie Player Profile Melbourne Rebels
• itsrugby.co.uk profile