(69) The final showdown ~Battle to take back~ Daisei Fukuda “Since I came to the Meiji era, I want to participate in the match. That’s my driving force.”
“This year, we are definitely going to win the championship.” This is the meaning that captain Daishiro Kido (Bun 4 = Josho Gakuen) put into this year’s slogan, “Take Back.” The Kanto University competition and the “recapture” of Japan’s number one. A student’s life dedicated to fighting ball to win glory. We asked the fourth-year students, who are heading into their final battle, about their four years at Meiji University and their enthusiasm for the final season.10moon26It will be serialized starting from today.
No.27In this episode, we will be presenting an interview with Daisei Fukuda (Commercial 4 = Chubu Daikasugaoka). (This interview is10moon22(It was held on the day)
――Please tell us how you started playing rugby.
“My parents played rugby.At first I wasn’t really interested, but my father wanted me to play rugby, so he took me with me (lol).It wasn’t like I wanted to play rugby. It was kind of like a semi-compulsory thing. I thought it was okay, so I went to school and started doing it once a week.”
――Did you play any other sports?
“When I was in elementary school, I was a member of the soccer club. In middle school, I did a little bit of judo. On Saturdays and Sundays, I practiced rugby. On weekdays, I mainly did judo to keep my body in shape. (Is there any part of it that you do?) Judo was a big part of my body building, so when I was in junior high school, I practiced rugby once a week and did judo on weekdays, so it’s a little bit. I think I was able to improve my strength. It has nothing to do with soccer (lol).”
――Please tell us how you started playing flanker.
“My father was a back kicker, so when I was in elementary school, I also played back foot.I started doing both when I was in middle school, and I became a forward because I thought I could get the ball better as a forward.In high school, I started playing both. At the time, I was a number eight, so I didn’t play flanker until I entered university.After entering university, I felt that being number eight was a bit small, so I thought I’d try playing flanker.”
――Please tell us the appeal of Flanker.
“I don’t think it’s a star position, but I think he’s always on the move and is the player closest to the ball. I think he has a lot of opportunities to touch the ball. But he’s attractive, but I don’t think there’s much (lol).”
――How do you look back on your first Shikon (Kanto University Spring Exchange Tournament/Japan War during your first year)?
“It was my first time wearing purple, so I was really nervous for about a week before the game.I was happy at the time, but as the game got closer, I got really nervous and worked really hard.I ran as much as I could, and for now, I remember thinking about making a tackle. There were a lot of foreign players at Nihon University, so I felt like I had to make a tackle, even if I didn’t care if I got blown away. ”
――Is there anything you were conscious of while continuing to participate in matches for four years?
“I think it’s important to be kind and human in your personal life. No matter how good you are at rugby, if you’re no longer good at rugby, you’d have to choose between someone with good humanity and humanity. I think that’s true. Coaches are also human beings, so I think anyone can do that without trying to be liked, just using common sense and doing the right thing. I think it’s important to defend. On top of that, I also need to improve my skills, so I think everyone will be able to compete in the game if they do what they’ve learned in practice.”
――Please tell me what was the most difficult thing in the past four years.
“Morning practice in my first year was tough because I wasn’t used to it.I used to be early in the morning in high school, but it took me a long time to get to school, so morning practice in college was tough. But now I wake up a lot better, and I’m getting used to it (lol).Sometimes I suddenly have to practice during the day, and it’s pretty tough when I have to practice during the day, but now I open my eyes as soon as I wake up. I can talk a lot, and I haven’t taken a nap in a long time, and I tried to go to sleep today, but I haven’t slept (lol).
――Please tell us the driving force behind your success over the past four years.
“The most important thing is to want to play in the game.It’s not about what my parents think, it’s because I want to play in the game.Since I came to Meiji, I really want to play, so there’s no point in it.Since I came here, I want to play in the game. That is the driving force.”
――Please tell me who your juniors are.
“Shota Taira (Commercial 3 = Higashi Fukuoka), he’s a roomy guy.I think he’ll be a central player next year, so I hope he does his best.He’s an outstanding player in rugby, and he’s a great converter. His kicks are very accurate, too. He’s quite serious even outside of rugby, and he’s surprisingly quiet. That’s what I like about him (lol).
――Once again, what do you think the slogan “Retake” means to Fukuda?
“I thought it was pretty good. It’s not a milestone since it’s the 101st generation, but I think it’s a good slogan that makes us want to take it back one more time.”
――Are there any areas you would like to develop in the future?
“It’s the breakdown part. I think it’s my biggest role, so if I can’t work, it’s going to be tough for me as a member, so I hope I can use all of my stamina throughout the match to finish the 80 minutes.” ”
――thank you very much.
[Emiri Moriguchi]
◆Taisei Fukuda (Fukuda Taisei) 4th grade, Chubu Daikasugaoka High School. 173cm/96kg
Fukuda answered that if he were to marry, it would be Ryusei Kaneko (Politics and Economics 4 = Saga Tech). “The reason is because she’s tall. If I were a girl, I’d prefer her to be tall. She also has a good-looking face, and I think she’s sincere when I’m in contact with her, so I think it’s really good.”
