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"My number one goal is to blow the whistle at the Rugby World Cup."

Katsuki Furuse, 4th year, School of Commerce

In front of Toyama Campus Building No.37 Athletic Center

Mr. Furuse is a member of the rugby club as a referee. He is active not only within the club, but also as a referee in various official matches both domestically and internationally. In 2023, he was selected for the "Best Whistle Award" as the most active referee in NTT Japan Rugby League One (hereinafter referred to as League One), a Japanese adult team competition. We asked Mr. Furuse, who is expanding his range of activities, about how he became interested in rugby, why he started refereeing, his daily activities, and his future goals.

-- Mr. Furuse was a player at first, right? Please tell us how you started playing rugby.

The junior high school I attended had a rugby club, but when I first entered the school I wasn't particularly interested in rugby. However, I decided to join the club because I thought it would be easy for beginners to start playing rugby as there were not many experienced players. At first, I had a hard time understanding the rules, but I discovered the fun of rugby by working together with teammates and trying to win.

However, when I entered high school, I was very worried about whether or not I should continue playing rugby. This is because Higashi Fukuoka High School, where I went straight to middle and high school, is a strong school that regularly competes in national tournaments. I was in a course aiming to enter university, and there were more classes and the classes ended later than other courses. If I were to continue, I would like to aim for the top, but if I try to balance it with my studies, I end up not being able to practice as much as other club members, and my studies and club activities become half-hearted. With that in mind, I didn't continue playing rugby in high school.

A photo from when I was in junior high school. Mr. Furuse is holding the ball. His position was hooker (HO).

――After that, why did you decide to start refereeing?

Since I didn't have to take the high school entrance exam, even after I retired from the rugby team in junior high school, I occasionally participated in practice with the support of my juniors. One day, the coach happened to ask me to referee a practice match, and I really enjoyed the experience. Specifically, as a referee, I found it interesting to watch not only the ball but everything on the pitch and make judgments from various angles. So I thought it might be interesting to get involved in rugby from a different standpoint, rather than just as a player, so I started playing rugby seriously.

At that time, there were very few high school students who aspired to become referees, so I wasn't considered a member of the rugby club, but when there was a practice match, I was approached and often worked with them, such as being in charge of refereeing. I was treated the same way as any member of the team. While gaining such practical experience, I also increased my knowledge of refereeing through self-study by watching top-level matches on YouTube and other sites on a daily basis.

When I was in my third year of high school, I served as a referee for the ``U18 East-West Joint Team Match'' held at Hanazono Rugby Stadium, a sacred place for high school rugby in Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture. Originally, it was not possible for high school students to become referees, but the referee manager of the Japan Rugby Football Union, which oversees rugby in Japan, approached us as part of their efforts to develop young referees. All the players were of the same age, and it was a game filled with the feelings of the final culmination of high school for both the players and myself, so it left a particularly strong impression on me.

When he was in his third year of high school, he served as a referee in the U18 joint East-West competition. Mr. Furuse is wearing a white uniform.

--How have you been working as a referee since entering university?

I joined the rugby club and participate in the club's practices. For example, when a player is practicing a scrum or breakdown, I am often asked to give my opinion from the referee's perspective, such as checking to see if there is a foul. Of course, when there is a practice match, I play the whistle as a referee. In 2021, I was selected as an A-class certified referee by the Japan Association, which allows me to be in charge of all matches. Currently, I am also involved as a referee in League One, an adult league. I balance club activities with League One activities, and while being flexible, I am trying to increase my experience as a referee in as many games as possible.

What it’s like to be a referee in League One
Photo left: Kobelco Kobe Steelers vs. Saitama Wild Knights. When the foul whistle was blown
Photo right: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars vs. Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath. Just before the pre-scrum shout

――Mr. Furuse is active in a variety of matches, but he also has more and more opportunities to serve as a referee in matches overseas.

I have been receiving continued support from the Japan Rugby Football Union since high school, and am participating in a program called TID that promotes the development of young players (*). This program also includes many overseas training sessions. This year, I participated in a referee academy camp held in South Africa, and also refereed in a league match in South Korea and the Asian Rugby Championship held in Hong Kong.

One of my most memorable moments was when I was allowed to play the whistle at the NPC (New Zealand Provincial Championship) held in New Zealand. New Zealand is a rugby powerhouse and is completely English-speaking. I am very proud that I, a Japanese person, was able to serve as a referee under such circumstances.

(*) Abbreviation for Talent Identification. The Japan Rugby Football Union is conducting an initiative to discover and develop human resources to promote the discovery of promising high school players. Currently, due to organizational changes, the name has changed to the Referee Academy System.

NPC Northland vs Canterbury
Photo left: The scene before the match. Mr. Furuse is in the center
Photo right: Scrum during the match. Mr. Furuse is in the center back

--Please tell us about the appeal of rugby from a referee's perspective.

The best part is that I can experience the intense contact rugby up close! As a referee, watching the players collide violently, it feels even more powerful than watching from the audience seats. While there were some intense plays, there were also scenes where they passed a lot and ran with great speed. I think it's a referee's privilege to be able to feel up close how various elements come together.

And again, it's the same reason I started refereeing, but I don't just chase the ball, I also get to judge the game from a bird's-eye view while paying attention to all 30 players in the game. I find it interesting. These two things are what makes rugby so fun as a referee.

--Please tell us your future goals.

My ultimate goal is to serve as a referee at the Rugby World Cup. After graduating from university, I am thinking of gaining more experience as a referee overseas, but I am currently at the stage of trial and error to see how I can get even a little closer to that goal. In the first place, there is almost no precedent for a Japanese or young person aiming to become an internationally active referee. There are many unknowns about how I will proceed in the future, but I want to do my best to move forward one step at a time.

Practice at the rugby club

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Interview/text/photography: Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC student staff)
Risaki Sato 4th year student School of Human Sciences

【Profile】

Born in Fukuoka Prefecture. Graduated from Higashi Fukuoka High School. He is currently a member of the Waseda University Rugby Club as a referee. Referees also run around the field during games, so he dosen't miss training even on their off days. He sometimes cycles around Tokyo for a change of pace.

A photo with a Vietnamese student from Professor Kazuhiko Yokota's international trade research seminar. He mainly studies the economies of developing countries and conducts empirical research using a variety of data. Mr. Furuse is third from the left in the back row.