From left, Nonaka and Tanaka at Waseda University's Kamiigusa Grounds
The Kanto Inter-University Rugby Championships is set to be a heated battle once again in 2025. This year, the Waseda-Keio match will be held at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Sunday, November 23rd, and the Waseda-Meiji match will be held at the National Stadium on Sunday, December 7th. Captain Kengo Nonaka and vice-captain Yusei Tanaka of the Waseda University Rugby Football Club, which is aiming to win the match and become the best university in Japan, spoke to us about the thoughts behind this year's slogan, "One Shot," and their enthusiasm for the Waseda-Keio and Waseda-Meiji matches.
We also interviewed the Waseda Sports Newspaper Club (an official student club) that follows the rugby club's activities on a daily basis. We asked them about the highlights of this year's team and the players to watch. Let's discover the appeal of Waseda rugby and cheer them on!
*The interview was conducted on October 14, 2025.
INDEX
▼A united team focused on each and every play! Rugby Football Club Interview
▼A passionate discussion about Waseda Rugby! An interview with the Waseda Sports Newspaper Club
An interview with the rugby football club, focusing on each and every play and coming together as one!
Captain/Center (CTB)
Kengo Nonaka, 4th-year student, School of Sport Sciences, from Tokai University Osaka Gyosei High School
Vice-Captain/Flanker (FL)
Yusei Tanaka, 4th-year student, School of Education, from Waseda Jitsugyo High School
Captain and vice-captain talk about the appeal of the team in 2025
-What kind of captain and vice-captain do you see each other as?
Tanaka: Our captain, Nonaka, has been demonstrating leadership since he was a underclassman, and I've been watching him closely for a long time. In his final year, if Nonaka can become the center of communication within the team and all the members can come together as one, we can create a truly amazing team. That's why I recommended Nonaka as captain, and I think he's lived up to my expectations.
Captain Nonaka
Nonaka: When I was appointed captain, Coach Tatsuhiko Otao (graduated from the School of Human Sciences in 2004) told me, "You need to communicate your feelings to the team," so even now, I am conscious every day of how well I can communicate my thoughts and feelings within a large team.
From my perspective, Vice-Captain Tanaka is a very pure person, serious and passionate about rugby. But he's not just passionate; he's also surprisingly calm and reliable.
Tanaka: In the three years since I joined the team, we have yet to become number one in Japan. That's why I feel so strongly about my final year.
-What is the meaning behind the team slogan for 2025, "One Shot"?
Nonaka: We won the Kanto Inter-University Championship last year and prepared very well for the finals of the University Championship, but we couldn't become number one in Japan. When I thought about what we were lacking, the answer that came to mind was to be more particular about each and every play. It also means that the team must come together and fight as one.
Vice-Captain Tanaka
Tanaka: Last year's team had an overwhelming leader, Kenji Sato (Class of 2025, School of Sport Sciences, currently playing for the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights/Japan National Team), who pulled the team along. However, this year we started with a common understanding that everyone should take on leadership roles. As we aimed for, we are conscious of how each individual with a sense of responsibility can work together as a team.
Nonaka: In the inter-team matches so far, I think we've been able to show more of the good things about being a united team than last year, and the desire to fight together as a team. However, I also feel there is room for improvement in becoming even more united. We want to aim to be a team that can get not only the team members involved, but also the spectators. And in order to demonstrate this sense of unity in the game, we need to first create a flow from defense, and then in attack, we need to connect that to a unified attack as a team, regardless of the roles of forwards and backs. In fact, I think we've been able to attack better than last year.
What are you personally working on?
Nonaka: First of all, as captain, I want to put my body on the line the most on the team. And then I want to improve the quality of my off-the-ball movements. I'm conscious of taking responsibility and doing everything I can.
* Refers to a state in which a player does not have the ball. Even when not in possession of the ball, the player is required to be able to predict the movements of the player who has the ball (on the ball) and prepare to play.
Nonaka attempts to break through the opposing defense during the 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against Aoyama Gakuin University (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Tanaka: Personally, I want to increase my energy on the defensive side, which is the most important issue for the team. That is one of my strengths, so I want to work even harder at it. And as a leader, it's about how much I can get the people around me involved. I think it's also my role to spread my passion to those around me.
Tanaka tackles a ball carrier during the 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against Aoyama Gakuin University (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Play your best on the big stage you've always dreamed of!
--Pleasetell us your motivation for taking on the traditional matches of the Waseda-Keio and Waseda-Meiji games.
Nonaka: I've been watching this game on TV since I was a child, and the energy of the crowd is on a whole different level. I'm once again reminded of how lucky I am to be able to stand on such a big stage and play, and I'm fully aware that I have to win. These are games I'm more excited about than usual.
Tanaka: It's a stage I've admired since I was a child, and it was very moving to stand on it for the first time last year. There is a different atmosphere than usual throughout the venue, and both Keio University and Meiji University come to Waseda with strong feelings, so it is difficult to play our usual game. In that environment, the key to winning was to show how consistently we can play as usual.
--TheWaseda-Keio match will be held at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, the sacred ground of Japanese rugby, and the Waseda-Meiji match will be held at the National Stadium. What are the attractions and rewards of each venue?
Nonaka: The Chichibunomiya Stadium is so close to the spectators that you can hear our voices and the sounds of the players hitting each other, which I think is the best part. To give you an idea of how close it is, I can even hear my own father's voice while I'm playing (laughs).
Tanaka: Playing at Chichibunomiya Stadium is rewarding, but I also remember well the first time I played in a packed National Stadium last year for the Waseda-Meiji match. When we formed a scrum, the crowd was so excited that it felt like the ground was really shaking, and it was one of the happiest times in my rugby career. This year, I would like to play my best in front of a packed crowd again.
Players forming a scrum during the 2024 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against Meiji University (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
--Please give a message to the Waseda students who will be coming to watch the Waseda-Keio and Waseda-Meiji games.
Tanaka: I want more people to experience the excitement of rugby and the excitement of supporting Waseda, and to experience the exhilaration of shouting loudly in an extraordinary space.
Nonaka: I really feel the power of support, and everyone's cheers and applause really motivate us. Please cheer loudly!
Interview and text: Naoto Oguma (graduated from School of Letters, Arts and Sciences II in 2002)
X: @oguman1977
Photo: Kota Nunokawa
A passionate discussion about Waseda Rugby! Waseda Sports Newspaper Club Interview
Waseda Sports Newspaper Rugby Club
Yuta Murakami, third-year student, School of Political Science and Economics
Yuta Obayashi, second-year student, School of Sport Sciences
From left: Obayashi-san and Murakami-san at Toyama Hill on Toyama Campus
Waseda Rugby reporter's top picks! Introducing noteworthy players
-What do you think will be the characteristics of Waseda rugby in 2025 based on your interviews?
Murakami: One of the attractions of this team is that they have unique players from all over the country who can each demonstrate their individual strengths. Many of their members have been playing since last year, and I think the strength of this year's team is the way these individually brilliant players can work together. They are a team that works hard on defense, but this year they are attacking with even more tempo, which is really exciting to watch.
Obayashi: The appeal of this year's team is their sense of unity. Even during games, players who are not part of the team shout out their slogan, "One Shot," from the stands, and everyone cheers on the team. Although they lost in the final of the 2024 University Championship, Coach Tatsuhiko Otao said, "We have experience from making it to the final and losing," and I feel that this experience is being put to good use.
--When watching a game, who is the player you would pay attention to in order to understand the development of the game?
Murakami: First up is the team's playmaker and stand-off (SO), Ryota Hattori (2nd year, School of Sport Sciences / graduate of Saga Technical High School). He's been a key player since his first year last year, and is a superstar in the world of university rugby. His greatest weapon is his kick, his "screw kick," which evades air resistance and sends the ball long distances deep into the opponent's territory, has changed the trends in university rugby. And it's not just his kicking that's impressive: his game control abilities are also extremely high! He has such a strong presence that you might even say "tactics = Hattori," and all of his plays, including his passing, are of a high level. Just following Hattori's whereabouts and what he'll do when he has the ball during a match will get you excited.
Hattori evades the defense with a sharp step during the 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against Aoyama Gakuin University (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Obayashi: Among the forwards who put their bodies on the line up front is prop (PR) Rintaro Maeda, (2nd year student School of Sport Sciences / graduate of Toin Gakuen High School), who stands at the forefront in the scrum. He won the national championship during his high school years and was selected for the Japanese high school national team, but last year, his rookie year, he had a difficult time playing in matches. Using that frustration as motivation, this year he has shown an overwhelming performance in his specialty, the scrum. He is a player to keep an eye on when forming a scrum.
Maeda breaks the line during the 2025 Spring Tournament match against Meiji University (Photo provided by Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Murakami: If you want to enjoy the dynamic "rugby" style of play, then look no further than lock Bunsuke Kurita (4th year, School of Sport Sciences, graduate of Aichi Prefectural Chikusa High School). It's often said that Waseda's rugby team doesn't have many players with great size, but Kurita is a very big player, standing 184cm tall and weighing 102kg, and he steps forward more than anyone else and puts his body on the line. The impacts of Kurita's collisions are so loud that they can be heard even in the stands.
Kurita makes a gain (carrying the ball forward) while dragging a tackler during the 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against the University of Tsukuba (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Obayashi: Speaking of good physiques, we also have new prop player Fuki Hirayama (1st year student School of Sport Sciences / graduated from Oita Toumei High School) to keep an eye on. He's a big guy at 180cm tall and weighs 127kg, but he's fast. He has explosive charging power and the ability to break through, so opponents can't stop him on his own. It's a spectacular sight to see him break through with the ball.
Hirayama demonstrates his powerful ball carrying skills during the 2025 Spring Tournament match against Teikyo University (Photo provided by Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Murakami: If you want to enjoy the sense of speed of the backs, one of them is fullback (FB) Yoshitaka Yazaki (3rd year, School of Sport Sciences, graduate of Toin Gakuen High School), a superstar who also plays for the Japanese national team. And the other is center (CTB) Shuho Fukushima (4th year, School of Sport Sciences, graduate of Fukuoka Prefectural Shuyukan High School), who is the epithet "Waseda's attacking captain." He is known for his dynamic and powerful play that is hard to believe he is a back, and Waseda's attacks begin when Fukushima carries the ball forward. He breaks down the opponent's defense and often starts the pass from there, so his driving force is worth watching.
Yazaki runs up the line during the 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against Rikkyo University (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Fukushima attempts an offload pass while dragging a tackler during the 2025 Kanto Intercollegiate Championship match against the University of Tsukuba (Photo courtesy of Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
Another player, Kazune Kurokawa (4th year, School of Human Sciences, graduated from Meikei Gakuen High School), will be a real treat for connoisseurs. He's a very versatile player, capable of both play as a stand-off or a center. He's also a good passer, a strong tackler, and highly capable of carrying the ball forward! No matter what the situation, even if someone gets injured, you can rest assured knowing "Kurokawa's on the bench, so it's okay." By substituting Kurokawa in crucial situations in the second half, the team can fight without losing quality.
Kurokawa breaks the line during the 2025 invitational match against Tenri University (Photo provided by Waseda Sports Newspaper Club)
-Finally, please tell us about the appeal of Captain Nonaka and Vice Captain Tanaka, who bring together such a unique group of players.
Obayashi: Vice-Captain Tanaka is a man with a passionate heart. Some of his teammates even say, "Waseda's pride = Tanaka's pride, and Tanaka's pride = Waseda's pride." I believe it is because of his pride that he continues to play in matches despite being not particularly tall at 166cm and is able to put his body on the line as a forward!
Murakami: While Vice-Captain Tanaka leads his teammates with his passion, Captain Nonaka leads with his play. He has been playing in matches since his first year, and he is an attractive player that we at the Waseda Sports Newspaper Club want to use in our headlines every year. Vice-Captain Tanaka said, "If Nonaka grows, it will lead to explosive growth for the team," and even during the interview, it was clear that his passion for his final year is increasing day by day.
He is also in charge of the important place kicks, which he has a very high success rate of, and he scores well even from the far end of the field. Just like the team slogan "One Shot," Nonaka's repeated "One Shot" shots will surely save the team in crucial situations.
W Space, 2nd floor, Building No. 37, Toyama Campus
Interview and text: Naoto Oguma (2002 graduate of School of Letters, Arts and Sciences II)
X: @oguman1977
Match schedule
[Waseda-Keio game] Sunday, November 23rd, kickoff time: 2pm @ Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium
[Waseda-Meiji game] Sunday, December 7th, kickoff time: 2pm @National Stadium
Rugby Football Club
Official website: https://www.wasedarugby.com/
X: @waseda_rugby
Instagram: @wasedarugby_1918
◆ Ticket sales (Kanto Rugby Football Union)
◆ Spectator rules and etiquette (Kanto Rugby Football Union)
[Official student club "Waseda Sports Newspaper Club"]
Founded in 1959, it is a pioneering student sports newspaper that reports on the activities of all 44 Waseda University athletic clubs. All reporting, photography, writing, and editing is done solely by students.
The newspaper is published free of charge 12 times a year (plus special editions), and match articles are updated daily on the following website.
Website: https://wasedasports-sousupo.com/
X: @waseda_sports
Instagram: @wasedasports
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