Hitoshi Ono Explained

Hitoshi Ono
大野均
Birth Name:Hitoshi Ono
Birth Date:6 May 1978
Birth Place:Kōriyama, Fukushima, Japan[1]
Height:1.96abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Weight:106kg (234lb)[2]
School:Seiryo High School
University:Nihon University
Ru Position:Lock
Ru Clubyears:2001–2020
2015–2020
Ru Proclubs:Toshiba Brave Lupus
Ru Clubcaps:85
12
Ru Clubpoints:(30)
(0)
Ru Clubupdate:15 January 2017
Ru Nationalyears:2004–2016
Ru Nationalcaps:98
Ru Nationalpoints:(65)
Ru Ntupdate:25 June 2016
Repsevensyears1: 

is a retired Japanese rugby player. He plays at lock for the Japan national rugby union team. He is nicknamed the "Iron Man".

Ono started playing rugby after converting from baseball at Nihon University where he was studying to become a firefighter. However, he changed careers and joined Toshiba Brave Lupus in 2001, with whom he has gone on to win the Top League four times.

He made his international debut for in 2004 against .[3] He became a regular member of the national team from there onwards and represented his country at both the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cup. Since Eddie Jones took over as Japan coach in 2012, he has not missed an international match, and has become the most capped player for Japan of all time.[4]

After the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, Ono's family dairy farm suffered greatly, and alongside prop Kensuke Hatakeyama who lost his home, he was named honorary captain for the Asian 5 Nations match with the by coach John Kirwan to mark the team's solidarity for the cause.[5]

Ono is one of the 'Frontier Ambassadors' of his hometown Koriyama City.[6]

He retired from professional rugby in 2020 [7]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: ラグビー日本代表の大野 古里郡山で講演 W杯への思い語る. ja. Fukushima Mimpo. 27 June 2014. 1 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052656/http://www.minpo.jp/news/detail/2014062716548. 8 August 2014. dead.
  2. Web site: Rugby World Cup: Hitoshi Ono . Rugby World Cup . 2015-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151007183523/https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/japan/player/24148 . 2015-10-07 . dead .
  3. Web site: Japan v Korea at Tokyo, May 16, 2004.
  4. Web site: Ono set to be Japan's most capped player . Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU). January 28, 2015.
  5. Web site: One year on Rugby remembers in Japan. https://web.archive.org/web/20140203100936/http://www.irbsevens.com/news/newsid=2061455.html. usurped. February 3, 2014.
  6. Web site: フロンティア大使のプロフィール等郡山市公式ウェブサイト. www.city.koriyama.lg.jp. ja. 2020-02-25. 2020-02-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20200225023848/https://www.city.koriyama.lg.jp/shiseijoho/kokogaiine_koriyama/5/9811.html. dead.
  7. Web site: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/05/19/rugby/iron-man-hitoshi-ono-retires-98-caps/#.XskkuhMzai4.