Courage more important than size for Cherry Blossoms fan

Tsutomu Takahash of Christchurch is a Crusaders and Japan supporter. Photo / Martin Hunter

The Japanese rugby side, known as the Cherry Blossoms, have a strong reputation for their courageous yet comparably small players. So much so the team are often referred to as the Brave Blossoms.

Tsutomu Takahashi, possibly the side's biggest New Zealand-based fan, is a perfect example of this "size does not matter" Japanese attitude towards the oval ball game.

The 48-year-old from Tokyo, also known as Tom, has long been a rugby fanatic and has not let his height get in the way.

"My elder brother played American football but my size is very small and so I thought I cannot play American football. But rugby - a variety of sizes of people can play."

Takahashi played halfback at high school and university in Japan and after travelling to New Zealand in 2000 to watch the "kings of rugby" play live, he decided to move here.

He said he and his wife Naomi fell in love with New Zealand and in 2004 emigrated to Christchurch.

The couple travelled to watch a lot of the 2011 Rugby World Cup games, including most of the Japanese pool matches.

Takahashi, who works as a travel agent, said: "I love rugby because it has many faces - like combative sports, tackles, mauls, sophisticated ball game, passes, kicks. Also, it is a great team sport. In Japan, rugby's motto is "one for all, all for one".

He hopes the Cherry Blossoms will come away with at least two wins.

Takahashi and Naomi will be keeping an especially close eye on Japanese halfback Fumiaki Tanaka, whom they have been enjoying watching play for the Highlanders and Otago.