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Japan star Kazuki Himeno named Super Rugby Aotearoa Rookie of the Year

(Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

Japan star Kazuki Himeno has been named Super Rugby Aoteaora Rookie of the Year following an impressive debut campaign with the Highlanders this season.

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The 26-year-old was voted the competition’s standout newcomer by a panel of writers from allblacks.com, beating out the likes of teammate Connor Garden-Bachop, Blues lock Sam Darry, Hurricanes playmaker Ruben Love and Chiefs utility forward Samipeni Finau for the award.

While Himeno previously played Super Rugby for the Sunwolves in 2018, the 17-test loose forward is eligible for the award on the basis that he was playing in his first season as a contracted New Zealand-based player.

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Clayton McMillan and Scott Robertson speak to The Breakdown ahead of the Super Rugby Aotearoa final

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Clayton McMillan and Scott Robertson speak to The Breakdown ahead of the Super Rugby Aotearoa final

The award comes after a series of compelling displays by Himeno, who was at the forefront of much of the Highlanders’ success this year, even if it that only came in the form of just three wins from eight matches.

Vigorous on attack and uncompromising on defence, Himeno showed many of the same traits that made him a star at the 2019 World Cup as part of the history-making Brave Blossoms squad that qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time ever.

A breakout performance against the Crusaders in the Highlanders’ 33-12 upset win over the reigning champions in Christchurch was followed by more eye-catching efforts against the Chiefs and Blues in Dunedin.

Himeno claims the award despite having missed the Highlanders’ first three matches of the competition due to his two-week quarantine upon his arrival in New Zealand from Japan, and then a subsequent lack of fitness as a result of his isolation.

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Himeno’s efforts have been recognised by Japan head coach Jamie Joseph, who last month included him in a 52-man training squad to prepare for the British and Irish Lions in a warm-up clash in Edinburgh on June 26 ahead of their upcoming tour of South Africa.

The Highlanders, meanwhile, will kick-off the inaugural Super Rugby Trans-Tasman season against the Reds at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin next Friday.

Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:

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PoppaRick 1 hour ago
The Chiefs are better than the Crusaders

It annoys when sport “Professionals “ make statements like that . The Best Team, plays their Best game in the final. The start of the Season is pure entertainment for the Fans and training for the Teams. The last 2 years in a row the Chiefs timed their run wrong and “Choked “. Not a word used when speaking about the Crusaders, EVER!!

Hamish Bidwell should put something behind his arrogant statement. He’s playing the weatherman game, he knows, if he gets it wrong, meh!

But he takes kudos for getting a 50/50 right.

Remember game #1.

Rob Penny took his front row off including Tamaiti Williams who was demolishing the Chiefs scrum and causing havoc all over the field. The Saders lost the second half and the game, meh? Yes meh! We lost Tamaiti first game last season a loss we didn’t recover from when added to Jordan, Scooter, Backadder , etc. Yet they beat The Blues in the last Round game. Oh that’s right the Chiefs ( qualified first ) then lost to the Blues, at home! With 🐄🔔S.

The Crusaders as a whole, from top down, know the season is decided at the end.

Not a team I would write off so easily.

As for the Cow Bells. If I had Chiefs supporters coming over to watch the game at mine. I would ask them to leave the bells at home, purely because they are so bloody annoying. My house my rules. Next year don’t lose in the “Finals” (joke), get the home final and tell the Crusaders to leave the horses at home (🤣🤣🤣).

I can’t wait the game will be awesome for so many reasons.

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