His signature was only a matter of days. The back of XV of Japan, quarter finalist of the last World Cup, Kotaro Matsushima has just entered with Clermont, current 7th in the Top 14 championship.
The 26-year-old back with 39 caps who had been playing for the Sungoliath club since 2013 had burst into the eyes of the world during the World Cup opening match against Russia by scoring a hat-trick (30-10). In total, he had scored five during the competition.
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As the president of the Auvergne club Eric de Cromières indicates to the daily La Montagne, it is the former Toulon Matt Giteau, who also plays at the Sungoliaths, who convinced his partner to try his luck in Puy-de-Dôme.
Third Japanese to progress in the Top 14
This arrival in France is for Matsushima, South African by his father, as a return to basics since the Japanese player had spent a year at the Stade Toulouse in the Espoirs team (2011-2012) before leaving for Japan.
Two representatives of the Brave Blossoms preceded him in France: the hero of the 2015 World Cup in England, Ayumu Goromaru who had tried his luck in Toulon (2016-2017) and more recently the hooker Takeshi Hino hired as a joker Cup of the world at the Toulouse stadium. Goromaru's experience on the Rade was not really successful, playing only five games in a season with no points scored.