Japanese legend Daisuke Ohata, leading try scorer in international rugby, has been forced into retirement following a knee injury. To acknowledge his contribution, here’s a great full field try he scored in the Sevens in 1999.
Ohata may not be a name you’re familiar with, and you’ve probably never even seen him play, but in terms of statistics, the man is right up there with the best. In fact, he
is
the best when it comes to the amount of tries scored, as he overtook David Campese’s tryscoring record in 2006.
Of course many of those were scored against weaker nations, so it’s a controversial record, as with the current consecutive Test wins record, which is held by Lithuania. He has scored tries against France, Ireland, Wales, and Argentina though, and in his prime was a try scoring machine in both Sevens and Fifteens rugby.
He scored 69 tries in 58 tests and playing in two World Cups. Sadly he missed the 2007 tournament with an injury. A few days back he injured his knee in a domestic match, prompting the 35 year old to announce his retirement, which he was due to do at the end of the season anyway.
“It’s sad that it ended like this but I think I have had a good career,” Ohata said.
“I feel I have left my mark as a rugby player.”
This try comes from the 1999 Hong Kong Sevens, where Japan beat Scotland in the dying minutes with a wonderful length of the field try scored by noneother than gasman Ohata.
Time:
01:28
Note:
Thanks to the
Rugby Asia Channel
for uncovering this one
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