Horie named Top League MVP

TOKYO (Jan. 26) – Panasonic Wild Knights captain Shota Horie was named Japan Rugby Top League 2015-16 season MVP on Monday.

A day after leading his side to their third straight Top League crown, following a thrilling LIXIL Cup final win over Toshiba Brave Lupus, Horie picked up his second MVP award.

“I don’t think I played as well this year as when I last won the award (back in 2011),” he said, adding that he regarded the award as recognition for all the work put in by the Wild Knights’ players, coaches and support staff.

Horie was one of seven Panasonic players named in the league’s Best XV.

The 30-year-old hooker was joined in the front row by clubmate Keita Inagaki and Toshiba’s Takuma Asahara.

The second row saw veterans Daniel Heenan (Panasonic) and Andries Bekker (Kobe Kobelco Steelers) beat out Toshiba’s Naohiro Kotaki, who won the Rookie of the Year award.

Japan captain Michael Leitch (Toshiba) and the NTT Communications Shining Arcs pair of Shokei Kin and Amanaki Lelei Mafi made up the back row.

Berrick Barnes was named Top Kicker and the Panasonic flyhalf was joined in the XV by teammate Fumiaki Tanaka.

Richard Kahui (Toshiba) and JP Pietersen (Panasonic) were picked as the centres with Suntory Sungoliath’s Shota Emi and Panasonic’s Tomoki Kitawaga on the wings and Yamaha Jubilo’s Ayumu Goromaru at fullback.

Goromaru was the top points scorer for the regular season, while Emi and Taiyo Ando of Toyota Verblitz were the top try scorers.