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'You have to give him the ball because every time he touches it, he is dangerous'
By Online Editors
Clermont have hailed the impact of their Japan recruit Kotaro Matsushima, a star of the 2019 World Cup who broke his Top 14 scoring duck at the weekend by pouncing for two tries against Pau in a 50-29 win.
"I'm happy to see him score tries and have fun on the pitch," said Clermont boss Franck Azema about the player they call 'Mat'.
Injured after 16 minutes in his league debut against Toulouse, Matsushima scored in the Champions Cup quarter-final defeat but he had to wait until last Saturday to finally get on the board in the French league in what was his third top-flight appearance.
"Kotaro is super talented," continued Azema on RugbyRama. "In rugby it's easy. In life outside it must be more difficult but it will be done little by little. But when it comes to rugby, you have to give him the ball because every time he touches him, he's dangerous.
"He has speed, punch, he brings a certain execution in the gesture. He has speed that everyone sees it but he has a great knowledge of the fundamentals of the position of full-back or winger. He's comfortable with the ball and that is what you expect from an ASM player."
Matsushima had known what French life was like having spent some time years ago in the Toulouse espoirs, but he still needed a period of settling in at Clermont. "His integration is going well but he arrives in a culture which is different from the one he knew in Japan," explained Camille Lopez.
"Wherever you come from, it's rugby that brings us together. The ground is the same, the benchmarks are common to all. Kotaro is extremely talented. In rugby it's easy. In life outside it must be more difficult but it will be done little by little.
"He will integrate into French and Clermont life. It will take a little longer, but when it comes to rugby, he showed it against Pau, you have to give him the ball because every time he touches it, he is dangerous."
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Latest Comments
you've elsewhere denied ever having claimed that Borthwick selects on the basis of media pressure. Hard taking anything you say seriously when you're this disingenous!
Go to comments"And you think they are finished products? 🤣"
I think Ntamack was a better player at 21 than Marcus is at 25. I think his game will continue to develop, but I don't think either of them will get very much better. Dan Carter became an incredible game manager as he got older, but he never dominated the opposition more than he did aged 23. Wilkinson pretty indisputably hit his peak at 24. Not everyone is Johnny Sexton, and most players who are touted as prodigies turn out to have peaked young.
"That, or the English game has been slow to develop. I'll let you decide the answer to that one Finn 😉"
no, England have generally looked like a good side when Smith isn't in the team.
"Great job illustrating he's the man to take England to WC 27' though, kinda counter to wanting a 35yo Farrell!"
literally no one is arguing for Farrell.
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