Around the Traps 7

Comings

* Gen Yamazaki & his wife Gyokurei became the proud parents of a baby boy, Yuji Yamazaki, on 26th August.

* Blake & Kyoko Walker welcomed a new daughter Riana Catherine Walker on the Friday 5th November.

*Dave Kelver and his wife Emi are expecting a new addition early next year, along with ex-Gaijin captain Joe Fischer and his wife HIroko later this year.

* A while ago now but Richard O’Shea & Hitomi Kurosawa annonced their engagement on May 29th. Good luck to the young lovebirds.

* The team has welcomed a few new players recently from countries not noted for their rugby nous, with Indonesian Annga Wirastomo, Sri Lankan Anjulo Silva, Spaniard Gorka Gerediaga and Italian Guiseppe Ingiglli joining German Simon Palm, who joined us earlier in the year. Other recent newcomers have been Henry Bird from New Zealand and Natsuhiko Kunitomo from Japan.

and Goings

* Mauro Sauco has left the greenery of Tokyo to take up residence in the concrete jungles of Singapore. The big slab of Argentinian beef will be sorely missed in the Gaijin scrum. He was also an important man in the lineout, being the middle lifter. I am sure that opposition backs will also be happy not to have him running at them anymore. What’s more, this website is his baby, so his computers skills will be sorely missed. He has promised to help out when possible and will also make occassionaly guest appearances for the Gaijin when he is back in town. Apparently he was the first one to have his name down for the 2011 Manial 10’s.

* Erin Hughes, who joined the team through his association with Mauro, will also be leaving these shores on the 15th November to take up a job in Texas. He and Mauro actually have many similarities in that they both joined the team knowing nothing about rugby and they have both done a lot to help the team when it comes to the Team’s website.

General News

* Apparently Matt Downer, ex-Gaijin captain, has been starring for Lion Rugby Club. The level has also been tougher on the body with Matt having an operation on his broken nose recently, his third. He was also seen limping at the Gaijin game against Komaba.

* A few of the Gaijin old fellas have been appearing for the Phoenix RFC in the Over 35`s competition. Toshi Miyano, Toru Kanamori, Yamagen, Jo Iwasaki (really only 34!), Rick Bales, Joffa Harris & Bati Apisai have been strutting their stuff and showing that you are only as old as you feel. Joffa Harris scored two tries in a losing effort on November 3rd to fly the Gaijin flag.