Sports
Warner Dearns: From reluctant move to co-captaining Japan
Warner Dearns moved to Japan reluctantly as a teenager, but he has blossomed into a star player and will co-captain the national rugby team against England.
A decade ago, Warner Dearns moved from New Zealand to Japan when his father took a coaching job. Initially reluctant to leave his home country, the young athlete adapted to the new culture and developed his rugby skills at Kashiwa Senior High School, eventually qualifying on residency grounds to make his international debut for Japan in 2021. After representing Japan at the 2023 Rugby World Cup and winning a Super Rugby title with the Hurricanes in New Zealand, Dearns has established himself as a key player. Despite informal interest from his homeland, he remains completely committed to Japan as his home and national team.
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