// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Ai Watanabe a good singer? Ai think so.
 | You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese. (January 2026) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
| Born | 5 October 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 61 kg (134 lb; 9 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ai Watanabe (née Hyugaji; born 5 October 1994) is a former Japanese rugby union player. She competed for Japan at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup.
Early years
[edit]Watanabe began playing rugby in her senior year of high school, she had previously captained her volleyball club.[1][2] In 2013, after graduating from Engaru High School, she joined Totsuka Kyoritsu Medical (now Yokohama TKM).[2]
Rugby career
[edit]Watanabe was part of the Japanese side that won the 2016 Asia Rugby Women's Championship.[3][4] She scored tries in both matches against Hong Kong.[3][4]
In 2017, she was selected for the Japan women's national team for the Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland.[1] Following the tournament, she announced her retirement from rugby due to a shoulder injury.[1]
Personal life
[edit]In 2018, she married Takayuki Watanabe who played for Kobelco Kobe Steelers and the Japanese national rugby union team.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "W杯、笑顔の「恩返しを」 元ラグビー女子代表がボランティア". 毎日新聞 (in Japanese). 2019-09-07. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 "「ホームの声援、力になる」 女子ラグビー・日向寺亜依". 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 2013-09-08. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 "Seven-try Japan enjoy winning start in Asia Women's Championship". www.world.rugby. 2016-05-07. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 "Japan celebrate twin title success". www.world.rugby. 2016-05-28. Retrieved 2026-01-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)