From the World to Kobe, From Kobe to the World! Sky Stewart-Roberts, a former Oxford University Rugby Football Club player, joins Kobe Fast Gyro!

Kobe Fast Gyro, a women's rugby team supported by Hayakoma Unyu Co., Ltd., is pleased to announce that Sky Stewart-Roberts, a player who belonged to the 'Blues' top women's team of Oxford University Rugby Football Club (OURFC), has joined as a new member.

Ms. Stewart-Roberts is an individual of exceptional intellect and inquisitiveness, having majored in Biology at New College, Oxford University, and completed her integrated Bachelor's and Master's degree with First Class Honours.

In rugby, she was a member of the Oxford University Rugby Football Club, which boasts over 150 years of history and tradition, and as part of the 'Blues' top women's team, she participated in the traditional 'Varsity Match' between Oxford University and Cambridge University. She experienced two victories and is a '2-Time Blue,' a prestigious title awarded only to outstanding athletes, which she earned twice.

For us, it is a great honor and an invaluable connection that she chose Kobe Fast Gyro among numerous teams worldwide, coming from the birthplace of rugby, the UK, to play in Kobe.

The Lineage of Rugby Exchange Connecting Kobe and Oxford

Recently, an article about the history of rugby connecting Kobe and Oxford, and Ms. Stewart-Roberts' participation in Kobe Fast Gyro, was published on the official website of Oxford University Rugby Football Club.

Featured article: Oxford and Kobe Rugby Links Continue https://www.ourfc.org/post/oxford-and-kobe-rugby-links-continue

The article introduces the history of Kobe Steel welcoming rugby players from Oxford University since the late 1970s, the relationship between Oxford University Rugby Football Club players, including Reg Clark, and Kobe Steel, and the background of the era when Kobe Steel achieved seven consecutive Japan Championship victories.

Furthermore, during the Oxford University Rugby Football Club's East Asia tour in 1990, they visited Kobe via Hong Kong and Taiwan and played against Kobe Steel, who were then the Japanese champions. This tour was not merely a friendly match but also coincided with a historical milestone of academic and cultural exchange: the establishment of the Kobe Institute by St. Catherine's College, Oxford University.

Rugby, education, culture, industry. The relationship between Kobe and Oxford has been nurtured over many years, intertwining in multiple layers, and growing into a deep relationship of trust that transcends mere sports exchange.

The Anglo-Japanese Rugby Bonds Woven by Seiji Hirao, Katsuhiko Oku, and Reg Clark

An indispensable figure when discussing this exchange between Kobe and British rugby is Mr. Reg Clark.

Mr. Clark, an alumnus of Oxford University Rugby Football Club, played for Kobe Steel from 1980 to 1983. After that, he continued to play a long-standing role in connecting Kobe and the UK, serving as the European Financial Director at Kobe Steel's London office.

Moreover, the late Mr. Seiji Hirao, known as 'Mr. Rugby,' is another important presence in the exchange between Kobe and British rugby.

Mr. Hirao was a figure who led the golden age of the Kobe Steel Rugby Club and had a significant impact on Japanese rugby. When Mr. Hirao, who belonged to Kobe Steel, went to the UK to learn rugby and played for prestigious clubs like Richmond, one of the people who supported his challenge in the UK was Reg Clark.

Mr. Hirao's experience in the UK, the connection between Kobe Steel and Oxford University, and the relationship of trust in Anglo-Japanese rugby that Mr. Clark has continued to build. This history has been passed down through generations and is now inherited by Kobe Fast Gyro.

Furthermore, in the relationship between Oxford and Japan, the presence of the late Mr. Katsuhiko Oku is also important.

Mr. Oku fostered many friendships through rugby during his study abroad at Oxford University and was the first Japanese person to be selected for the Oxford University Blues XV. Later, he dedicated himself to international society as a diplomat and was martyred during his mission to support the reconstruction of Iraq.

In the UK, the 'Ambassador Katsuhiko Oku Memorial Cup' is held in his memory, serving as a symbolic venue for Anglo-Japanese exchange through rugby.

Hayakoma Unyu's Connection to British Rugby Through the Oku Memorial Cup

Hayakoma Unyu Co., Ltd. has also been involved in the Oku Memorial Cup as part of its efforts to contribute to the community and disseminate culture through rugby.

In the official program of the Oku Memorial Cup, Mr. Reg Clark, the organizer, introduced Hayakoma Unyu's initiatives.