Yamada has been a prolific try-scorer for the Wild Knights in Japan's Top 14 competition since making his debut during the 2010-11 season.
He enjoyed a stand-out year in 2012-13 scoring 20 tries in 14 games to be the league's top scorer.
Ahead of the admission of a Japanese franchise into Super Rugby, Australian sides were permitted to contract one Japanese player per season to aid their development. And so it was that the Perth-based Western Force signed Yamada to a one-year contract ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby season.
Yamada made his debut for Japan on 15 November 2013 in a 40-13 victory over Russia in Colwyn Bay, Wales.
He was selected in the Sunwolves squad for their first Super Rugby season and made 16 appearances for the side between 2016 and 2019.
Yamada missed out on Japan's 2019 Rugby World Cup squad having represented Japan 25 times and scoring 19 tries from 24 starts.
He signed a short-term deal with Lyon ahead of the 2019-20 season.
Career
Japan Left Wing |
2016 - 2019 | |
Lyon Left Wing |
2019 - 2019 | |
Japan 7's Left Wing |
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Saitama Wild Knights Left Wing |
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Sunwolves Left Wing |
2015 - 2019 | |
Seattle Seawolves Left Wing |
2021 - 2021 | |
Urayasu D-Rocks Left Wing |
2020 - 2024 |