2015 Rugby World Cup Hero Ayumu Goromaru Set To Retire

Former Brave Blossoms' fullback  Ayumu Goromaru has announced that he will retire after the upcoming 2021 Top League season.

The 34-year-old, who earned 57 caps for Japan and had spells with the Reds in Australia and Toulon in France rocketed to stardom after scoring 24 points for Japan in their famous 34-32 victory over South Africa, dubbed the Miracle of Brighton, at the 2015 World Cup in England.

Goromaru made his test debut while still a student at Waseda in a 24-18 loss to Uruguay in Montevideo before going on to becoming a regular under former Brave Blossoms and current England coach Eddie Jones.

Goromaru's distinctive goal-kicking stance — in which he clasps his hands together while lining up his kick — became a media talking point and was mimicked by young fans. "Goromaru-mania" even prompted fans to flock to see a Buddha statue said to be in a similar pose to the one Goromaru struck in his pre-kick routine.

Despite his stardom and accuracy off the tee, Goromaru fell out of favour with Jamie Joseph in the Japanese squad and missed out on a place in the national squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. 

The 2021 Top League season kicks of on 16 January and it will be the final season before the launch of a new professional competition the following year.

Via: Japan Times