Akira Yoshida

In 1994, he joined Kobe Steel, as regular centre since his first year in the club, contributing to achieve the seventh consecutive victories in the All-Japan Rugby Company Championship and in the Japanese Championship for Kobe Steel.

He retired in February 2006,[1] thus leaving Kobelco Steelers and Kobe Steel and became head coach of his alma mater, Kyoto Sangyo.

[3] From April 2013, Yoshida was in charge of the Nihon University Rugby Football Club,[4] resigning as coach in the 2015 season.

As of April 2016, he was appointed as head coach of Yakult Levins Rugby Football Club.

Besides diffusing rugby as a part-time university lecturer, Yoshida works to train and strengthen the future generations.