Takuro Miuchi (箕内 拓郎, Miuchi Takuro, born December 11, 1975) is a Japanese rugby union player, who plays number eight. He was captain of the Japan national rugby union team until relieved of that responsibility by Japan national team coach Jean-Pierre Elissalde in a surprise move during February 2006. He was recalled to the team for the IRB Pacific 5 Nations games, and has appeared in 2 World Cups - 2003 and 2007. He also plays for NEC Green Rockets in the Top League, and was the NEC captain before Ryota Asano. Under John Kirwan (appointed head coach January 1, 2007) he again became captain of Japan, and appeared in the Japanese squad for the 2007 World Cup and the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup. Early life Takuro is originally from Tobata ward in Kitakyushu city. He first learned rugby at Sayagatani rugby school, and played also for Yahata High School. He played as a student for Kanto Gakuin University and for a year at Oxford University where he gained a blue. Miuchi's first international cap was on May 19, 2002 in a match against . References External links Miuchi gets recall for Pac Five, Daily Yomiuri, May 20, 2006 Élissalde springs surprise as Miuchi gets the chop, Daily Yomiuri, February 28, 2006 Miuchi on the Rockets website 1975 births Living people Japanese rugby union players Green Rockets Tokatsu players NTT DoCoMo Red Hurricanes Osaka players Sportspeople from Kitakyushu Rugby union number eights Kanto Gakuin University alumni Japan international rugby union players Asian Games medalists in rugby union Rugby union players at the 2002 Asian Games Asian Games silver medalists for Japan Medalists at the 2002 Asian Games