Kie Tamai
| Born | 24 October 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lb; 12 st 0 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Kie Tamai (born 24 October 1992) is a former Japanese rugby union player. She competed for Japan at the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
Early life and career
Tamai initially played basketball from elementary to high school.[1] In her senior year of high school, she was invited by the rugby coach to try out the sport, and has been playing rugby ever since.[1]
She graduated from Matsusaka High School in 2010 and then entered Kwansei Gakuin University. She joined the university's rugby club with over 100 male members as the only female player.[1][2]
After graduating from Kwansei Gakuin University, she worked as an English teacher at a junior high school.[1] After working for a private company, she joined Pasona in 2019.
Rugby career
Tamai joined the newly formed, Mie Pearls, in 2016 while also working as an English teacher at a junior high school.[1][2]
On 13 July 2019, she earned her first cap for Japan as a starter against Australia during her sides tour of Australia.[3]
In July 2022, she captained Japan in a test match against South Africa.[2] She was subsequently selected in Japan's squad for the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.[1][3]
Tamai joined Ealing Trailfinders in the Premiership Women's Rugby competition in 2023.[1][3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Women's Rugby in Japan". Japan House London. 2025-08-21. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c "Breaking through: The rise of women's rugby in Japan". Japan House London. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Peters, Matt (2023-05-31). "Japanese International Kie Tamai joins Trailfinders Women". Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)