Isileli Nakajima

Nakajima Isileli (中島 イシレリ) (born 9 July 1989) is a Tongan-born Japanese rugby union player who generally plays as a prop represents Japan internationally and plays for Kobelco Steelers in the Japanese Top League.^[1][2][3]

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Quick Facts Full name, Date of birth ...

Isileli Nakajima

Isileli Nakajima in action during the Pool A match of the 2019 Rugby World Cup between Japan and Russia
Full name	Isileli Nakajima Vakauta
Date of birth	(1989-07-09) 9 July 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth	Vaiola, Tonga
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Weight	120 kg (18 st 13 lb; 265 lb)
University	Ryutsu Keizai University
Rugby union career
Position(s) prop, lock, number 8 Current team Kobelco Steelers Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014 NEC Green Rockets 4 (0) 2015– Kobelco Steelers 41 (40) Correct as of 02 March 2025 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2018–present Japan 9 (0) Correct as of 21 February 2021

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Nakajima made his international debut for Japan against New Zealand on 3 November 2018.^[4] He was included in the Japanese squad for the 2019 Rugby World Cup which is currently held in Japan for the first time and for the first time in Asia.^[5][6][7]

Nakajima was a teenager when he moved to Japan after he was scouted by a Japanese university coach. Nakajima chose to take his wife's surname partly in defiance of the patriarchal norms of his home country but also out of respect and love for his wife and his adopted home.^[8]