Atsushi Tanaka nominated to SRL Hall of Fame

10th October 2024

Warriors RC

HALLO OF FAME - WRC's Atsu Tanaka is the 2024 inductee to the SRL hall of fame! We are proud of our lifetime member and MVP - thank you for all your contributions Atsu, it's hard to put all our gratitude in words. A true legend!

Here is the federation's motivation: Atsushi Tanaka has been lifting the level of Finnish rugby by providing high quality footage from games for over two decades. He has shared his videos altruistically not only to his own club, but openly to everyone in the whole community. His public channel features games from 2003, and neatly organised playlists for each and every year since 2008. He's been shooting women, men, and juniors' games, championship, and divisions fixtures, international test matches of our national teams, fun tournaments - you name it, he's documented it. He's been bravely and devotedly dedicating his time for our community, defying the brute natural forces, filming in stormy winds, under the Finnish burning summer sun, under pouring rain - with an umbrella for the camera. His video material has been used by teams and coaches analysing their previous games and opponents while preparing for the next matches, end of season party organisers for fun compilations of the season, referees for developing their skills and the safety of the game, disciplinary boards for investigations, historians digging important rugby trivia and national team coaches scouting players. In the last few years, rugby fans in Finland and abroad have had the pleasure to watch games online in real time, thanks to his live-streaming. Our camera expert has played as a wing for many years, since the second season after the founding of Warriors Rugby Club in the beginning of the Millennium, still outrunning many younger players in his fifties. Atsu is a brilliant example of what Finnish rugby needs: a dedicated rugby enthusiast, who after their active playing career does not disappear but stays in the community, enjoying the game and supporting Finnish rugby way in a that best fits their own interests.Thus, we have the honour to nominate Atsushi Tanaka in the Finland Rugby Hall of Fame.