Interpreters have been provided for almost every team competing at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but in a country with a very limited number of Georgian speakers, a 28-year-old man is supporting the squad all by himself.
Hayate Sotome, who is assisting the Georgian players during their stay, said he is striving to support "the members who are working hard in an unfamiliar country."
"Is there a larger size?" and "How much is this in dollars?" were among the questions members of the team asked Sotome while out shopping in mid-September in central Nagoya. Nicknamed "Bato" by the team, he assists the members in communicating with staff at hotels, hospitals and elsewhere.