Shota Horie has been confirmed as the Sunwolves’ captain for this year’s Super Rugby tournament.

Having previously played in the tournament for the Rebels in 2013 and 2014, the hooker was the clear-cut favourite to lead the Tokyo-based outfit and on Tuesday head coach Mark Hammett confirmed the appointment.

'It was obvious he was the man for the job. He leads by example, has Super Rugby experience and is backed by the players,' Hammett told Japan's Kyodo news agency.

The 30-year-old says while he is proud to be the leader, he'll need support from his teammates throughout the campaign.

'It's a great honour to be named captain of the first-ever Japanese Super Rugby team. There are definitely things I can't do alone, so it's important for the team to come together and work for one another,' said Horie, who recently led the Panasonic Wild Knights to a third successive Japanese Top League title.

Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty Images