by Brendan Bradford - The Melbourne Rebels have announced the signing of Japanese hooker Shota Horie for the 2013 Super Rugby season. The lively 26-year old took the rugby world by storm in his standout debut season for Otago in this year’s ITM Cup in New Zealand and will join the Rebels at the start of December. A member of the Japanese side at the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Horie has the potential of becoming the first Japanese player to ever play Super Rugby in the competition’s 17-year history. "I am honoured to become a part of the Melbourne Rebels. I would like to contribute to the team's success as much as I can and also to prove the potential of Japanese players in Super rugby." said Horie. Rebels Head Coach Damien Hill, having spent three years coaching in Japan, understands the significance of this signing and applauds