Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
東芝ブレイブルーパス東京

Full name	Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
Union	Japan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)	Brave Lupus
Founded	1948; 76 years ago (1948)
Location	Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
Ground(s)	Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, 27,188 capacity Ajinomoto Stadium, 49,970 capacity
Coach(es)	Todd Blackadder
League(s)	Japan Rugby League One
2023	5th
Team kit 2nd kit

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. They are based in Fuchu, Tokyo, as is their local rival Suntory Sungoliath. They won the second ever Top League championship in the 2004-5 season and the Microsoft Cup in 2005 under their innovative and inventive coach Masahiro Kunda, himself a former hooker for Toshiba and Japan. They are particularly known for the strength of their mauls. Before the Top League was created, the team was called Toshiba Fuchu after their location. Their slogan for 2006 season was "Once again to the Pinnacle (Restart)". The team rebranded as Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to Japan Rugby League One in 2022.[1]

Honours

• All-Japan Championship
  • Champions: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006 (joint champions with NEC Green Rockets), 2007
• Top League:
  • Champions: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009-10, 2023-24

Current squad

The Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo squad for the 2024-25 season is:[2]

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo squad
Props Masataka Mikami Sena Kimura Hiroto Kasai Yuta Kokaji Teruo Makabe Taufa Latu* Rikyu Yamakawa Shuto Harabuchi Vea Taumoefolau* Hookers Daigo Hashimoto Futoshi Mori Mamoru Harada Ryuki Hayashi Rinpei Sakaki Locks Asaeli Lausii* Samuela Anise Shohei Ito Jacob Pierce Shoichi Takagi Senfu Kamei PJ Steenkamp Warner Dearns	Flankers Shannon Frizell Yoon Rye-on* Hiroki Yamamoto Takeshi Sasaki Afu Ofeina* No8s Michael Leitch (c) Yoshitaka Tokunaga Scrum-halves Takahiro Ogawa Yuhei Sugiyama Kohei Takahashi Motoki Tanaka Shotaro Ikedo Fly-halves Richie Mo'unga Takuro Matsunaga	Centres Taichi Mano Gentaro Ikenaga Seta Tamanivalu Rob Thompson* Yuto Mori Wingers Makoto Iwafuchi Atsuki Kuwayama Masaki Hamada Jone Naikabula Taiki Matsunobu Rei Ishioka Kim Suryung* Fullbacks Toshiki Kuwayama Shohei Toyoshima Michael Collins Stephanus Du Toit* Utility Backs
(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped

• * denotes players qualified to play for the Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds.

All Blacks Richie Mo’unga has signed with the Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and is due to join the side after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.[3]

Past players

• François Steyn - fly-half and full back for Toshiba
• Shogo Mukai - full back for Toshiba and Japan, now head coach of Coca-Cola Red Sparks
• Masahiro Kunda - hooker for Toshiba and Japan
• Andrew McCormick - centre, former captain of the Japan national rugby union team, now coaching at Coca-Cola Red Sparks
• Wataru Murata - scrum-half (before he went to France and then played for Yamaha Jubilo)
• Shinji Ono - number 8
• Yohei Suzuki - full back
• Ruatangi Vatuvei - lock/centre (moved to Kintetsu Liners before 2007-8 season)
• Kei Yasuda - lock
• Mamoru Ito - scrum-half
• Scott McLeod - centre
• Toshiaki Hirose (2004–16, 166 games) Fly-half/winger, Japanese international (2007–15, 28 caps)
• Tomoki Yoshida (2004–17, 124 games) Scrum-half, Japanese international (2007–11, 25 caps)
• Hiroki Yuhara (2006–20, 156 games) Hooker, Japanese international (2010–15, 22 caps)
• Steven Bates (2008–16, 119 games) Loose forward, Allblack (2004, 1 cap)
• Takehisa Usuzuki (2008–22, 118 games) Winger/fullback, Japanese international (2011, 7 caps)
• Takuma Asahara (2010–19, 131 games) Prop, Japanese international (2013–18, 12 caps)

References

1. "La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One". Asie Rugby (in French). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
2. "Toshiba Brave Lupus: The Team" (in Japanese). Toshiba Sports. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
3. "Richie Mo'unga officially signs in Japan". 25 December 2022.

External links

• Toshiba Brave Lupus official site
• NEC, Toshiba share title, Daily Yomiuri, February 27, 2006
• Toshiba teaches Waseda a lesson, Daily Yomiuri, February 20, 2006
• Toshiba downs Suntory, wins Microsoft, Daily Yomiuri, February 6, 2006
• Brave Lupus add name to rugby Cup- Japan Times, February 7, 2005
• Toshiba, Yamaha set to do battle in Microsoft Cup final - Japan Times, January 31, 2005
• Inventive approach from Toshiba's coach is rewarded with Top League crown Japan Times, December 30, 2004