Shizuoka Blue Revs

Japanese rugby union club, based in Shizuoka
Rugby team
Shizuoka Blue Revs
静岡ブルーレヴズ
Full nameShizuoka Blue Revs
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)Blue Revs
Founded1984; 40 years ago (1984)
LocationIwata, Shizuoka, Japan
Ground(s)Yamaha Stadium (Capacity: 15,165)
Director of RugbyTakanobu Horikawa
Coach(es)Naoya Okubo
League(s)Japan Rugby League One
20228th
Team kit

Shizuoka Blue Revs (formerly the Yamaha Júbilo) are a rugby union team based in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The team came second behind Toshiba Brave Lupus in the second season of Japanese rugby's Top League (2004–05). They were coached by former All Black Grant Batty and Fijian player-coach Tabai Matson. Founded in 1984, its name was "Yamaha Motors Rugby Football Club". The team rebranded as the Shizuoka Blue Revs ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.[1]

The team name Júbilo means 'joy' in Portuguese, which has had a notable influence on the Japanese language. The name was also shared with the also Yamaha-owned Júbilo Iwata from J2 League.[2]

Current squad

The Shizuoka Blue Revs squad for the 2023-24 season is:[3]

Shizuoka Blue Revs squad

Props

  • Japan Kazuhiro Kawata
  • Japan Takayoshi Mohara
  • Japan Shohei Nishimura
  • Japan Heiichiro Ito
  • Taiwan Kaku Bunkei*
  • Japan Shintaro Okamoto
  • Japan Joren Fuchi
  • Japan Kenta Yamashita
  • Japan Ritsuki Nakayama REP
  • New Zealand Sean Vete REP

Hookers

  • Japan Toshiya Hirakawa
  • Japan Takeshi Hino
  • Japan Yuji Ueki
  • Cook Islands Richmond Tongatama*
  • Japan Shunsuke Sakuta REP

Locks

  • Scotland Murray Douglas
  • Japan Satoshi Hatazawa
  • Japan Eishin Kuwano
  • Japan Shunpei Miura
  • Japan Ryuto Yagisawa
  • Australia Jack Wright
  • Japan Yuya Odo
  • Tonga Sione Vuna*
  • Fiji Vueti Tupou REP

Flankers

  • Japan Lamin Dieng Saito
  • Japan Arito Takahashi
  • Japan Ryousuke Funahashi
  • Japan Richard Goh Jones
  • Japan Takuma Shoji
  • Japan Malgene Ilaua
  • South Africa Kwagga Smith(c)
  • Japan Riki Sugihara

No8s

Scrum-halves

  • New Zealand Bryn Hall
  • Japan Yuki Yatomi
  • Japan Minoru Tanoue
  • Japan Fumihiro Yoshizawa
  • Japan Yoshiki Yoshioka
  • Japan Kodai Okazaki
  • Japan Shuntaro Kitamura REP
  • Japan Taiga Kato REP DEP

Fly-halves

  • Japan Kenta Iemura
  • Australia Sam Greene

Centres

Wingers

  • Japan Tomokazu Kira
  • Japan Hironori Yatomi
  • Japan Chikara Ito
  • Japan Eito Maki
  • New Zealand Malo Tuitama*
  • New Zealand Keagen Faria*
  • Japan Kaito Sugimoto REP

Fullbacks

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.

Notable former players

Yamaha Júbilo logo 2003–2021
  • Wataru Murata (2001-08, 68 games) Scrum-half, Japanese International (2001-08, 41 caps)
  • Leon MacDonald (2004–05, 12 games) Fly-half, Allblack (2000–08, 56 caps)
  • Ryō Yamamura (2004-21, 211 games) Prop, Japanese international (2002-07, 39 caps)
  • Brendan Laney (2005-07, 23 games) Utility back, Scottish international (2001-04, 20 caps)
  • Ayumu Goromaru (2008-16, 2017-21, 150 games) Fullback, Japanese international (2005-15, 57 caps)
  • Male Sa'u (2008-18, 118 games) Centre, Japanese international (2013-16, 27 caps)
  • Mose Tuiali'i (2009-19, 125 games) Loose forward, Allblack (2004-06, 9 caps)
  • Jerry Collins (2011–13, 13 games) Loose forward, Allblack (2001–07, 48 caps)
  • Siale Piutau (2012-17, 45 games) Centre, Tongan international (2011–19, 43 caps)
  • Koki Yamamoto (2013-21, 105 games) Prop, Japanese international (2016-, 7 caps)

Coaches

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. ^ Nomikos Vaporis, Constantine (Jan 6, 2012). Voices of Early Modern Japan: Contemporary Accounts of Daily Life during the Age of the Shoguns. ABC-CLIO. p. 99. ISBN 978-0313392016. Retrieved June 12, 2015. The Portuguese and their culture had some influence on Japanese clothing, accessories, food and language.
  3. ^ "Players Staff". Shizuoka Blue Revs (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 October 2021.

External links

  • Toshiba, Yamaha set to do battle in Microsoft Cup final - Japan Times, January 31, 2005
  • Yamaha rugby home page (in Japanese)
  • v
  • t
  • e
2023–24 teams
Division One
Division Two
Division Three
Former teams
Seasons
  • v
  • t
  • e
Shizuoka Blue Revs – current squad
Forwards
Backs
Coach