Shizuoka Blue Revs

Shizuoka Blue Revs
静岡ブルーレヴズ
Full name	Shizuoka Blue Revs
Union	Japan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)	Blue Revs
Founded	1984; 40 years ago
Location	Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan
Ground(s)	Yamaha Stadium (Capacity: 15,165)
Director of Rugby	Takanobu Horikawa
Coach(es)	Naoya Okubo
League(s)	Japan Rugby League One
2022	8th
	Team kit
	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 Kazuhiro Kawata Takayoshi Mohara Shohei Nishimura Heiichiro Ito Kaku Bunkei* Shintaro Okamoto Joren Fuchi Kenta Yamashita Ritsuki Nakayama ^REP Sean Vete ^REP Hookers Toshiya Hirakawa Takeshi Hino Yuji Ueki Richmond Tongatama* Shunsuke Sakuta ^REP Locks Murray Douglas Satoshi Hatazawa Eishin Kuwano Shunpei Miura Ryuto Yagisawa Jack Wright Yuya Odo Sione Vuna* Vueti Tupou ^REP	Flankers Lamin Dieng Saito Arito Takahashi Ryousuke Funahashi Richard Goh Jones Takuma Shoji Malgene Ilaua Kwagga Smith(c) Riki Sugihara No8s Scrum-halves Bryn Hall Yuki Yatomi Minoru Tanoue Fumihiro Yoshizawa Yoshiki Yoshioka Kodai Okazaki Shuntaro Kitamura ^REP Taiga Kato ^REP ^DEP Fly-halves Kenta Iemura Sam Greene	Centres Hiroaki Ishizuka Kanta Shikao Viliami Tahituʻa Johnny Fa'auli Shunsuke Ito Hunter Lim Sylvian Mahuza Soma Okazaki ^REP Wingers Tomokazu Kira Hironori Yatomi Chikara Ito Eito Maki Malo Tuitama* Keagen Faria* Kaito Sugimoto ^REP Fullbacks Charles Piutau Kakeru Okumura Futo Yamaguchi 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

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

Kevin Schuler - Director of Rugby
Tabai Matson - Player and Head Coach
Takanobu Horikawa - coach
Waisake Sotutu - backs coach, player
Simon Kerr - forwards coach

References

^ "La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One". Asie Rugby (in French). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
^ 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.
^ "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)

[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.

[Shizuoka_Blue_Revs_squad-3] "Players Staff". Shizuoka Blue Revs (in Japanese). Retrieved 11 October 2021.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Shizuoka Blue Revs – current squad
Forwards	Samuela Anise Kaku Bunkei Murray Douglas Kohei Eguchi Joren Fuchi Ryousuke Funahashi Richard Goh Jones Satoshi Hatazawa Takeshi Hino Toshiya Hirakawa Malgene Ilaua Heiichiro Ito Kazuhiro Kawata Eishin Kuwano Saito Lamin Dieng Rikiya Matsumoto Yuhimaru Mimura Shunpei Miura Takayoshi Mohara Shohei Nishimura Yuya Odo Shintaro Okamoto Kwagga Smith Riki Sugihara Arito Takahashi Shoji Takuma Richmond Tongatama Yuji Ueki Ryuto Yagisawa Kenta Yamashita
Backs	Keagen Faria Johnny Fa'auli Sam Greene Bryn Hall Kenta Iemura Hiroaki Ishizuka Chikara Ito Shunsuke Ito Tomokazu Kira Sho Kiyohara Hiroto Kobayashi Alapati Leiua Eito Maki Kodai Okazaki Kakeru Okumura Kanta Shikao Atomu Shirai Clinton Swart Viliami Tahituʻa Minoru Tanoue Malo Tuitama Futo Yamaguchi Hironori Yatomi Yuki Yatomi Fumihiro Yoshizawa
Coach	Naoya Okubo