IBM Big Blue

IBM Big Blue
日本IBMビッグブルー

Full name	IBM Big Blue
Union	Japan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)	Big Blue, BBB
Founded	1976
Location	Yachiyo, Chiba, Japan
Ground(s)	IBM Yachiyodai Ground
Coach(es)	Hiroki Ando
Team kit

IBM Big Blue is a Japanese semi-professional rugby union team in the Top League, founded in 1976 by IBM. The company decided to make rugby, along with baseball and American football, one of the official company sports in 1989, which allowed the rugby club to gain support and momentum.

Big Blue won promotion from the Japan East Ten league to the Top League at the end of the League's first season (2003-4) but was then automatically relegated by coming 12th in the second season (2004-5). The team returned to the Top League for the 2006-7 season. It is based in Chiba prefecture in the Kanto area.

The former head Coach, Ippei Onishi, is a former captain of Kobe Kobelco Steelers. As of 2007–2008, the coach is Hiroki Ando. USA Eagle flyhalf Mike Hercus is a notable alumnus.

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under IRB eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-IRB nationality.

Player Position Union Keishi Noda Hooker Japan Toshiya Sakuta Hooker Japan Yoshimitsu Yasue Hooker Japan Atsushi Tanabe Prop Japan Yasuki Yamaguchi Prop Japan Daisaku Sato Prop Japan Shinya Kojima Lock Japan Hiraku Satoh Lock Japan Taishin Ito Lock Japan Masato Ishida Lock Japan Tevita Tanginoa Lock Tonga Satonobu Ko Flanker Japan Gen Kakurai Flanker Japan Jake Paringatai Flanker New Zealand Kei Oshima Flanker Japan Lotu Filipine Number 8 Tonga Yasuo Suda Number 8 Japan

Player Position Union Toshiyuki Yamanaka Scrum-half Japan Junji Enya Scrum-half Japan Kazumasa Tanaka Scrum-half Japan Takayuki Kase Fly-half Japan Yuhta Michihiro Fly-half Japan Hiroyuki Sakamoto Centre Japan JP Nel Centre South Africa Roy Kinikinilau Centre New Zealand Makoto Ohmatsu Centre Japan Akihiro Shigemi Centre Japan Takamasa Sakurai Wing Japan Keita Katsumata Wing Japan Takahiro Mizuta Wing Japan Hiroshi Takeyama Wing Japan Tadanobu Ko Fullback Japan

External links

• IBM Big Blue RFC - official home page