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	Brave Lupus
Founded	1948; 78 years ago
Location	Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan
Ground(s)	Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, 27,188 capacity; Ajinomoto Stadium, 49,970 capacity
Coach	Todd Blackadder
Captain	Michael Leitch
League	Japan Rugby League One
2023	1st (Champions)
Team kit	2nd kit
Official website
	www.bravelupus.com

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] Their name, "Lupus", comes from the Latin word for "wolf".

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, 2024-25

Current squad

The Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo squad for the 2025-26 season is:^[2] ^[a]

Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo squad
Props Masataka Mikami Sena Kimura Shūto Harabuchi Teruo Makabe Rikyū Yamakawa Yūta Kokaji Yohei Kobayashi Vea Taumoefolau* ^DEP ^[b] Ryūsei Koyanagi ^REP ^DEP ^[a] Hookers Daigo Hashimoto Rinpei Sakaki Andrew Makalio Futoshi Mori Ken Hiyoshi Locks Asaeli Lausii* Shoichi Takagi Senfu Kamei Michael Stolberg* Callum Macdonald* Jacob Pierce* Shohei Ito Warner Dearns ^DEP ^[c]	Flankers Yoon Rye-on* Shannon Frizell Takeshi Sasaki Hiroki Yamamoto Taishiro Kido Afu Ofeina* No8s Michael Leitch (c) Yoshitaka Tokunaga Scrum-halves Takahiro Ogawa Yūhei Sugiyama Kohei Takahashi Motoki Tanaka Shotaro Ikedo Yūtaro Takahashi ^REP ^DEP ^[a] Fly-halves Takuro Matsunaga Richie Mo'unga	Centres Gentaro Ikenaga Taichi Mano Seta Tamanivalu Rob Thompson* Riku Tokito ^REP ^DEP ^[a] Adam Tamati ^REP ^DEP ^[a] Wingers Jone Naikabula Netani Vakayalia Masaki Hamada Makoto Iwafuchi Atsuki Kuwayama Rei Ishioka Yūta Okamura Kim Su-ryung* Tjay Clarke Fullbacks Shohei Toyoshima Toshiki Kuwayama Stephanus Du Toit* Michael Collins Kazuki Ito ^REP ^DEP ^[a] Utility Backs
(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f February 26 2026, Koyanagi,Y.Takahashi,Tokito,Tamati,K.Ito was Joined as an early entry(graduating from university this academic year) from the team after the round 10. ^ March 23 2026,Taumoefolau was released from the team after round 12. ^ Dearns will miss this season to play for the Hurricanes.

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

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

^ "La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One". Asie Rugby (in French). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
^ "Toshiba Brave Lupus: The Team" (in Japanese). Toshiba Sports. Retrieved 29 November 2018.

External links

[1] 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

[Early_Entry-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f February 26 2026, Koyanagi,Y.Takahashi,Tokito,Tamati,K.Ito was Joined as an early entry(graduating from university this academic year) from the team after the round 10.

[Taumoefolau-4] March 23 2026,Taumoefolau was released from the team after round 12.

[Dearns-5] Dearns will miss this season to play for the Hurricanes.

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

[Toshiba_Brave_Lupus:_The_Team-2] "Toshiba Brave Lupus: The Team" (in Japanese). Toshiba Sports. Retrieved 29 November 2018.

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v t e Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo – current squad
Forwards	Shannon Frizell Shuto Harabuchi Daigo Hashimoto Ken Hiyoshi Shohei Ito Senfu Kamei Taishiro Kido Sena Kimura Yuta Kokaji Youhei Kobayashi Ryusei Koyanagi Asaeli Lausii Michael Leitch Callum MacDonald Teruo Makabe Andrew Makalio Masataka Mikami Futoshi Mori Afu Ofeina Jacob Pierce Yoon Rye-on Rinpei Sakaki Takeshi Sasaki Michael Stolberg Shoichi Takagi Yoshitaka Tokunaga Rikyu Yamakawa Hiroki Yamamoto
Backs	Tjay Clarke Michael Collins Stephanus du Toit Masaki Hamada Shotaro Ikedo Gentaro Ikenaga Rei Ishioka Kazuki Ito Makato Iwafuchi Atsuki Kuwayama Toshiki Kuwayama Taichi Mano Takuro Matsunaga Richie Mo'unga Jone Naikabula Takahiro Ogawa Yuta Okamura Yuhei Sugiyama Kim Su-ryung Kohei Takahashi Yutaro Takahashi Seta Tamanivalu Adam Tamati Motoki Tanaka Rob Thompson Riku Tokito Shohei Toyoshima Netani Vakayalia
Coach	Todd Blackadder