Black Rams Tokyo Explained

Teamname:	Black Rams Tokyo リコーブラックラムズ東京
Fullname:	Black Rams Tokyo
Nickname:	Black Rams
Founded:	1953
Union:	Japan Rugby Football Union
Ground:	Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium
Capacity:	20,010
Countryflag:	Japan
Location:	Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Rugby Director:	Tsutomu Nishitsuji
League:	Japan Rugby League One
Season:	2022
Position:	9th
Pattern La1:	_Ricohleft
Pattern B1:	_Ricohkit
Pattern Ra1:	_Ricohright
Pattern So1:	_Ricohsocks
Leftarm1:	000000
Body1:	000000
Rightarm1:	000000
Shorts1:	000000
Socks1:	000000
Pattern La2:	_Ricohleftb
Pattern B2:	_Ricohkitb
Pattern Ra2:	_Ricohrightb
Pattern So2:	_Ricohsocks
Leftarm2:	FFFFFF
Body2:	FFFFFF
Rightarm2:	FFFFFF
Shorts2:	000000
Socks2:	FFFFFF

Black Rams Tokyo (formerly Ricoh Black Rams) is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. Being ranked tenth meant that, in order to continue in the league, it had to defeat one of the top regional clubs in a play-off, which it achieved.

Slogan for 2006 season: TAFU ("Tough" in English). The acronym stands for Team, Aggression, Faith, Unity.

In January 2008 it was announced that Stephen Larkham would be joining the team next season, but the team was relegated back to the Japan East League where Larkham would begin his career in Japan. In April 2008, Todd Louden was announced as head coach, to be assisted by Pote Human (Daily Yomiuri, April 26, 2008).

The team rebranded as Black Rams Tokyo following the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One ahead of 2022.^[1]

Schedule/Results

2005

February 13. Ricoh Black Rams v Toyota Jido Shokki - placed third in the Top League Challenge Series.

Players

Current squad

The Black Rams Tokyo squad for the 2023–24 season is:^[2]

Black Rams Tokyo squad
Props Yuichiro Taniguchi Kousei Nakamura Kazuma Nishi Takao Makabe Paddy Ryan Norihiro Aso Taichi Chiba Shohei Oyama Daigo Sasagawa Taishi Tsumura ^REP Samuel Waqabaka ^REP Hookers Kazuhiro Koike Hinata Takei (c) Shin Ouchi Kou Sato Masashi Onishi Lulu Paea ^DEP Locks Harrison Fox Josh Goodhue Michael Stolberg Pohiva Yamato Lotoahea Daiki Yanagawa Jacob Skeen Shu Yamamoto Talau Samurai Fakatava* Reijiro Yamamoto ^REP	Flankers Junpei Yukawa Brodi McCurran* Shinichi Tanaka No8s Amato Fakatava Nathan Hughes Shuhei Matsuhashi Otoya Kihara Shogo Yamamura Scrum-halves Takanobu Minami Masatoshi Nakamura Toshiya Takahashi Shota Yamamoto Seima Inaba ^REP Fly-halves Nakakusu Ichigo Kohei Horigome Matt McGahan* Kotaro Ito ^REP	Centres Hadleigh Parkes Takumi Aoki Daisuke Hamano Yuki Ikeda Ryohei Isoda Yuta Kurihara Daisuke Nishikawa Siope Lolo Tavo* Larzlow Sword Semisi Tupou Penieli jr Latu ^REP ^DEP Wingers Amanaki Lotoahea Yoshiyuki Koga Netani Vakayalia Tomoya Yamamura Tomu Takamoto ^REP Fullbacks Taira Main Isaac Lucas Takehiro Nakazawa Utility Backs
(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped

Notable former players

• Glen Osborne - Fullback
• Inoke Afeaki - Lock
• Eroni Clarke - Centre
• James Haskell - Loose forward
• Ma'a Nonu - Centre
• Stephen Larkham - Fly Half
• Sui Liaga - Wing
• Dean Hall - Wing
• Glenn Paterson - Fly Half
• Michael Broadhurst - Loose forward

Coaches

• Tim Lane (2005–6 season)

External links

• Ricoh Black Rams - official site
• Ricoh unveils Larkham - Daily Yomiuri, February 14, 2008
• Official Site - Official site

Notes and References

1. News: La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One. Asie Rugby. 16 July 2021. 16 July 2021. French.
2. Web site: Ricoh Black Rams: The Team . Ricoh . ja . 20 February 2019.