Shizuoka Blue Revs Explained

Teamname:	Shizuoka Blue Revs 静岡ブルーレヴズ
Fullname:	Shizuoka Blue Revs
Nickname:	Blue Revs
Union:	Japan Rugby Football Union
Ground:	Yamaha Stadium
Countryflag:	Japan
Location:	Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan
Capacity:	15,165
Rugby Director:	Takanobu Horikawa
Coach:	Naoya Okubo
League:	Japan Rugby League One
Season:	2022
Position:	8th
Leftarm1:	66ccff
Body1:	66ccff
Rightarm1:	66ccff
Shorts1:	000080
Socks1:	000080

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 2024-25 season is:^[3]

Shizuoka Blue Revs squad
Props Kazuhiro Kawata Takayoshi Mohara Sohei Nishimura Heiichiro Ito Kaku Bunkei* Kenta Yamashita Ritsuki Nakayama Sean Vete* Siale Mahina* Yuji Ueki Hookers Takeshi Hino Toshiya Hirakawa Shunsuke Sakuta Richmond Tongatama* Locks Murray Douglas* Satoshi Hatazawa Eishin Kuwano Shunpei Miura Ryuto Yagisawa Jack Wright Yuya Odo Sione Vuna* Vueti Tupou* Justin Sangster	Flankers Lamin Dieng Saito Richard Goh Jones Takuma Shoji Malgene Ilaua Riki Sugihara Simon Miller No8s Kwagga Smith(c) Ryousuke Funahashi Scrum-halves Minoru Tanoue Yoshiki Yoshioka Shuntaro Kitamura Taiga Kato Kodai Okazaki Fly-halves Kenta Iemura Sam Greene*	Centres Shunsuke Ito Hiroaki Ishizuka Soma Okazaki Viliami Tahituʻa Hunter Lim Sylvian Mahuza* Jack Timu Charles Piutau Wingers Hironori Yatomi Eito Maki Kaito Sugimoto Malo Tuitama Fullbacks 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

External links

Toshiba, Yamaha set to do battle in Microsoft Cup final - Japan Times, January 31, 2005
Yamaha rugby home page (in Japanese)

Notes and References

News: La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One. Asie Rugby. 16 July 2021. 16 July 2021. French.
Book: Nomikos Vaporis, Constantine . Jan 6, 2012 . Voices of Early Modern Japan: Contemporary Accounts of Daily Life during the Age of the Shoguns . ABC-CLIO . 99 . 978-0313392016 . June 12, 2015 . The Portuguese and their culture had some influence on Japanese clothing, accessories, food and language..
Web site: Players Staff . Shizuoka Blue Revs . ja . 11 October 2021.