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. 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:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:90%; width:70%"

|-

! colspan="100%" | Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo squad

|- valign="top"

|

Props

  • Masataka Mikami
  • Sena Kimura
  • Shūto Harabuchi
  • Teruo Makabe
  • Rikyū Yamakawa
  • Yūta Kokaji
  • Yohei Kobayashi
  • Vea Taumoefolau* <sup>DEP</sup>
  • Ryūsei Koyanagi <sup>REP</sup> <sup>DEP</sup>

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 <sup>DEP</sup>

||

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 <sup>REP</sup> <sup>DEP</sup>

Fly-halves

  • Takuro Matsunaga
  • Richie Mo'unga

||

Centres

  • Gentaro Ikenaga
  • Taichi Mano
  • Seta Tamanivalu
  • Rob Thompson*
  • Riku Tokito <sup>REP</sup> <sup>DEP</sup>
  • Adam Tamati <sup>REP</sup> <sup>DEP</sup>

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 <sup>REP</sup> <sup>DEP</sup>

Utility Backs

|-

| colspan="100%" style="text-align:center;" | <small> (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped</small>

|}

  • * 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

  • [https://www.bravelupus.com/] 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