IBM Big Blue (rugby union)

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.

IBM Big Blue
日本IBMビッグブルー
Full nameIBM Big Blue
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)Big Blue, BBB
Founded1976
LocationYachiyo, Chiba, Japan
Ground(s)IBM Yachiyodai Ground
Coach(es)Hiroki Ando
Team kit

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 2011/2012

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Atsushi Yamaga Prop Japan Japan
Kochi Nakamura Prop Japan Japan
Takayuki Kinoshita Prop Japan Japan
Keisuke Ando Hooker Japan Japan
Shinji Terayama Hooker Japan Japan
Hiroshi Ebisawa Hooker Japan Japan
Tatsuji Yoshida Hooker Japan Japan
Hiromitsu Matsuba Lock Japan Japan
Takamasa Maruyama Lock Japan Japan
Takumi Nishikawa Lock Japan Japan
Hiroaki Tatsumichi Lock Japan Japan
Keisuke Omata Flanker Japan Japan
Daigo Fujita Flanker Japan Japan
Yosuke Watanabe Flanker Japan Japan
Player Position Union
Nagamasa Miyazawa Scrum-half Japan Japan
Katsuya Higuchi Scrum-half Japan Japan
Kento Ikeda Scrum-half Japan Japan
Sogen Masumoto Fly-half Japan Japan
Takuya Himeno Centre Japan Japan
Muso Imamura Centre Japan Japan
Tatsunori Kojima Wing Japan Japan
Hiromichi Ikeda Wing Japan Japan
Hideki Ishibashi Fullback Japan Japan
Yuta Kato Fullback Japan Japan

[1]

See also

IBM Big Blue (X-League)

References
  1. "secom-rugguts - japonrugby". www.japonrugby.net. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02.


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