NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu (formerly NEC Green Rockets) is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. The team's captain is Ryota Asano. The previous captain was Takuro Miuchi, who was also the captain of the Japan national rugby union team. Before the semi-professional Top League was created, the team was just known as "NEC". The amateur club was founded in 1985 in the Kantō region.
 | |||
| Full name | Green Rockets Tokatsu | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Japan Rugby Football Union | ||
| Nickname(s) | Green Rockets | ||
| Founded | 1985 | ||
| Location | Abiko, Chiba, Japan | ||
| Ground(s) | Kashiwanoha Stadium (Capacity: 20,000) | ||
| Coach(es) | Wayne Pivac | ||
| League(s) | Japan Rugby League One | ||
| 2022 | 12th | ||
| |||
NEC Green Rockets won the All-Japan Championship final for the second time on 27 February 2005, beating Toyota Verblitz 17-13. They drew 6-6 with Toshiba Brave Lupus in the 43rd Japan Championship final on 26 February 2006 after an effective defensive effort and the sin-binning of Glen Marsh in the last ten minutes of the game.
The team rebranded as Green Rockets Tokatsu ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.[1]
Honours
edit- All-Japan Championship
- Champions: 2005, 2006 (with Toshiba Brave Lupus)
Current squad
editThe Green Rockets Tokatsu for the 2024-25 season is:[2]
| Green Rockets Tokatsu squad | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Props
Locks |
Flankers No8s Scrum-halves Fly-halves |
Centres
Wingers Fullbacks Utility Backs |
| (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped |
Former players
edit- John Kirwan - (before the Top League started), and later head coach of Japan national rugby union team
- Kiyonori Okano
- Takayuki Higo - coach
- George Konia
- Glen Marsh
- Joe Stanley
- Jeremy Stanley
- Alex Goode
- Takuro Miuchi
- Yuta Inose (2004-18, 161 games) Prop, Japanese International (2008, 6 caps)
- Nili Latu (2007-15, 110 games) Loose forward, Tongan International (2006-, 54 caps)
References
edit- ^ "La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One". Asie Rugby (in French). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Players & Staffs" (in Japanese). Green Rockets Tokatsu. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
External links
edit- NEC, Toshiba share title, Daily Yomiuri, February 27, 2006
- NEC Green Rockets - official site
- Rugby gods smile on Green Rockets, Japan Times February 28, 2005