Hino Red Dolphins

Hino Motors Red Dolphins are a Japanese rugby union team, currently playing in the county's top tier Japan Rugby League One competition. The team is the rugby team of commercial vehicle manufacturer Hino Motors, based in Hino in the Tokyo Metropolis.[1]

Hino Red Dolphins
日野自動車レッドドルフィンズ
Full nameHino Motors Red Dolphins
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)Red Dolphins
Founded1950
LocationHino, Tokyo Metropolis
Director of RugbyNao Hosoya
Coach(es)Takuro Miuchi
League(s)Japan Rugby League One, Division Two
20224th

The team was founded in 1950, and spent their formative seasons playing in the Kanto League. They were promoted to the top division of the Top East League for the 2009 season, but were relegated in their first season. They bounced back at the first attempt, again winning promotion to the Top East League for the 2010 season. This time, they remained in that league until the 2017–18 season, when they won promotion to the newly formed Top Challenge League.[2]

Season history

Hino Red Dolphins' record in the top two tiers since their promotion to the Top East League in 2008 was:[3]

Hino Red Dolphins season history
Competition P W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts Pos Notes
2008 Top East League10109129525−39611610thRelegated to the Kanto League.
2010 Top East League10308242390−14832178th
2011 Top East League10117117353−2362198th
2012 Top East League9207138350−21230119thSurvived relegation play-offs
2013 Top East League9306166293−12731167th
2014 Top East League9603301154+14751304th
2015 Top East League9603318185+13371324th
2016 Top East League9801420107+31350372nd
2017 Top Challenge League7601285157+12840282ndPromoted to the Top League.
Legend:
P = Games played, W = Games won, D = Games drawn, L = Games lost, PF = Points for, PA = Points against, PD = Points difference, TB = Try bonus points, LB = Losing bonus points, Pts = Log points, Pos = Position.

Current squad

The Hino Red Dolphins squad for the 2023 season is:[4]

Hino Red Dolphins squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

  • Japan Akinori Hirota
  • Japan Yuta Kasahara
  • Japan Takehiro Kimura
  • Tonga Sione Vuna
  • Australia Rory Arnold

Loose forwards

  • Japan Ryosuke Chifu
  • Japan Kyosuke Horie
  • Japan Shoei Ijima
  • South Korea Lee Jun Ya
  • Japan Shun Nakashika
  • Japan Takehiro Nishimura
  • Japan Yūki Ono
  • New Zealand Ash Parker
  • Japan Syun Tomonaga
  • New Zealand Noah Tovio
  • Australia AJ Wolf

Scrum-halves

  • Japan Kotaro Furukawa
  • Japan Norifumi Hashimoto
  • Japan Kotaro Hatada
  • Tonga Augustine Pulu
  • Japan Motoki Tanaka

Fly-halves

  • Japan Keita Doi
  • New Zealand Simon Hickey
  • Japan Riku Kitahara
  • Japan Shigenori Someyama
  • Japan Taroma Togo

Centres

  • Japan Ryuji Hirose
  • Japan Yuta Matsui
  • Tonga Tonga Mosese
  • Japan Kuniya Sonoki

Wingers

  • Japan Moeki Fukushi
  • Japan Taiki Kawai
  • Japan Ryo Kikkawa
  • Japan Ko Kojima
  • Japan Josefa Lilidamu
  • Japan Yuto Mizuma
  • New Zealand Chance Peni
  • Japan Sho Takenaka

Fullbacks

  • Japan Shogo Tokota
(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped

References
  1. チームの紹介 [Team introduction]. Hino Red Dolphins (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  2. "Red Dolphins Hino". The Rugby Archive. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  3. チームの歴史 [Team history]. Hino Red Dolphins (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  4. "2021 Players & Staff". Hino Red Dolphins. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
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