Kobelco Kobe Steelers

The Kobelco Kobe Steelers are a Japanese rugby union team owned by Kobe Steel, and based in Kobe. They were the first ever Top League champions when the League started in the 2003-2004 season. The team rebranded as Kobelco Kobe Steelers ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.[1]

Kobelco Kobe Steelers
Full nameKobelco Kobe Steelers
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
Founded1928
LocationKobe, Hyogo
Ground(s)Noevir Stadium Kobe (Capacity: 30,132)
Director of RugbyWayne Smith
Coach(es)Dave Rennie
League(s)Japan Rugby League One
20227th
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.kobelcosteelers.com

Honours

Personnel

Current management team
Position Name Nationality
Director of rugby Wayne Smith  New Zealand
Head coach Dave Rennie  New Zealand
Assistant coach Mike Blair  Scotland

Current squad

The current Kobelco Kobe Steelers squad for the 2023 season is:[2]

Kobelco Kobe Steelers squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped
  • * denotes players qualified to play for the Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds.

Past players
  • Yuta Imamura (2007-19, 124 games) Centre, Japanese international (2006-13, 39 caps)
  • Itaru Taniguchi (2008-21, 148 games) Loose forward, Japanese international (2010-11, 10 caps)
  • Shoji Ito (2009-18, 104 games) Lock, Japanese international (2012-15, 36 caps)

Japanese players

Foreign players

References
  1. "La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One". Asie Rugby (in French). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  2. "Kobe Steelers: The Team" (in Japanese). Kobe Steelers. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
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