Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi
Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi (also called Toyota Jido Shokki as distinct from Toyota, which was renamed Toyota Verblitz) is a Japanese rugby team owned by Toyota Industries. They were promoted to Japan's top-flight league Top League for the first time in the 2010-11 season. Its home base is Kariya City. The team rebranded as Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.[1]
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| Union | Japan Rugby Football Union | |
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| Nickname(s) | Shuttles | |
| Founded | 1984 | |
| Location | Kariya, Aichi | |
| Ground(s) | Mizuho Rugby Stadium (Capacity: 15,000) | |
| Chairman | Takuo Sasaki | |
| Coach(es) | Yoichi Tokuno | |
| League(s) | Japan Rugby League One, Division Two | |
| 2022 | 1st Promoted to Division Two | |
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Name and colours
The team name "Shuttles" derives from a part used in the Non-Stop Shuttle Change Toyoda Automatic Loom (for weaving fabrics), invented by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries.
The team and plays in a sky blue jersey with white shorts and sky blue socks.
History
The Toyota Industries rugby team was founded in 1984. In the late 1990s, the team played in the Kansai League and competed in the Companies National Tournament. From 2003–04, Toyota Industries competed in the West Regional League.
Toyota Industries gained promotion to the Top League for the first time in 2010-11, but only stayed up for one season.
Under Australian coach Tai McIsaac, Toyota Shokki defeated Fukuoka Sanix Blues in a promotion-relegation match in 2013 to gain entry to the 2013–14 Top League.
Stadium
Toyota Shokki play their Top League home games at Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya. The stadium holds 15,000 people and was originally built in 1941. It has also been used to host international rugby matches, including for the 2014 Asian Five Nations.
The team trains at the Toyota Industries ground in Kariya.
Current squad
The Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi squad for the 2023 season is:[2]
| Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi squad | ||
|---|---|---|
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Props
Hookers
Locks
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Loose forwards
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves
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Centres
Wingers
Fullbacks
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| (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped |
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Former players
- Tusi Pisi
- Freddie Burns
- Anthony Monahan
- Dion Waller
- Ben Gollings
- Ellis Young
- Daniel Turner
- Rowan Varty
- Ifereimi Rawaqa
- Tyson Wulf
References
- "La nouvelle ligue japonaise s'appelle la Japan Rugby League One". Asie Rugby (in French). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- "Toyota Industries Shuttles: The Team" (in Japanese). Toyota Industries. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
External links
- Official website
(Japanese)
