Urayasu D-Rocks (), commonly known as the D-Rocks, or the Shining Arcs, is a professional Japanese rugby union team owned by NTT Communications and compete in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) competition. The team is based in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture in the Kantō region. The team has undergone several re-brands throughout its history, most recently in 2022, rebranding from Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu in line with the newly formed Japan Rugby League One competition in 2021/22, to the Urayasu D-Rocks in 2022 onwards.
History and name + Name Date(s)NTT Communications RFC 1976– 2000sNTT Communications Shining Arcs/NTT Shining Arcs 2000s–2021Urayasu D-Rocks since 2022
NTT Communications RFC was founded in 1976. They won promotion to the expanded Top League of 14 teams at the end of the 2009–10 season. They made their Top League debut for the 2010–11 season. After their first season, they finished 12th place with 4 wins and 9 losses. They had to play a play-off to keep themselves in the Top League, in which they beat Canon Eagles 31–19. In the 2011–12 season, they finished in ninth place.
In July 2022, following the establishment of a new rugby business and sports company by parent company NTT, the Shining Arcs formally rebranded to the Urayasu D-Rocks. The new company, NTT Sports X, was established at the end of the 2022 season and is alleged to have begun with JP¥2.5 billion (US$17.8 million) in capital.
Current squad The Urayasu D-Rocks is for the 2026-27 season:
Urayasu D-Rocks squadProps Gakuto Ishida Hidetomo Nabeshima Kaisei Umeda Taiga Yamaguchi Genki Sudo Jinichiro Tamanaga Kim Ryo-m* Yang Jung-soo Sekonaia Pole*
Hookers Ryuji Fujimura (c) Junichiro Matsushita Takashi Ōmoto Soane Vikena
Locks Manaaki Selby-Rickit Daiki Sato Yūta Kojima Quinten Strange Esei Ha'angana* Shin Takeuchi Yuzuki Sasaki Zephaniah Tuinona*Flankers Daishi Kojima Miu Austin Moriyama Larry Tipoai-Luteru* Devan Flanders Yūsei Tanaka
No8s Rusiate Finau* Jasper Wiese Brody Macaskill* Tamati Ioane
Scrum-halves Ren Iinuma Taisei Konishi Takuya Shirae
Fly-halves Hikaru Tamura Shunta Mori Kim Yu-o* Finn Prass Otere Black*Centres Shane Gates* Samisoni Tua* Samu Kerevi Marcus D'Acre Vince Aso* Kentaro Nanimatsu Soma Matsumoto Taiga Ishida
Wingers Tana Tuhakaraina Kim Su-Ryung* Junya Matsumoto Kai Ishii Caleb Cavubati* Ryota Ōhata
Fullbacks Ryohei Yamanaka Jordan Petaia Takuhei Yasuda
Utility Backs Fumiya Dobashi Luteru Laulala* (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped
* denotes players qualified to play for Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds.
Notable former players Mark Gerrard - Melbourne Rebels and former Wallaby Brad Mika - Former Auckland Blues player and played for New Zealand Adam Wallace-Harrison - Former Queensland Reds player Sosene Anesi - Player for Chiefs and NSW Waratahs and New Zealand Craig Wing - former professional rugby league footballer for Australia JP Nel - Former Blue Bulls player Fotunuupule Auelua - Plays for Brumbies Alesana Tuilagi - Plays for Newcastle Falcons Isaac Ross - Lock (2011–20, 89 games), Allblack (2009, 8 caps) Amanaki Mafi - Loose forward (2014–21, 53 games), Japanese international (2014–, 29 caps) Greig Laidlaw - former Scotland captain and scrum-half
Home ground The Shining Arcs' home stadium is the NTT Grand Chiba Stadium in Ichikawa.
See also Top League
References
External links