Toshiba Brave Lupus Musashi (), commonly known as the Toshiba Brave Lupus, is a professional Japanese rugby union team based in the Tokyo Prefecture city of Fuchū that compete in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO). The team is owned by the electronics company Toshiba, which established the team in 1948.
Ahead of the inaugural Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) in 2022, the team rebranded to adopt its current name Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo. Their name, "Lupus", comes from the Latin word for "wolf". On 1 October 2026, the team name formally changed to the Toshiba Brave Lupus Musashi (), tying the club closer to the Musashi region, for which the namesake's province dates back to the Asuka period.
Current squad The Toshiba Brave Lupus Musashi squad for the 2026–27 season is:
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo squadProps Masataka Mikami Sena Kimura Shūto Harabuchi Joseph Gavigan Atu Moli Teruo Makabe Yūta Kokaji Yohei Kobayashi Ryūsei Koyanagi
Hookers Daigo Hashimoto Mamoru Harada Rinpei Sakaki Andrew Makalio Ken Hiyoshi
Locks Asaeli Lausii* Senfu Kamei Michael Stolberg* Callum Macdonald* Jacob Pierce* Shohei Ito Warner DearnsFlankers Yoon Rye-on* Takeshi Sasaki Hiroki Yamamoto Jack Dempsey Taishiro Kido Afu Ofeina*
No8s Michael Leitch (c) Yoshitaka Tokunaga
Scrum-halves Takahiro Ogawa Yūhei Sugiyama Kohei Takahashi Yūtaro Takahashi Shotaro Ikedo
Fly-halves Hayata Nakao Riley Hohepa Takuro MatsunagaCentres Gentaro Ikenaga Taichi Mano Riku Tokito Adam Tamati* Rob Thompson* Jonah Lowe David Havili
Wingers Jone Naikabula* Masaki Hamada Atsuki Kuwayama Rei Ishioka Yūta Okamura Tjay Clarke
Fullbacks Kazuki Ito Toshiki Kuwayama Aphelele Fassi Michael Collins
Utility Backs (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped
* denotes players qualified to play for Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds.
Past players François Steyn - fly-half and full back for Toshiba Shogo Mukai - full back for Toshiba and Japan, now head coach of Coca-Cola Red Sparks Masahiro Kunda - hooker for Toshiba and Japan Andrew McCormick - centre, former captain of the Japan national rugby union team, now coaching at Coca-Cola Red Sparks Wataru Murata - scrum-half (before he went to France and then played for Yamaha Jubilo) Shinji Ono - number 8 Yohei Suzuki - full back Ruatangi Vatuvei - lock/centre (moved to Kintetsu Liners before 2007-8 season) Kei Yasuda - lock Mamoru Ito - scrum-half Scott McLeod - centre Toshiaki Hirose (2004–16, 166 games) Fly-half/winger, Japanese international (2007–15, 28 caps) Tomoki Yoshida (2004–17, 124 games) Scrum-half, Japanese international (2007–11, 25 caps) Hiroki Yuhara (2006–20, 156 games) Hooker, Japanese international (2010–15, 22 caps) Steven Bates (2008–16, 119 games) Loose forward, Allblack (2004, 1 cap) Takehisa Usuzuki (2008–22, 118 games) Winger/fullback, Japanese international (2011, 7 caps) Takuma Asahara (2010–19, 131 games) Prop, Japanese international (2013–18, 12 caps)
Honours All-Japan Championship Champions: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2006 (joint champions with NEC Green Rockets), 2007 Top League: Champions: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2023–24, 2024–25
Notes
References
External links official site NEC, Toshiba share title, Daily Yomiuri, February 27, 2006 Toshiba teaches Waseda a lesson, Daily Yomiuri, February 20, 2006 Toshiba downs Suntory, wins Microsoft, Daily Yomiuri, February 6, 2006 Brave Lupus add name to rugby Cup- Japan Times, February 7, 2005 Toshiba, Yamaha set to do battle in Microsoft Cup final - Japan Times, January 31, 2005 Inventive approach from Toshiba's coach is rewarded with Top League crown Japan Times, December 30, 2004