Suntory Sungoliath

Suntory Sungoliath (also known as Suntory Rugby Football Club) is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus.

Suntory Sungoliath
サントリーサンゴリアス
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
FoundedApril 1980
LocationFuchū, Tokyo, Japan
Ground(s)Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium (Capacity: 27,188)
Coach(es)Milton Haig
Captain(s)Yutaka Nagare
League(s)Top League
2018–19Runner-up
Team kit
2nd kit

Suntory coached by Katsuyuki Kiyomiya won the Microsoft Cup on February 24, 2008 by defeating Sanyo Wild Knights in a close and exciting game, 14-10. Suntory therefore became the champion of the Top League for the 2007–08 season. However Sanyo gained revenge in the 45th All-Japan Championship final, beating Suntory 40-18.

On June 18, 2008 it was announced that George Gregan, the most-capped player in the sport's history, had joined the club on a two-year contract. (Daily Yomiuri, June 19, 2008) Gregan remained with the club until he announced his retirement at the end of the 2010–11 season.

In 2010 USA Rugby captain Todd Clever joined the club.

Honours
  • All-Japan Championship
    • Champions: 1995, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2012
    • Runner-up: 2008
  • Microsoft Cup
    • Champions: 2007–08
    • Runner-up: 2005–06, 2006–07
  • All-Japan Company Championship
    • Champions: 1995, 2001, 2002
  • Top League Championship
    • Champions: 2011–12

History

The club was established in 1980, and since then they have won the All-Japan Championship on numerous occasions. They have also compete in the recently formed Top League since its founding in 2003. The team has been improving in the League over the past few years. Suntory Sungoliath famously beat Wales 45-41 on Saturday 3 June 2001 whilst they were on tour in Japan.

Top League Results

In the first season of the Top League, 2003–04, Suntory finished 4th. In 2004–05 they finished 8th. The team was 6th in the 2005–06 season and jumped up to 2nd in the 2006-7 season under new coach Katsuyuki Kiyomiya and assisted by Michael Jones. In 2006 Suntory Sungoliath lost the final of the Top League and Microsoft Cup title to Toshiba Brave Lupus by a score of 33-18. Then in February 2007, Suntory Sungoliath again lost the final of the Top League and Microsoft Cup to Toshiba Brave Lupus before a crowd of 23,076 at Tokyo's Chichibunomiya Stadium (home to Mark Secker), the first sellout at the ground in 10 years, with the final score being just 14-13 to Toshiba Brave Lupus. In the first Top League game of the 2007-8 season Suntory gained revenge over Toshiba with a 10-3 win on October 26, 2007. At the end of the 13-game season Suntory was second behind Sanyo Wild Knights, having lost to Sanyo and by just one point to Coca-Cola West Red Sparks, and drawn 31-31 with Toyota Verblitz in the final round. Sanyo and Suntory met again in the Microsoft Cup final on February 24 to decide the 2007–08 Top League champion. Suntory won that game 14-10 with a very strong mauling attack.

Top League Table

The table begins with the first season of the Top League, 2003-04.

Season Order Played Won Drawn Lost T G PG DG Penalties Points For Points Against Points Diff Pts Coach
2003–044th1180361445015040826514342Yuji Nagatomo
2004–058th1140743281201423072822524Yuji Nagatomo
2005–066th1160543301011183082416732Yuji Nagatomo
2006–072nd13110281588015754516138456Katsuyuki Kiyomiya
2007–082nd13101270473010645322922453Katsuyuki Kiyomiya

Current squad

The Suntory Sungoliath squad for the 2019–2020 season is:[1]

Suntory Sungoliath squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Loose Forwards

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wingers

  • Shota Emi
  • Tevita Li
  • Chihito Matsui
  • Takaaki Nakazuru
  • Shuhei Narita

Fullbacks

Utility backs

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped

Notable former players
  • Tusi Pisi – Manu Samoa international fly-half
  • Schalk Burger – South African flanker
  • Fourie du Preez – South African scrum half
  • Uche Odouza – winger, England (England 7s)
  • George Gregan – Australian scrum-half and the 2nd most-capped player in international rugby history
  • Rocky Havili – Tongan centre
  • Toru Kurihara – Japan fullback or wing
  • Simon Maling – former All Black lock from 2001 to 2004
  • Jamie Washington
  • George Smith – former Australian flanker 2000-2009, 2013
  • Norm Hadley – lock, former Canadian captain, Barbarian
  • Glenn Ennis – former Canadian No. 8, Barbarian

Coach
gollark: It seems cool but I don't know if brains can actually do anything like that.
gollark: They do, at least, have a very good CPU design team. I don't like the software or much else.
gollark: It... works, I guess.
gollark: I actually ended up getting a Pixel 3a to replace my broken phone recently, since they were available quite cheaply.
gollark: I... see.

References
  1. "Suntory Sungoliath: The Team" (in Japanese). Suntory Sungoliath. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
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