Toyota Verblitz

Toyota Verblitz
トヨタ自動車ヴェルブリッツ
UnionJapan Rugby Football Union
Nicknames
  • Verblitz
  • Verdy
EmblemFūjin
Founded1941 (1941)
LocationToyota, Aichi, Japan
RegionAichi Prefecture
Ground(s)Toyota Stadium
(Capacity: 45,000)
Director of RugbySteve Hansen
CoachIan Foster
CaptainKazuki Himeno
LeagueJapan Rugby League One
2024–2510th of 12
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
verblitz.toyotatimes-sports.toyota

Toyota Verblitz (Japanese: トヨタ自動車ヴェルブリッツ), often known as Toyota Verdy,[a] is a professional Japanese rugby union team that compete in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) competition. The team was established in 1941 as the Toyota Motor Corporation Rugby Club. The team was rebranded into its current name in 2004 before their inclusion into the 2004–05 Top League season.

The team name: Verblitz is a portmanteau of the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese language word for green, verde, and the German language word for lightning, blitz.[1]

History

Toyota Verblitz were established in 1941[2][3] by Toyota Motor as Toyota Motor Rugby Club.[1] After the Toyota Motor and Toyota Sales merger and subsequent executive reforms in the 1980s,[4] Verblitz changed its name to Toyota Motor Corporation Rugby Club. Following the creation of the Top League in the early 2000s, the club's name formally change to Toyota Verblitz ahead of their inclusion in the competition in 2004.

Results

Verblitz (surprisingly given the team's pedigree) failed to make the cut for the first season of the Top League (2003-4) but entered the Top League in the second season and were a contender for the second Microsoft Cup. They lost the Japan Championship final on February 27, 2005, to NEC Green Rockets 13–17.

Current squad

The Toyota Verblitz squad for the 2025-26 season is:[5] [b] [c]

Toyota Verblitz squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Flankers

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

Wingers

Fullbacks

(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped
  1. ^ See also: Tokyo Verdy § name change
  2. ^ a b c d e f February 2 2026, Nishino,Lolohea,Palesoo,Higuma,Michaels was Joined as an early entry(graduating from university this academic year) from the team after the round 6.
  3. ^ a b c d Nishino,Lolohea,Higuma is eligible to compete starting from Round 7.
  • * denotes players qualified to play for Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds.

Former players

Stadium

Honours

Notes

References

  1. ^ a b "【ブログ】トヨタヴェルブリッツって、どんなチーム？" [[Blog] What kind of team is Toyota Verblitz?]. verblitz.gazoo.com (in Japanese). 14 December 2022. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024.
  2. ^ "トヨタ自動車ヴェルブリッツ" [Toyota Verblitz | Top League]. top-league.jp (in Japanese). Top League. Archived from the original on 13 August 2024.
  3. ^ "75 Years of Toyota | Item 2. A New Toyota is Born". toyota-global.com. 2012.
  4. ^ Hino, Satoshi (2006). Inside the Mind of Toyota: Management Principles for Enduring Growth. pp. 23–24. doi:10.4324/9781003578826. ISBN 9781003578826.
  5. ^ "Toyota Verblitz: The Team" (in Japanese). Toyota Verblitz. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  6. ^ www.vcsnet.co.nz, VCS Websites (NZ)-Lower Hutt and Wellington. "Orene Ai'i | New Zealand Rugby History". www.rugbyhistory.co.nz.
  7. ^ "Rugby Database: Steven Yates Player Profile & Stats". www.rugbydatabase.co.nz.
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