Black Rams Tokyo

Black Rams Tokyo (formerly Ricoh Black Rams) is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. Being ranked tenth meant that, in order to continue in the league, it had to defeat one of the top regional clubs in a play-off, which it achieved.

Black Rams Tokyo
リコーブラックラムズ東京

Full name	Black Rams Tokyo
Union	Japan Rugby Football Union
Nickname(s)	Black Rams
Founded	1953
Location	Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan
Ground(s)	Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium (Capacity: 20,010)
Director of Rugby	Tsutomu Nishitsuji
League(s)	Japan Rugby League One
2022	9th
1st kit 2nd kit

Slogan for 2006 season: TAFU ("Tough" in English). The acronym stands for Team, Aggression, Faith, Unity.

In January 2008 it was announced that Stephen Larkham would be joining the team next season, but the team was relegated back to the Japan East League where Larkham would begin his career in Japan. In April 2008, Todd Louden was announced as head coach, to be assisted by Pote Human (Daily Yomiuri, April 26, 2008).

The team rebranded as Black Rams Tokyo following the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One ahead of 2022.^[1]

Schedule/Results

2005

February 13. Ricoh Black Rams v Toyota Jido Shokki - placed third in the Top League Challenge Series.

Players

Current squad

The Black Rams Tokyo squad for the 2024–25 season is:^[2]

Black Rams Tokyo squad
Props Yuichiro Taniguchi Kousei Nakamura Kazuma Nishi Paddy Ryan Norihiro Aso Taichi Chiba Shohei Oyama Daigo Sasagawa Taishi Tsumura Samuel Waqabaca* Sione Afemui* REP Hookers Hinata Takei (c) Shin Ouchi Kou Sato Masashi Onishi Lulu Paea Lee Soo-nhong* REP DEP Locks Harrison Fox Josh Goodhue Michael Stolberg* Pohiva Yamato Lotoahea Daiki Yanagawa Jacob Skeen* Reijiro Yamamoto Yusuke Kishi REP DEP	Flankers Shu Yamamoto Talau Samurai Fakatava* Junpei Yukawa Liam Gill Shinichi Tanaka No8s Amato Fakatava Nathan Hughes Shuhei Matsuhashi Brodi McCurran* Otoya Kihara Shogo Yamamura Scrum-halves Toshiya Takahashi Shota Yamamoto Seima Inaba TJ Perenara Takanobu Minami Fly-halves Ichigo Nakakusu Kotaro Ito Kohei Horigome Isaac Lucas*	Centres Yuta Kurihara Takumi Aoki Daisuke Hamano Yuki Ikeda Ryohei Isoda Siope Tavo* Larzlow Sword Penieli Jr Latu* Semisi Tupou* Taichi Kugino REP DEP Yuta Akihama REP DEP Wingers Amanaki Lotoahea Daisuke Nishikawa Yoshiyuki Koga Netani Vakayalia Tomoya Yamamura Tomu Takamoto Fullbacks Taira Main Utility Backs
(c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped

Notable former players

• Glen Osborne - Fullback
• Inoke Afeaki - Lock
• Eroni Clarke - Centre
• James Haskell - Loose forward
• Ma'a Nonu - Centre
• Stephen Larkham - Fly Half
• Sui Liaga - Wing
• Dean Hall - Wing
• Glenn Paterson - Fly Half
• Michael Broadhurst - Loose forward

Coaches

• Tim Lane (2005–6 season)
• Peter Hewat (2021-2024)
• Tabai Matson (2024-present)