Toyota Verblitz
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| Full name | Toyota Verblitz |
|---|---|
| Union | Japan Rugby Football Union |
| Founded | 1941 |
| Location | Toyota, Aichi, Japan |
| Ground(s) | Mizuho Rugby Stadium (Capacity: 15,000) |
| Coach(es) | Jake White |
| League(s) | Top League |
| 2016–17 | 8th |
Toyota Verblitz is a Japanese rugby union team in the Top League. Verblitz is a conflation of verde (Portuguese for 'green') and blitz (German for 'lightning'). The team is owned by Toyota Jidosha (Toyota Motors) and is separate from, and not to be confused with, the Toyota Industries Shuttles rugby team, owned by Toyota Industries. They share Toyota Stadium in the city of Toyota, Aichi with the football club Nagoya Grampus which also used to be owned by Toyota Motors.
Slogan for 2006 season: 克己 Kokki (Self-Control)
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.
In August 2005 Verblitz beat Newcastle Falcons at home. On February 12, 2006 they lost to Waseda University RFC in the Japan Championships, 24-28. This was the first time a Top League team had lost to a university team.
The provisional Toyota Verblitz squad for the 2016–17 Top League season is:
Props
Hookers
Locks
Loose Forwards
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves
Centres
Wingers
Fullbacks
...
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