Red Hurricanes Osaka
Japanese rugby union club, based in Osaka
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Red Hurricanes Osaka (Japanese: レッドハリケーンズ大阪), formerly known as NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes Osaka (Japanese: NTTドコモレッドハリケーンズ大阪), is a Japanese rugby union team located in Osaka. Owned by NTT Communications, the Red Hurricanes Osaka were established in 1993, and compete in the second division of the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO). In 2022, ahead of the transition from the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO), the team rebranded to its current name.[2]
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| Full name | Red Hurricanes Osaka | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Red Hurricanes | ||
| Founded | 1993 | ||
| Location | Suminoe-ku, Ōsaka City, Ōsaka | ||
| Region | Ōsaka Prefecture | ||
| Grounds |
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| Coach | Isao Matsukawa | ||
| Captain | Hisamitsu Shimada | ||
| Most caps | Yuichi Hisatomi (147)[1] | ||
| Top scorer | Yasuteru Yamaguchi (241)[1] | ||
| League(s) | Japan Rugby League One, Division Two | ||
| 2025–26 | 6th of 8 | ||
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| Official website | |||
| docomo-rugby | |||
History
Founded in 1993 by employees of NTT Docomo,[3][4] the club began its journey in the Kansai Social Workers League, climbing from the D Division to the A Division within its first decade.[4] The Red Hurricanes then established themselves as a mainstay of the Top West A League, competing there for eight seasons before finally securing the championship in 2010.[4] That long-awaited triumph earned the club promotion to Japan's premier nationwide Top League, marking a significant milestone in its rise through domestic rugby.[4]
The Red Hurricanes spent the years 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, and 2015–16 in the Top League, being relegated in the latter season to the Top Challenge League.[5] Between 2016–17 and 2018–19 fluctuating between the Top League and the Top Challenge League. By 2020, the Red Hurricanes had become a core team in the Top League. In 2022, however, due to the reorganisation of NTT Docomo Rugby, the Red Hurricanes Osaka were deemed ineligible to compete in Division 1 for the 2022–23 season and were excluded from the Division 1 promotion/relegation playoffs, having finished in the relegation zone for the 2022 season.[6]
In 2022–23, the Red Hurricanes won promotion to the second division after winning eleven of their twelve league matches, sealing the title with a 31–0 shutout win against the Red Regulions with a game to spare.[7] Since 2023–24, the Red Hurricanes have been in the second division of the Japan Rugby League One.
Squad
The Red Hurricanes Osaka squad for the 2026–27 season is:[8]
| Red Hurricanes Osaka squad | ||
|---|---|---|
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Props
Hookers
Locks
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Flankers
No8s Scrum-halves
Fly-halves
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Centres
Wingers
Fullbacks
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| (c) Denotes team captain, Bold denotes player is internationally capped
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