Top League Profiles 2017-18: NTT Communications Shining Arcs
Top League Profiles 2017-18
NTT Communications Shining Arcs
2017-18 Introduction: In the 2016-17 season, NTT Communications Shining Arcs finished fifth overall on the final Japan Rugby Top League table on 40 points with nine wins and six losses.
In their seven years in Top League, this fifth placed finish was the best ever result for the Shining Arcs, but there is still significant room for improvement this year. New Zealander Rob Penney is in his fifth year as head coach and he will have to further up the ante in the squad as the season gets underway. A number of players from the club have made their way through to the Sunwolves and national team squads including flanker Kin Sho-Kei, lock Willie Britz, No8 Amanaki Mafi and five-eighth Jumpei Ogura and their experience will be vital against the stronger teams in the league. Other important players in the squad include former All Blacks lock Isaac Ross and Springboks and Lions playmaker Elton Jantjies.
The Coach: New Zealander Rob Penney is in his fifth year as head coach at NTT Communications for the 2017-18 season.
The Captain: Flanker Kin Sho-Kei is the captain at NTT Communications for the 2017-18 season. He is in his fourth season with the club and has played with the Sunwolves and the full Japan national side.
The 2017-18 Squad: (49) the list starts with captain and vice-captains and continues through forwards and backs in order from props to fullbacks. All family names come last.
Kin Sho-Kei (c). Forwards: Naoto Tanemoto, Murphy Leilua, Shinsuke Ono, Naoyuki Narayama, Ryutaro Ueda, Yuto Sato, Kabuto Anoku, Rui Sannomiya, Takayoshi Haku, Ryo Miura, Takuru Suto, Masaru Ishigami, Isaac Ross, Yuta Yatogo, Naoto Sugiura, Willem Britz, Masataka Tsuruya, Shingo Nakashima, Hiroyuki Mezaki, Kim Ryong-Ji, Shoma Makinouchi, Daisuke Kurihara, Kosuke Yamashita, Amanaki Mafi and Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco. Backs: Hiraku Tomoigawa, Wataru Nishimura, Hayato Nishibashi, Hayato Mitsui, Atsushi Yumoto, Elton Jantjies, Hirotomo Ono, Jumpei Ogura, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Yuya Mizoguchi, Harunori Tsuruya, Takuya Ishibashi, Shane Gates, Masayasu Oshiba, Franklin Galugay, Koichiro Kikuchi, Ryo Tsuruda, Tasuku Koizumi, Max Woodward, Yuya Taka, Daiki Numajiri, Yusuke Ogawa and Kazushi Hano. Coach: Rob Penney (53).