Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath (Japanese: 東京サントリーサンゴリアス), formerly known as Suntory Sungoliath, is a professional Japanese rugby union team based in Tokyo Prefecture's Fuchū City that competes in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO). The team is owned by the Suntory beverage company.
Ahead of the inaugural 2022 Japan Rugby League One season, which was rebranded from the Top League, the team had renamed to Tokyo Sungoliath.
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History
The club was established in 1980, and since then they have won the All-Japan Championship on numerous occasions. They have also competed in the Top League since its founding in 2003. The team has been improving in the League over the past few years. Suntory Sungoliath famously beat Wales 45-41 on Saturday 3 June 2001 whilst they were on tour in Japan.
Top League Results
In the first season of the Top League, 2003–04, Suntory finished 4th. In 2004–05 they finished 8th. The team was 6th in the 2005–06 season and jumped up to 2nd in the 2006-7 season under new coach Katsuyuki Kiyomiya and assisted by Michael Jones.
In 2006 Suntory Sungoliath lost the final of the Top League and Microsoft Cup title to Toshiba Brave Lupus by a score of 33-18. Then in February 2007, Suntory Sungoliath again lost the final of the Top League and Microsoft Cup to Toshiba Brave Lupus before a crowd of 23,076 at Tokyo's Chichibunomiya Stadium (home to Mark Secker), the first sellout at the ground in 10 years, with the final score being just 14-13 to Toshiba Brave Lupus.
In the first Top League game of the 2007-8 season Suntory gained revenge over Toshiba with a 10-3 win on October 26, 2007. At the end of the 13-game season Suntory was second behind Sanyo Wild Knights, having lost to Sanyo and by just one point to Coca-Cola West Red Sparks, and drawn 31-31 with Toyota Verblitz in the final round. Sanyo and Suntory met again in the Microsoft Cup final on February 24 to decide the 2007–08 Top League champion. Suntory won that game 14-10 with a very strong mauling attack.
Top League Table
The table begins with the first season of the Top League, 2003-04.
Current squad
The Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath squad for the 2026-27 season is:
* denotes players qualified to play for Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds.
Notable former players
Tusi Pisi – Manu Samoa international fly-half
Schalk Burger – South African flanker
Fourie du Preez – South African scrum half
Uche Odouza – winger, England (England 7s)
George Gregan – Australian scrum-half and the 2nd most-capped player in international rugby history
Rocky Havili – Tongan centre
Toru Kurihara – Japan fullback or wing
Simon Maling – former All Black lock from 2001 to 2004
Beauden Barrett - All Black five-eighth, 2015 Rugby World Cup Winner
Jamie Washington
George Smith – former Australian flanker 2000-2009, 2013
Norm Hadley – lock, former Canadian captain, Barbarian
Glenn Ennis – former Canadian No. 8, Barbarian
Coach
Katsuyuki Kiyomiya (2006–09)
Eddie Jones (2009–12)
Naoya Okubo (2012–14)
Andy Friend (2014–16)
Keisuke Sawaki (2016–2019)
Milton Haig (2020-)
Honours
All-Japan Championship
Champions: 1995, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2012
Runner-up: 2008
Microsoft Cup
Champions: 2007–08
Runner-up: 2005–06, 2006–07
All-Japan Company Championship
Champions: 1995, 2001, 2002
Top League Championship
Champions: 2011–12