The Kobelco Kobe Steelers (), commonly referred to as simply the Kobe Steelers, is a professional Japanese rugby union team based in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture and owned by the Kobe Steel company. The team compete in the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) competition and have been playing under the Kobe Steelers name since the inaugural season in 2022.
Current personnel Position Name Nationality Director of rugby and head coach Dave Rennie Rugby Coach mentor/Team Ambassador Wayne Smith Attack coach Mike Blair Defence coach Peter Murchie Forwards coach Dan McFarland Scrum coach Hisateru Hirashima
Current squad The Kobelco Kobe Steelers squad for the 2026-27 season is:
Kobelco Kobe Steelers squadProps Shigure Takao Hikaru Moriwaki Sho Maeda Kauvaka Kaivelata Hiroshi Yamashita Koo Ji-won Takayuki Watanabe Takashi Ōshita Riku Tomita
Hookers Keita Miyauchi Takuya Kitade Kenta Matsuoka Sione Sime Mau*
Locks Brodie Retallick (cc) Gerard Cowley-Tuioti* Neil Hansen Takuma Motohashi Matthew DaltonFlankers Hayato Fukunishi Takara Imamura Solomone Funaki* Hikaru Hashimoto Nico Henrico*
No8s Sione Polutele* Willie Potgieter Tiennan Costley*
Scrum-halves Atsushi Hiwasa Daiki Nakajima Itsuki Kamimura Grant Williams Kenta Tokuda
Fly-halves Bryn GatlandCentres Timothy Lafaele Yoshiki Ōmachi Michael Little* Mac Harris** Tali Ioasa Talilotu Fakatulolo* George Bridge
Wingers Ataata Moeakiola* Kazuma Ueda Inoke Burua* Ryota Funabiki
Fullbacks Shinsuke Iseki Kanta Matsunaga
Utility Backs Lee Seung-sin* (cc) Shunsuke Uenobo Daisuke Ito Hayata Tsujino
Past players Yuta Imamura (2007–19, 124 games) Centre, Japanese international (2006–13, 39 caps) Itaru Taniguchi (2008–21, 148 games) Loose forward, Japanese international (2010–11, 10 caps) Shoji Ito (2009–18, 104 games) Lock, Japanese international (2012–15, 36 caps)
Japanese players Toshiyuki Hayashi Ian Williams Seiji Hirao Yuya Saito Kensuke Iwabuchi Daisuke Ohata Andrew Miller Atsushi Oyagi Kensuke Iwabuchi
Foreign players Ardie Savea Brodie Retallick Andy Ellis Dan Carter Adam Ashley-Cooper Aaron Cruden Andries Bekker Jacque Fourie Ron Cribb Dave Bickle Mark Egan Simon Wensley Pierre Hola Peter Grant Thinus Delport Ben Smith Lukhanyo Am Hayden Parker
Honours Top League: Champions: 2003–04, 2018–19 Japan Rugby League One: Champions: 2025–26
References
External links Steelers upset Green Rockets in Microsoft Cup - Japan Times, January 24, 2005 https://www.kobesteelers.com/ Kobelco Steelers] official site Top League official site