 | |||
| Full name | Coca-Cola Red Sparks | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Union | Japan Rugby Football Union | ||
| Nickname(s) | Red Sparks | ||
| Founded | 1966 | ||
| Disbanded | 2021 | ||
| Location | Fukuoka, Japan | ||
| Ground(s) | Level-5 Stadium (Capacity: 22,563) | ||
| League(s) | Top Challenge League | ||
| 2021 | 3rd, Playoffs First round | ||
| |||
The Coca-Cola Red Sparks (Japanese: コカ・コーラレッドスパークス) was a Japanese company-owned rugby union team based in Fukuoka city, Kyūshū.
The team was initially founded as Kitakyushu Coca-Cola and then changed its name to Coca-Cola West Japan.
The team won promotion to the expanded Top League of 14 teams at the end of the 2005–06 season, and was renamed Coca-Cola West Red Sparks. The club motto is "Have Guts Have Glory" and their slogan for 2006 season: "Always Attack & Aggressive". In the fourth Top League (2006–07) the team came 10th, with four wins, nine losses and 21 points. It therefore did not need to take part in any play-offs. Sanix, the local rivals, came ninth.[1]
The team was promoted from the Kyūshū league to the Top League in 2013, and was renamed the Coca-Cola Red Sparks for the 2013–14 season. Following six seasons in the top flight, they were relegated back to the Top Kyūshū League after the 2018–19 season.
On 30 April 2021, it was announced that the Red Sparks would disband as a rugby club at the conclusion of the 2021 Top Challenge League Season.[2] It had previously agreed to join the new 25-team domestic competition in Japan before withdrawal.[3]
- ^ "Coca-Cola West Red Sparks". Rugby Archive. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Coca-Cola to disband Red Sparks rugby team". Rugby Pass. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Japan unveils bold new 25-team domestic competition". Rugby Planet. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.