The Kobelco Kobe Steelers are a Japanese rugby union team owned by Kobe Steel, and based in Kobe. They were the first ever Top League champions when the League started in the 2003-2004 season. The team rebranded as Kobelco Kobe Steelers ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022. Honours Top League: Champions: 2003–04, 2018-19 Personnel Current management team Current squad The current Kobelco Kobe Steelers squad for the 2023 season is: * denotes players qualified to play for the Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds. 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 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 References External links Steelers upset Green Rockets in Microsoft Cup - Japan Times, January 24, 2005 Kobelco Steelers official site Top League official site Japan Rugby League One teams Sports teams in Kobe Rugby in Kansai Rugby clubs established in 1928 1928 establishments in Japan