Coca-Cola Red Sparks

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Coca-Cola Red Sparks were a company-owned rugby union team based in Fukuoka, Japan. They started in 1966 as Kitakyushu Coca-Cola and later became Coca-Cola West Japan. After the 2005–06 season they were promoted to Japan’s top league and renamed Coca-Cola West Red Sparks. Their motto was Have Guts Have Glory, and in 2006 they used the slogan Always Attack & Aggressive. In 2006–07 they finished 10th in the Top League, with four wins and nine losses, and didn’t have to play in playoffs. Their local rivals Sanix finished ninth that year. The team moved up from the Kyūshū league to the Top League in 2013 and was renamed Coca-Cola Red Sparks for the 2013–14 season. After six seasons in the top flight, they were relegated to the Top Kyūshū League after the 2018–19 season. On 30 April 2021 it was announced the Red Sparks would disband after the 2021 Top Challenge League season, and they had planned to join Japan’s new 25-team domestic competition before withdrawing. For 2021 the squad used standard rugby positions including props, hookers, locks, loose forwards, scrum-halves, fly-halves, centres, wingers and fullbacks.