A large group of overseas-born players who have Japanese citizenship are exploring legal avenues over controversial new player classification rules which come into effect in League One next season. RugbyJP.com understands that around 30 League One players, a host of whom have played for Japan after qualifying on residency grounds, have put their name to a complaint which will be lodged to the Japan Fair Trade Commission. Additionally, the group has submitted a petition for a

Ex-Kubota Spears full-back Liam Williams has returned to URC side Scarlets in a mentorship role to nurture to the club’s new generation of young backs. Williams, 35, called time on his illustrious career in March due to a persistent knee injury. The 93-cap Welsh legend won the Pro12 Grand Final with the Scarlets in 2017 before joining English giants Saracens who he helped to win both the Premiership title and the European Rugby Champions Cup in 2019. After a short stay with C

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk will return to his homeland this summer to join the Cheetahs on a two-year deal the South African club has announced. The Currie Cup side, who were eliminated from the European Challenge Cup in the pool stage, announced the arrival of the 34-year-old double World Cup winner on Sunday afternoon. A Club statement read: “Springbok icon Faf de Klerk joins the Toyota Cheetahs on a two-year deal: world-class experience, relentless energ

Suntory Sungoliath star Cheslin Kolbe will stay in Japan for the ‘foreseeable future’ his management agency Roc Nation Sports International has revealed. Two-time World Cup winner Kolbe, 32, is enjoying his best season so far for the Fuchu outfit with a haul of 141 points including eight tries for the play-off contenders. The Springboks ace, who has played his club rugby outside of his homeland since 2017, was linked with a summer return to URC title contenders the Stormers.

Toshiba Brave Lupus flanker Shannon Frizell will return to New Zealand this summer as he targets an All Blacks return which officially ends Tonga and Wales' hopes of an unlikely allegiance switch. Two-time League One winner Frizell, 32, has put pen to paper on a one-year deal and will be available to play for Tasman in the NPC - the country's round-robin National Provincial Championship - which starts in July. The 33-cap loose forward could still be fast-tracked into the All

Generational rivals and World Cup winners Faf de Klerk and Aaron Smith are poised to face off for what could be the final time in their illustrious careers when Yokohama Canon Eagles host Toyota Verblitz on Saturday. South African stalwart De Klerk, 34, and All Blacks veteran Smith, 37, both start as the former's relegation-threatened Yokohama side look to make up ground on Steve Hansen’s Aichi outfit who are in eighth position. The fit-again Springboks ace, who joined his co

Kenyan rugby starlet Andy Cole Omolo is set to move to Japan to join Tenri University on an educational scholarship. KCB Rugby Club’s highly-rated young lock, 21, has established himself as a key player for the Nairobi-based club, scooping multiple Player of The Match Awards this season and he has chipped in with eight tries in nine games. The former Chavakali High School standout, who will study International Relations in Nara Prefecture, captained Kenya’s u20 side at the Wo

Shizuoka Blue Revs wing Semi Radradra is keen to return to the Test match arena with Fiji set for a daunting summer schedule in the inaugural Nations Championship. The well-travelled former NRL star, 33, last represented his country in 2024 with one appearance during their Autumn Nations Series. Radradra’s last Test match was Fiji’s historic 24-19 triumph against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in which he was sent off. The former Bristol Bears flyer could make his long-await

Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo’unga believes that the misfiring back-to-back champions can turn their fortunes around and hold on to a top six play-off spot as they cling on to hopes of a League One ‘three-peat’. Two-time MVP Mo’unga, 31, saw his side slip to a sixth consecutive defeat when Honda Heat’s Japan-qualified utility-back Dawid Kellerman kicked an 82nd minute penalty for a dramatic 24-22 win at Tokyo’s Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Sunday. “It's funny to s

Mie Honda Heat full-back Lomano Lemeki was not surprised to see centre cum fly-half Dawid Kellerman kick an 82nd minute penalty from long range to complete an impressive double over champions Toshiba Brave Lupus. Evergreen Lemeki, 37, who has represented his adopted country at the 2019 and 2023 World Cup tournaments as well as the Rio 2016 Olympics, saw Sunday’s trip to Tokyo as a make-or-break game for Kieran Crowley’s visitors. “Toshiba are the back-to-back champions and ou

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk’s sensational first half hat-trick helped the basement outfit to stun Dave Rennie’s leaders Kobe Steelers 38-29 and move out of the relegation play-off zone. The 34-year-old double World Cup winner marked his return from an ankle injury by helping Leon MacDonald’s lowly side to a surprise win away at Honda Heat a week ago. Yokohama’s fit-again Springboks star inspired his team to consecutive wins for the first time this season wit

Kobe Steelers fly-half Bryn Gatland believes his teammate and club captain Brodie Retallick is the best lock in the world. In-form Gatland, 30, who has matured in Japan into being a highly consistent and accurate playmaker, has scored 83 points this season for the new division one leaders. The former Chiefs fly-half, who was one of new All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie’s first signings at the club in June 2023, was full of praise for the 2015 World Cup winner as talk of a ret

Black Rams Tokyo’s Japan-qualified full-back Isaac Lucas has spoken of his desire to play Test rugby as his club closes in on achieving their best League One finish. The 27-year-old Brisbane native has been an ever-present for Tabai Matson’s high-flying side who are currently fifth in the table and are on the verge of clinching a top six play-off berth spot for the first time. Lucas played the full 80 minutes in their 37-33 triumph over play-off rivals Shizuoka Blue Revs in K

Fit-again Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk starts on his return for the relegation-threatened club who travel to Tochigi to face Honda Heat on Saturday. The 34-year-old, who returned to Japan in February after receiving treatment in South Africa, has recovered from the ankle injury he sustained in their opening round loss to Shizuoka Blue Revs on 14 December. Leon MacDonald’s basement outfit has re-registered their Springboks star and - RugbyJP.com can exclusivel

Kintetsu Liners fly-half Manie Libbok’s 13-game winning streak was ended by Toutai Kefu’s Kamaishi Seawaves on Saturday. Springboks star Libbok, 28, who won the 2023 World Cup in France, was on an unbeaten run for club and country which started in September 2025. The former Stormers man tasted defeat against the Wallabies in The Rugby Championship on Saturday August 16 when he started in the 10 jersey. In his next appearance, he came off the bench to add 13 points from the te

Division two side NEC Green Rockets has announced that their ex-Japan international Amanaki Lotoahea was arrested on suspicion of assault on Sunday March 8. Tonga-born centre Lotoahea, 35, who has eight caps for Japan after qualifying on residency grounds, has scored two tries in four appearances this season. The former Black Rams Tokyo back was arrested after reportedly assaulting a restaurant employee on the street in Shibuya while being intoxicated. Rotoahea was believed t

Shizuoka Blue Revs wing Valynce Te Whare has been ruled out for 10 months after being diagnosed with a ruptured ACL. The 25-year-old, who joined the club in 2024 after being released by NRL side the Dolphins, has starred on his return to the 15-man game with 14 tries in 28 appearances in League One. Te Whare scored in the 26-21 loss against Honda Heat on February 22 on the half-hour mark before injury struck with just six minutes left in the game. Shizuoka’s Waikato native -

Toshiba Brave Lupus’ standout centre Rob Thompson has been ruled out for six weeks after sustaining a broken finger in Saturday’s loss to Black Rams Tokyo in Kagoshima. Palmerston North product Thompson, 34, who has been playing the best rugby of his career this season, played the full 80 minutes in the back-to-back champions’ fourth consecutive loss. RugbyJP.com understands that the former Highlanders and Māori All Blacks midfielder will undergo surgery this week and then f

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has criticised World Rugby after the sport’s governing body issued a statement declaring the game is in a strong position following a 200-person Shape of the Game conference in London. The annual conference, which was attended by global rugby leaders including Japan Rugby Football Union Chairman Kensuke Iwabuchi, is “integral” to the body’s new strategic plan – which is yet to be unveiled – the International Federation announced. World Rugby annou

Newly-appointed All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie will remain with League One title contenders Kobe Steelers until the end of the season in June. Ex-Wallabies head coach Rennie, who led Kobe to a 78-19 win over Urayasu D-Rocks on Saturday, was unveiled by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) on Wednesday. The Upper Hutt native has signed on until the end of the 2027 World Cup in Australia where the All Blacks will face Australia, Chile and Hong Kong China in the group stage. An NZR press