top of page


Injury update on Pieter-Steph du Toit
World Rugby Player of The Year Pieter-Steph du Toit has undergone shoulder surgery in South Africa and will be sidelined until at least...

Mark Pickering
Jan 222 min read


Richie Mo’unga to see out Toshiba contract until 2026
League One champion and Most Valuable Player (MVP) winner Richie Mo’unga will see out his existing Toshiba Brave Lupus contract after...

Mark Pickering
Jan 222 min read


VIDEO - Best of Digby Ioane
Ex-Wallabies star Digby Ioane spent two seasons at Panasonic Wild Knights from 2017-2019. Watch the best highlights below from his spell...

Mark Pickering
Jan 221 min read


No Cross-Border series in 2025
The Cross-Border Rugby series between League One and Super Rugby sides will not be held in 2025. While the decision was made and...

Mark Pickering
Jan 92 min read


Aaron Smith sees Joseph Manu as a future All Black
World Cup-winning scrum-half Aaron Smith believes that his new Toyota Verblitz teammate Joseph Manu is an All Black in the making....

Mark Pickering
Jan 92 min read


RugbyJP picks a veteran JRLO XV
Could this team of veteran players be competitive in Japan Rugby League One? What do you think of the team? Let us know on social media...

Mark Pickering
Jan 81 min read


Smith’s Shizuoka outlast Dynaboars to maintain unbeaten start
Kwagga Smith’s Shizuoka Blue Revs maintained their perfect start to the new season by outlasting Kurt-Lee Arendse’s Mitsubishi Heavy...

Mark Pickering
Jan 63 min read


JRLO Round Three Team Lists
League One’s third round takes place on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 January. The top-flight opens with two early kick-offs as winless Urayasu...

Mark Pickering
Jan 33 min read


TJ Perenara’s Black Rams upset Suntory
TJ Perenara inspired Black Rams Tokyo to their first win over League One powerhouses Suntory Sungoliath in 21 years with a a hard-fought...

Mark Pickering
Dec 28, 20242 min read


Foley steers Kubota past Toyota with last-gasp drop-goal
Kubota Spears fly-half Bernard Foley’s injury-time drop-goal sealed a dramatic come-from-behind win for the former League One champions...

Mark Pickering
Dec 22, 20243 min read


Robbie Deans’ clinical Saitama juggernaut dominates Suntory
Inaugural League One champions Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights bested Suntory Sungoliath 33-12 in the opening round’s heavyweight clash in...

Mark Pickering
Dec 21, 20243 min read


5 League One Rookies to Watch
RugbyJP has picked five League One rookies to keep tabs on this season. 1. Pierich Siebert – Suntory Sungoliath (South Africa) Position:...

Mark Pickering
Dec 21, 20243 min read


Boks sevens ace to join fourth tier side
Springboks'Â sevens star Shaun Williams will join fourth tier Japanese outfit Akita Northern Bullets in 2025. Scrum-half Williams, 26,...

Mark Pickering
Dec 18, 20241 min read


Wild boar on the loose.. near Mitsubishi Dynaboars’ ground
A wild boar is on the loose in Kawasaki in a residential area near the home stadium of Kurt-Lee Arendse’s Mitsubishi Sagamihara...

Mark Pickering
Dec 14, 20241 min read


I couldn’t turn down Japan – TJ Perenara
All Blacks legend TJ Perenara was introduced by his new club Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo following their pre-season win over Kurt-Lee...

Mark Pickering
Dec 7, 20242 min read


Japan XV of newly-qualified players
The upcoming fourth season of League One will see a host of foreign-born players qualify to play for Japan. RugbyJP has selected a 'Japan...

Mark Pickering
Dec 6, 20241 min read


Best League One season coming up – Richie Mo’unga
League One champion and Most Valuable Player award winner Richie Mo’unga believes the fourth edition of Japan’s professional league will...

Mark Pickering
Dec 3, 20242 min read


NSW Waratahs outgun Kubota Spears in Chiba
Super Rugby Pacific side NSW Waratahs overpowered former League One champions Kubota Spears 43-17 at Spears Edoriku Field in Funabashi on...

Mark Pickering
Nov 29, 20243 min read


EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Black Rams star Isaac Lucas
Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo fly-half Isaac Lucas spoke to RugbyJP.com following the Komazawa side’s impressive 59 – 22 victory over Toshiba...

Mark Pickering
Nov 28, 20245 min read


Boks star Kurt-Lee Arendse keen to extend Japan stay with the Dynaboars
Springboks superstar Kurt-Lee Arendse was unveiled by League One outfit Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars in Kanagawa on Wednesday morning....

Mark Pickering
Nov 27, 20244 min read
bottom of page
