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Mark Pickering
Jan 20, 20242 min read
Cane’s Suntory seals last-gasp win after trailing 0-29
High-flying Suntory Sungoliath sealed a stunning comeback with an 82nd minute match-winning try to pip Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars...
Mark Pickering
Jan 19, 20241 min read
Japan star Fakatava backs ex-teammate Mallinder for NFL
Japan’s World Cup star Amato Fakatava has backed former Black Rams Tokyo teammate Harry Mallinder in his bid to cross over to the NFL....
Mark Pickering
Jan 19, 20241 min read
Argentine ace Nicolas Sanchez set for Suntory debut
Suntory Sungoliath’s latest high-profile fly-half signing Nicolás Sánchez will make his debut for the club in a behind closed doors...
Mark Pickering
Jan 17, 20242 min read
Mie Honda Heat target LRZ quits rugby for NFL bid
Welsh wing Louis Rees-Zammit has sensationally announced that he is quitting rugby to purse an NFL career amid reported interest in his...
Mark Pickering
Jan 15, 20243 min read
Suntory decided it wasn’t worth the risk - Anscombe
Welsh World Cup star Gareth Anscombe has opened up on his disappointment at Suntory Sungoliath cancelling his registration after he...
Mark Pickering
Jan 12, 20242 min read
Former Wales international Ball set to return for Pivac’s Green Rockets
Ex-Wales international Jake Ball makes his first start of the season on Saturday after recovering from a nagging shoulder injury. The...
Mark Pickering
Jan 9, 20242 min read
Cheslin Kolbe wins year’s supply of alcohol after first Suntory try
Two-time World Cup winner Cheslin Kolbe scored his first try in Suntory Sungoliath’s entertaining 44-36 victory over Kobe Steelers at...
Mark Pickering
Jan 6, 20242 min read
Quade Cooper makes first start of the season for the Liners v Black Rams
Australian fly-half Quade Cooper has recovered from a facial injury to hand Hanazono Kintetsu Liners a huge boost for their trip to Tokyo...
Mark Pickering
Jan 5, 20243 min read
Division 2 & 3 PREVIEW: High-flying Hino head to Hiroshima
League One’s third tier resumes this weekend with two games set to take place on Saturday 6 January. Division 3 leaders Hino Red Dolphins...
Mark Pickering
Dec 28, 20232 min read
F1 driver Tsunoda to attend Mie Honda Heat v Shizuoka
Formula 1 driver Yuki Tsunoda will be a special guest for Mie Honda Heat’s home clash against Shizuoka Blue Revs on Sunday 7 January in...
Mark Pickering
Dec 24, 20235 min read
5 Takeaways From Round 3
1. Wild Knights and Toshiba are the early pacesetters in Division 1 Last season’s beaten League One Play-Off finalists Saitama Wild...
Mark Pickering
Dec 18, 20232 min read
L1 attendance record shattered as World Cup stars go head-to-head
The League One regular season attendance record was broken twice in 24 hours in round two as Division 1 head-to-head battles included Faf...
Mark Pickering
Dec 15, 20234 min read
5 Things To Look Out For in Round Two
1. Faf de Klerk and Jesse Kriel vs. Beauden Barrett and Aaron Smith AKA Yokohama v Toyota South African 2023 World Cup winners Faf de...
Mark Pickering
Dec 14, 20232 min read
Japan re-appoints polarising Eddie Jones
Eddie Jones was unveiled to the media for a second stint as Japan’s national team head coach on Thursday just 46 days after walking out...
Mark Pickering
Dec 11, 20233 min read
Cheslin Kolbe’s Suntory demolishes reigning champions Kubota
World Cup final rivals Cheslin Kolbe and Sam Cane marked their League One debuts with an emphatic win for their new team Suntory...
Mark Pickering
Dec 9, 20232 min read
PREVIEW - RD 1, Div. 2, D-Rocks v NEC
A host of World Cup stars will be on show in League One’s second tier this season which is set for its most competitive season since the...
Mark Pickering
Dec 8, 20232 min read
PREVIEW – RD 1, Division 3
All three divisions of League One kick off on Saturday for the eagerly-awaited 2023-2024 season with stars from the World Cup in France...
Mark Pickering
Dec 5, 20232 min read
Ex-PRIDE FC ring announcer Lenne Hardt to make opening call at Kubota v Suntory
Former PRIDE Fighting Championships ring announcer Lenne Hardt will be on hand to introduce the teams at Sunday’s highly-anticipated...
Mark Pickering
Dec 4, 20232 min read
Ex-Wales international Ball to miss start of the season
Ex-Wales international Jake Ball will miss the start of the new season after the NEC Green Rockets standout sustained a shoulder injury....
Mark Pickering
Dec 1, 20231 min read
Brodie Retallick made co-captain at Kobe
Former World Player of The Year Brodie Retallick has been appointed as co-captain upon his return to Kobelco Kobe Steelers. Retallick,...
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