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Antoine Dupont reunites with Naoto Saito at Osaka's World Expo
France captain Antoine Dupont was reunited with his Toulouse teammate Naoto Saito at the World Expo in Osaka on Monday. The injured Paris...

Mark Pickering
Jul 152 min read


Wales hold firm to beat Japan and end 18-game losing streak
Wales fought their way to a gutsy 31-22 win over Japan to end a two-year, 18-game game losing streak in Kobe on Saturday. The downbeat...

Mark Pickering
Jul 144 min read


Jones and Leitch eye history in Japan’s second Test against Wales
Japan head coach Eddie Jones came into the home Lipovitan D Challenge Cup series against Wales under-pressure and in need making a...

Mark Pickering
Jul 114 min read


Wales fans urge clubs to swoop for Japanese free agent
Wales fans have urged their club sides to approach Japanese international Shuhei Takeuchi who is a free agent after leaving League One...

Mark Pickering
Jul 112 min read


Joseph Manu and Nathan Hughes join Racing 92
Ex-Toyota Verblitz wing Joseph Manu and former Black Rams Tokyo number eight Nathan Hughes have both joined France's Top 14 giants Racing...

Mark Pickering
Jul 92 min read


Returning Pieter-Steph du Toit starts for Boks v Italy
Toyotz Verblitz’s Pieter-Steph du Toit has been named in South Africa’s new-look starting line-up to face Italy in his first appearance...

Mark Pickering
Jul 92 min read


Japan fightback condemns Wales to 18th loss in a row
Eddie Jones’ Japan produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat Wales 24-19 as the visitors wilted in the Kitakyushu heat....

Mark Pickering
Jul 53 min read


The untold story of Suntory’s 2001 win over Wales
Wales’ return to Japan, for the first time since the 2019 World Cup, will see the visitors fighting to end the worst losing streak in...

Mark Pickering
Jul 53 min read


Brave Blossoms newcomers eye Wales upset
Japan has selected wing wizard Kippei Ishida, a breakthrough talent that Eddie Jones has billed as the ‘new Cheslin Kolbe’, for his first...

Mark Pickering
Jul 54 min read


Japan to unleash ‘new Kolbe’ against Wales
Japan will hand a debut to Yokohama Canon Eagles wing Kippei Ishida against Wales on Saturday after head coach Eddie Jones...

Mark Pickering
Jul 42 min read


Faf de Klerk returns to Boks squad v Italy
Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk has been named among the replacements for the Springboks' Test match against Italy at...

Mark Pickering
Jul 12 min read


Japan XV to host Australia A in October
The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) and Rugby Australia today announced that a fixture between Australia A and a Japan XV side will...

Mark Pickering
Jun 272 min read


Sam Greene has adapted well – Neal Hatley
Japan XV acting head coach Neal Hatley has highlighted the need for Japan to build depth at fly-half and praised the work of newcomer Sam...

Mark Pickering
Jun 262 min read


Hurricanes announce the arrival of Warner Dearns for 2026
Back-to-back League One winner Warner Dearns will join Super Rugby Pacific outfit the Hurricanes for the 2026 season, the club announced...

Mark Pickering
Jun 252 min read


Uncapped wing can be better than Cheslin Kolbe – Jones
Japan head coach Eddie Jones believes that uncapped wing Kippei Ishida has the potential to be a better player than South Africa’s...

Mark Pickering
Jun 252 min read


VIDEO - Every Kippei Ishida try in 2024-25
Yokohama Canon eagles wing Kippei Ishida, 25, had a breakout season in 2024-2025. The former Japan sevens star scored 11 tries to earn a...

Mark Pickering
Jun 251 min read


I didn’t coach very well last year – Eddie Jones
Under-pressure Japan head coach Eddie Jones has conceded that he didn’t ‘coach very well last year’ as he prepares the Brave Blossoms...

Mark Pickering
Jun 242 min read


Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium to host first American Football game
The X-League, Japan’s top-level professional gridiron football league, has announced that Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium will host an...

Mark Pickering
Jun 241 min read


Super Rugby final standout named in Māori All Blacks squad
Crusaders’ match-winning fly-half Rivez Reihana has been named in a 29-strong Māori All Blacks squad today ahead of their match against a...

Mark Pickering
Jun 242 min read


Gary Gold set to be appointed as Japan’s defence coach
Former Kobe Steelers head coach Gary Gold is set to be appointed as Japan’s new defence coach. The South African led Kobe to the top of...

Mark Pickering
Jun 201 min read
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