Toshiba Brave Lupus’ head coach Todd Blackadder will manage talismanic captain Michael Leitch’s minutes next season after the Japan stalwart was an ever-present last term. The 37-year-old was an integral player as the Fuchu side retained their League One crown by conquering Malcolm Marx and Bernard Foley’s Kubota Spears 18-13 with player of the match Richie Mo’unga putting on a masterclass. Leitch, who led Japan to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals in 2019 for the first t

Kubota Spears’ double World Cup winner Malcolm Marx will return to Japan in December ahead of the fifth League One season and with the club’s hooker resources bolstered by a surprise new signing. Last season’s runners-up, who boast arguably the deepest talent pool in Japan’s top-flight, announced the arrival of ex-Japan international and veteran hooker Yoshimitsu Yasue on 1 October. Yasue, who turned 41 in August, left Kurt-Lee Arendse’s former club Mitsubishi Sagamihara D

Saitama Wild Knights youngster Kenji Sato will make his first Test start for Japan against back-to-back world champions South Africa at London’s Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Sato, 22, won just his fifth cap for the Brave Blossoms in the narrow defeat to the Wallabies in Tokyo after coming off the bench in all four of his country’s Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) games. Japan’s first-choice hooker Mamoru Harada, who was initially announced as a co-captain for the PNC campaign along

Japan star Dylan Riley, 28, has been named as vice-captain for Saturday’s clash against the Wallabies at the National Stadium in Tokyo. The Saitama Wild Knights outside-centre will earn his 34 th cap for the Brave Blossoms in the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup encounter which is expected to attract over 45,000 fans. Riley in action against Wales - © JRFU 1. Born in Durban, South Africa Riley was born in Durban on the east coast of South Africa in 1997. South African fans proud

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has lauded his record against Australia as he prepares to face his former employers for the first time since presiding over the Wallabies’ first group stage exit at the World Cup in 2023. Pacific Nations Cup runners-up Japan host Joe Schmidt’s resurgent side on Saturday at the National Stadium in Tokyo ahead of the Autumn Nations Series in November. The build-up has been dominated by Jones being reunited with the two-time World Cup winners who he

Japan hosts the Wallabies on Saturday at the National Stadium in Tokyo while former League One champions Saitama Wild Knights face Super Rugby outfit Queensland Reds in Australia. RugbyJP.com had opportunity to speak to Queensland Reds’ General Manager (High Performance) Sam Cordingley (below) - a former Grenoble, Reds and Wallabies scrum-half-ahead of a momentous weekend for Japanese-Australian rugby relations. RugbyJP.com (RJP) : Were you surprised to see Saitama's head

Ebbw Vale flanker Sion Parry starts for Canada against Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup clash today as he closes in on realising his...

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has revealed that Brave Blossoms great Michael Leitch nominated history-making Warner Dearns to captain his...

Former Brave Blossoms star Hendrik Tui has issued a stark warning to young foreign players who are keen to follow his path by moving to...

The Japan Rugby Football Union has confirmed a long-rumoured Test match against back-to-back world champions South Africa at London’s...

Japan head coach Eddie Jones believes returning Welsh star Louis Rees-Zammit will quickly rediscover his best form on the Test match...

Former Japan star and free agent Amanaki Mafi has joined English Gallagher Prem side Newcastle Falcons on a one-year deal. Tonga-born...

The Welsh Rugby Union has named Scotland’s defence coach and ex-Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy as their new head coach. Tandy, who worked...

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

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...

Japan head coach Eddie Jones came into the home Lipovitan D Challenge Cup series against Wales under-pressure and in need making a...

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

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

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

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