South Africa’s double World Cup winner Faf de Klerk returns to action for Yokohama Canon Eagles on Saturday for the first time since sustaining a hand injury on League one duty in March. The 34-year-old, who last featured for his country in July’s win over Georgia, was left out of the Springboks’ Autumn tour squad despite Rassie Erasmus stating that the veteran scrum-half remains firmly in their plans. Erasmus felt that the Mbombela native would be better served getting regul

Toshiba Brave Lupus superstar Richie Mo’unga returned to action on Saturday as the back-to-back League One champions defeated Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 36-33 in their latest pre-season game in Fuchu. Two-time MVP winner Mo’unga, 31, who will return to New Zealand next summer, was making his first appearance since his starring role in the League One final win against Kubota Spears in June. “It felt awesome to be back playing, it’s been five months and nothing can prepare

Ireland star Bundee Aki’s cousin Larry Tipoa'i-Luteru is aiming to make a name for himself in Japan and represent the Brave Blossoms as he prepares to graduate from university and turn professional in 2026.  Samoa-born Tipoa'i-Luteru, 21, is currently in his fourth and final year at Kanto Gakuin University in Yokohama.  The barnstorming number eight is 6ft 3in (192cm) and weighs 18-stone-plus (119kg) which makes him the tallest and heaviest member in the Kanto University Leag

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

Wallabies legend Will Genia is relishing working with Springboks star Manie Libbok as he makes the transition into coaching alongside his long-time teammate Quade Cooper at division two side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.   Genia, who announced his retirement in August, and his ex-half-back partner Quade Cooper, both, 37, rejoined the promotion-chasing Liners as coaches in July after six seasons playing for the Osaka-based club.   Papua New Guinea-born Genia is working as a skills

Wallabies star Noah Lolesio has joined second division Japanese side Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi and could make his debut against Springboks star Manie Libbok in round one in December. Brumbies fly-half Lolesio, who RugbyJP.com reported was poised to join the Shuttles back in April, was overlooked for the 2023 World Cup by Eddie Jones but established himself as the Wallabies first-choice fly-half under Joe Schmidt. The 25-year-old Auckland native suffered a neck injury

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

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed that Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk remains in his plans despite leaving the double World Cup-winning veteran out of his Autumn Nations squad. The Rugby Championship winners open their end-of-year tour against Eddie Jones’ Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday.  Erasmus has picked seven-Japan based players in his starting line-up with a further two League One representatives among the replacements while

Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo’unga was approached by Tonga Rugby Union about a potential allegiance switch before he inked a new deal with New Zealand Rugby, RugbyJP.com can reveal. Back-to-back League One and MVP winner Mo’unga, 31, who last represented the All Blacks in the World Cup final loss to South Africa in 2023, was the subject of intense interest from Tonga, as RugbyJP.com revealed in February. RugbyJP.com © The mercurial seven-time Super Rugby winner tu

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

Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) will host a media briefing on Tuesday to unveil a new system for classifying players. The Sydney Morning...

British broadcaster Premier Sports has snapped up the rights to air Japan Rugby League One in the UK and Ireland. SSBL Limited-owned...