Rugby league’s showpiece event, the quadrennial men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments, kicked off on Thursday and Friday respectively and can be seen live in Japan on Premier Sports Asia. The men’s competition launched with a thrilling clash between the Kangaroos and Kiwis with the hosts securing a last-gasp 24-22 win in front of 41,255 fans in Sydney. Brisbane Broncos full-back Reece Walsh on the attack - Australian Kangaroos © Australia’s dream start also extended to the

Former NRL star and WWE wrestler Daniel Vidot is eying an upset when USA’s Hawks rugby league national team faces Wales at The Wern in Merthyr Tydfil on Saturday. Brisbane-form Vidot, 36, who burst onto the scene as a teenager at Canberra Raiders in 2009, scored 55 tries in 114 appearances in the NRL and represented Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup in 2013. The former Brisbane Broncos wing called time on his highly-lucrative league career in 2017 - at the age of just 27 -

Saitama Wild Knights-bound wing wizard Mark Nawaqanitawase has commented on his return to rugby union for the first time since his agent suggested that the dual-code star could switch allegiance to represent Fiji or Italy next year. Sydney-born Nawaqanitawase, 26, scored a brace to help the Sydney Roosters to a dramatic 19-18 NRL Grand Final win over Newcastle Knights on 4 October in the final game of his two-year deal. Sydney Roosters © The former Waratahs star last represen

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) star Xyon has been named in USA Rugby League’s national team squad to travel to play Wales on Saturday 17 October. The former AJPW World Tag Team Champion is part of an 18-man team announced for the International Test Match in Merthyr Tydfil. Submitted to RugbyJP.com Brisbane native Xyon, 36, who played over 100 games in the National Rugby League (NRL), was granted permission by AJPW to play for his adopted country of USA who he qualifies for ba

Former NRL star Daniel Vidot has backed the Australian Rugby League Commission’s tentative plans to stage a Global Round game in Japan in 2028. Tokyo-based Vidot, 36, who played over 100 games for Canberra Raiders, St. George Illawarra, Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast Titans, is now one of the leading international attractions for the flourishing All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. © Brisbane Broncos The former Samoa international-turned pro wrestler is excited to see the game

Incoming Saitama Wild Knights wing Mark Nawaqanitawase will make his Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) debut against Wallabies teammates Jordan Petaia and Samu Kerevi’s Urayasu D-Rocks on Saturday 12 December. Cross-code revelation Nawaqanitawase, 26, has been signed by the inaugural League One winners on a two-year deal as a replacement for his ex-Australia teammate Marika Koroibete who has since joined Swansea-based URC side Ospreys. The wing wizard is currently on NRL Premiers

North Queensland Cowboys centre Viliami Vailea is set to join League One division two side Hanazono Kintetsu Liners, according to Australian outlet The Daily Telegraph. Tongan Vailea, 23, a former rugby union standout at Aorere College in Auckland, New Zealand, made his National Rugby League (NRL) bow with New Zealand Warriors at the age of 18 in 2021. The 6ft 1in, 15st 6lb outside back scored eight tries in 17 appearances for The Warriors before joining Australian team North

Former Saitama Wild Knights wing Marika Koroibete has joined Indian sevens side Chennai Bulls on a lucrative short-term deal. Koroibete, 33, who scored three tries this season for the third-place play-off winners, will play for his new side in the second instalment of the HSBC-backed Rugby Premier League from 16 to 28 June in Hyderabad, India. © JRLO The ex-Wallabies winger last represented Australia in 2024 and, after five seasons in Kumagaya, is one of eight players who hav

Shizuoka Blue Revs wing Valynce Te Whare has been ruled out for 10 months after being diagnosed with a ruptured ACL. The 25-year-old, who joined the club in 2024 after being released by NRL side the Dolphins, has starred on his return to the 15-man game with 14 tries in 28 appearances in League One. Te Whare scored in the 26-21 loss against Honda Heat on February 22 on the half-hour mark before injury struck with just six minutes left in the game. Shizuoka’s Waikato native -

Former NRL star-turned pro wrestler Daniel Vidot will play for USA’s national rugby league side on Friday in Las Vegas having started his week by wrestling in Tokyo on Monday. Vidot, 36, who is known as Xyon in the squared circle, has become an established name in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) where he recently held the company’s prestigious tag team titles for 101 days with stable mate Oddyssey. The ex-Brisbane Broncos wing competed in an eight-man tag team match on Monday

Australia’s dual-code wing Mark Nawaqanitawase’s new club has been revealed as Saitama Wild Knights after the League One leaders announced the deal on Monday afternoon. The 25-year-old Sydney Roosters wing will spend a second season in the NRL this year before moving to Japan in December following the Wallabies’ end-of-year tour. According to the Sydney Herald, Nawaqanitawase has inked a two-year contract with Atsushi Kanazawa’s inaugural League One champions who are currentl

Australia’s dual-code wing Mark Nawaqanitawase has inked a two-year deal with a Japanese division one club, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The 25-year-old Sydney Roosters wing will spend a second season in the NRL this year before moving to Japan as he returns to union to earn a spot at the 2027 World Cup in Australia. Nawaqanitawase has penned a lucrative deal with more than $1 million a season and has resisted offers from France, Jonathan Drennan reported. The form

Welcome to the latest edition of RugbyJP.com ’s Gossip Column where we share exclusive news, transfer details and more. Please credit...

Glenn Delaney’s Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars announced their outgoing players after concluding their season with an away...

Former NRL star Daniel Vidot has been selected to compete in All Japan Pro Wrestling’s prestigious Champion Carnival tournament....

Japan national team’s defence coach David Kidwell has joined Michael Cheika’s Leicester Tigers on a secondment until the end of the...

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