Toshiba Brave Lupus’ Richie Mo’unga scored an injury-time match-winning try to hand unbeaten leaders Kubota Spears their first loss of the campaign. The hotly-anticipated rematch of last year’s final delivered a tightly-contested, high-quality game which was a great advert for Japan Rugby League One. Todd Blackadder’s back-to-back champions Toshiba, who were inspired to their second consecutive title last year by Player of The Match Mo’unga against Kubota, produced their best

Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo’unga has commented for the first time on his former coach Scott Robertson’s departure from the All Blacks. Two-time League One winner Mo’unga, 31, won seven Super Rugby titles under Robertson with the Crusaders and is two months into his third and last season in Japan. The mercurial playmaker and back-to-back MVP inked a deal with New Zealand Rugby in October return home on an 18-month contract this summer, commencing in July 2026 and ru

Japan’s all-action League One competition continues this weekend with the top-flight set for its fifth instalment this season.   Yokohama Canon Eagles (12th) v Saitama Wild Knights (2nd) Mitsuzawa Stadium, Kanagawa - 12.00 KO Ex-All Blacks assistant coach Leon MacDonald’s misfiring Yokohama Canon Eagles host undefeated Saitama Wild Knights in the round’s opening game on Saturday. MacDonald’s side has tasted defeat at the hands of Shizuoka Blue Revs, Mitsubishi Dynaboars, Tosh

Toshiba Brave Lupus flanker Shannon Frizell broke his hand in the opening round loss to Saitama Wild Knights in December, RugbyJP.com can exclusively reveal. The 31-year-old All Black played the full 80 minutes as the champions were routed 46-0 by the league’s inaugural winners on 14 December. The Fuchu outfit only discovered the true severity of his injury post-match. Tonga-born Frizell is remaining in Japan for treatment and will be aiming to return in time for the play-of

Japan Rugby League One returns this weekend for the fourth round of the competition and first set of fixtures in 2026. Urayasu D-Rocks (6th) v Yokohama Canon Eagles (12th) Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo - 12.00 KO   The top-flight action kicks off on Saturday with Graham Rowntree’s vastly-improved Urayasu D-Rocks hosting ex-All Black Leon MacDonald’s basement outfit Yokohama Canon Eagles. Chiba-based Urayasu only won three games in the entire 18-round regular season in 2

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

Former Wallabies stars Will Genia and Quade Cooper will make their coaching bow for Hanazono Kintetsu Liners against Richie Mo’unga’s...

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

Toshiba Brave Lupus stars Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell will not be attending Japan’s Test match against New Zealand in Yokohama...