All Blacks captain and League One winner Ardie Savea is eyeing a long-term post-Rugby World Cup return to reigning champions Kobe Steelers. Savea, 32, was appointed as his country’s new captain on a permanent basis as part of Dave Rennie’s first squad announcement in June, just three weeks after helping the former Kobe head coach to clinch his first League One title. The 2023 World Rugby Player of The Year, who started the All Blacks’ Nations Championship wins over France, It

Former Toshiba Brave Lupus prop and recent Japan call-up Vea Taumoefolau is aiming to secure a Super Rugby contract after landing a deal with NPC side Tasman. New Zealand-born Taumoefolau, 24, a two-time League One winner, sent shockwaves through the Japanese scene when he left Toshiba in March due to personal reasons. The Kyoto Sangyo University graduate, who also qualifies for Tonga on heritage grounds, recently returned to action for amateur club Stoke Rugby in Nelson, New

Japan captain Warner Dearns has revealed that he turned down an approach to switch allegiances to represent his native New Zealand after a title-winning Super Rugby campaign with the Hurricanes. Dearns, 24, who will win his 33rd cap for the Brave Blossoms in Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against Italy, confirmed that he was approached about the possibility of standing down from Test rugby for three years in order to become eligible for New Zealand. © JRFU The Toshiba

Kubota Spears full-back Shaun Stevenson has pledged his allegiance to Samoa for his return to Test rugby, RugbyJP.com can exclusively reveal. The 29-year-old full-back played the full 80 minutes in the League One final loss to Dave Rennie’s Kobe Steelers on 7 June despite picking up a leg injury 30 minutes into the first half. One-cap All Black Stevenson made 133 metres for Frans Ludeke’s back-to-back runners up – more than double second-placed Ardie Savea (65m) - and made fi

Lyon-bound prop Opeti Helu said his dream is still to play for Japan at the Rugby World Cup in Australia next year after his switch from Kubota Spears to the Top 14 side was announced on Monday afternoon. Tonga-born former number eight Helu, 27, won his two caps for the Brave Blossoms in 2024, and revealed that he discussed his opportunity to play in France’s top tier with Japan head coach Eddie Jones before inking a one-year deal with Karim Ghezal’s team. “Eddie called me an

Japan prop Opeti Helu has signed for Top 14 side Lyon, his club Kubota Spears has announced today. Tonga-born Helu, 27, has spent seven years with the Funabashi side having joined in 2019 following a successful two-month trial. The hulking 6ft 3in, 127kg tight-head, who famously sidestepped All Blacks fly-half Damian McKenzie to score on his Brave Blossoms debut in 2024, has attracted a host of suitors this season and has opted to ink a deal with Karim Ghezal’s French side wh

Japan-qualified Top 14 wing Toshi Butlin is eying a move to a Japan Rugby League One club to kickstart his Test rugby career, according to French newspaper La République des Pyrénées. The 21-year-old Brisbane native has spent three seasons in French club Pau’s academy and scored three tries in his three senior appearances this season including a brace in the Champions Cup against the Scarlets. Ex-sprinter Butlin, who was in the Queensland Reds academy before leaving for Europ

World Cup-winning former All Blacks head coach Sir Graham Henry believes that New Zealand Rugby (NZR) should take a flexible approach regarding the eligibility of Japan-based Richie Mo’unga, Shannon Frizell and Brodie Retallick this summer. Henry, 79, was this week appointed as a NZR selector as new head coach Dave Rennie announced the legendary coach’s return to the All Blacks fold during his press conference in Auckland on Tuesday. The former Wales boss has had several shor

Suntory Sungoliath star Cheslin Kolbe believes he’s still developing as a player after helping the Fuchu side past rivals Black Rams Tokyo in a preview of the upcoming quarter-final between the two sides in two weeks' time. The 32-year-old double World Cup winner contributed 17 points in his team's 39-22 win in the final round of the regular season on Sunday to finish with a personal best haul of 185 points. South Africa’s pocket rocket’s try and 12 points from the tee saw hi

Newly-appointed New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster has reiterated the organisation's stance on the eligibility of overseas players and confirmed that Toshiba’s Richie Mo’unga will not be available for selection this summer. Back-to-back League One winner and MVP Mo’unga, 31, is in the final month of his three-year contract with Todd Blackadder’s Toshiba Brave Lupus and will return to New Zealand in June on an 18-month contract. The contract, which was announced

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu has credited his three-year stay with Yamaha Jubilo as turning his career around ahead of his move to Glasgow Warriors during the pandemic. Australia-born Tuipulotu, 29, who qualifies for Scotland through his Greenock-born grandmother, struggled to make his mark at Super Rugby side the Melbourne Rebels and accepted an offer to try and reinvigorate his career in 2018 at Yamaha (now Shizuoka Blue Revs) in the Top League (now League One). The tea

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk held a farewell press conference following the club's 31-22 win over Kanagawa rivals Mitsubishi Dynaboars at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday. South Africa's double World Cup winner, 34, will end his four-year stay at the club following their final game next week Shizuoka Blue Revs to return to his homeland to join the Cheetahs. “It’s been a great four years," said the former Sale Sharks star who came on to play in

Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo’unga believes that he is returning to New Zealand as a better player and is open to a possible return to Japan in 2028. The 31-year-old has won back-to-back titles and MVP awards and, while the champions have not reached the same level as their two title-winning campaigns, they’re narrowly holding onto the last play-off spot with two games to go. Mo’unga and All Blacks teammate Shannon Frizell, 32, who will also return home to become eli

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has criticised Ireland’s ‘power play’ in moving their Nations Championship fixture from Japan to a neutral venue in Newcastle, Australia. The Brave Blossoms launch their campaign in the new 12-team Tier 1 competition against Italy at Tokyo’s Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Saturday 4 July. Their round two 'home' tie against Ireland will take place in Australia rather than Japan, it was announced at the end of April. “You know why we’re playing Ire

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk will return to his homeland this summer to join the Cheetahs on a two-year deal the South African club has announced. The Currie Cup side, who were eliminated from the European Challenge Cup in the pool stage, announced the arrival of the 34-year-old double World Cup winner on Sunday afternoon. A Club statement read: “Springbok icon Faf de Klerk joins the Toyota Cheetahs on a two-year deal: world-class experience, relentless energ

Suntory Sungoliath star Cheslin Kolbe will stay in Japan for the ‘foreseeable future’ his management agency Roc Nation Sports International has revealed. Two-time World Cup winner Kolbe, 32, is enjoying his best season so far for the Fuchu outfit with a haul of 141 points including eight tries for the play-off contenders. The Springboks ace, who has played his club rugby outside of his homeland since 2017, was linked with a summer return to URC title contenders the Stormers.

Toshiba Brave Lupus flanker Shannon Frizell will return to New Zealand this summer as he targets an All Blacks return which officially ends Tonga and Wales' hopes of an unlikely allegiance switch. Two-time League One winner Frizell, 32, has put pen to paper on a one-year deal and will be available to play for Tasman in the NPC - the country's round-robin National Provincial Championship - which starts in July. The 33-cap loose forward could still be fast-tracked into the All

Generational rivals and World Cup winners Faf de Klerk and Aaron Smith are poised to face off for what could be the final time in their illustrious careers when Yokohama Canon Eagles host Toyota Verblitz on Saturday. South African stalwart De Klerk, 34, and All Blacks veteran Smith, 37, both start as the former's relegation-threatened Yokohama side look to make up ground on Steve Hansen’s Aichi outfit who are in eighth position. The fit-again Springboks ace, who joined his co

Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo’unga believes that the misfiring back-to-back champions can turn their fortunes around and hold on to a top six play-off spot as they cling on to hopes of a League One ‘three-peat’. Two-time MVP Mo’unga, 31, saw his side slip to a sixth consecutive defeat when Honda Heat’s Japan-qualified utility-back Dawid Kellerman kicked an 82nd minute penalty for a dramatic 24-22 win at Tokyo’s Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on Sunday. “It's funny to s

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk’s sensational first half hat-trick helped the basement outfit to stun Dave Rennie’s leaders Kobe Steelers 38-29 and move out of the relegation play-off zone. The 34-year-old double World Cup winner marked his return from an ankle injury by helping Leon MacDonald’s lowly side to a surprise win away at Honda Heat a week ago. Yokohama’s fit-again Springboks star inspired his team to consecutive wins for the first time this season wit