Springboks superstar Cheslin Kolbe will return to his former club the Stormers this summer after Suntory Sungoliath announced today that he will depart after completing his third season in Japan. The competition’s top points scorer wrestled with the decision of whether to stay in Japan but, having played rugby outside of South Africa since 2017, has opted to make an early return to his homeland. RugbyJP.com understands that Kolbe, who left the Stormers in 2017 to play in the

Suntory Sungoliath has today announced that Springboks star Cheslin Kolbe will be leaving the club at the end of the season. Two-time World Cup winner Kolbe, 32, was prominent on Saturday as he scored 17 points in the club’s 40-35 quarter-final win against Black Rams Tokyo to book a semi-final clash against Dave Rennie and Ardie Savea’s Kobe Steelers on Saturday. The division’s top points scorer is poised to make an early return to his former club the Stormers who have alread

League One’s division one play-offs kick off on Saturday with TJ Perenara’s Black Rams Tokyo facing Sam Cane’s Suntory Sungoliath as World Cup winners and ex-All Blacks teammates clash at Tokyo’s Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium. The history-making Rams are making their first appearance in the top-flight post-season after former All Blacks centre Tabai Matson, who played for then-Top League side Yamaha Jubilo (now Shizuoka Blue Revs) from 2001 to 2006, impressively steered the To

Ex-All Blacks wing Charles Piutau and former URC Player of The Year Sanele Nohamba have both left division one Japanese side Shizuoka Blue Revs. Yuichiro Fujii’s side, who are captained by Springboks star Kwagga Smith, has endured a disappointing campaign as they narrowly missed out on a play-offs spot with a seventh-placed finish. The Yamaha-backed Blue Revs will make wholesale changes to their squad this summer after announcing the departure of 14 players today including tw

Blacks Rams Tokyo’s World Cup-winning captain TJ Perenara lauded Suntory Sungoliath full-back Cheslin Kolbe as one of the best players in the world ahead of their League One quarter-final next week. Perenara, who was speaking at the Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) Play-Offs Media Conference in Akihabara, Tokyo, on Thursday afternoon, identified the Springboks superstar - who finished the regular season as the top points scorer - as the greatest threat posed by their Tokyo rival

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

Wallabies fly-half Noah Lolesio inspired Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi to a 34-27 win against Manie Libbok’s title-chasing Kintetsu Liners to seal the division two championship as the beaten Osaka side also missed out on the promotion play-offs. Newly-crowned champions Toyota Shuttles can look forward to a two-leg promotion/relegation play-off against Glenn Delaney’s Mitsubishi Dynaboars later this month. Surprise package Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks, who survived a relegation

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

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.

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

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

Fit-again Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk starts on his return for the relegation-threatened club who travel to Tochigi to face Honda Heat on Saturday. The 34-year-old, who returned to Japan in February after receiving treatment in South Africa, has recovered from the ankle injury he sustained in their opening round loss to Shizuoka Blue Revs on 14 December. Leon MacDonald’s basement outfit has re-registered their Springboks star and - RugbyJP.com can exclusivel

Kintetsu Liners fly-half Manie Libbok’s 13-game winning streak was ended by Toutai Kefu’s Kamaishi Seawaves on Saturday. Springboks star Libbok, 28, who won the 2023 World Cup in France, was on an unbeaten run for club and country which started in September 2025. The former Stormers man tasted defeat against the Wallabies in The Rugby Championship on Saturday August 16 when he started in the 10 jersey. In his next appearance, he came off the bench to add 13 points from the te

Fit-again Japan star Dylan Riley returns to action for Saitama Wilds Knights on Saturday and will partner Damian de Allende for the first time this season against Honda Heat. Riley, 28, has recovered from a fractured finger that he sustained against Mitsubishi Dynaboars on 28 December, as RugbyJP.com exclusively revealed in January. The former Australia u20s international underwent surgery on his little finger which involved inserting k-wires to help repair the fracture. Ats

Former Japan captain Lappies Labuschagne will make his 50th League One appearance and 100th Kubota Spears appearance when he makes his long-awaited first-team return against Mitsubishi Dynaboars on Saturday. Labuschagne, 37, has overcome a number of injury setbacks to return to League One duty for the first time since their loss to Toshiba Brave Lupus in last year’s final. His career has gone in a completely different direction to what he envisaged growing up but he has embra

Yokohama Canon Eagles star Faf de Klerk will return to Japan ‘soon’ the Springboks star has announced. The 34-year-old, who has been in talks with Top 14’s basement outfit Perpignan, has been recuperating in South Africa from an ankle injury sustained in round one of the League One competition in December. Leon MacDonald’s relegation-threatened side lost their seventh game of the season 53-31 against Black Rams Tokyo on Saturday. Yokohama, who are captained by Jesse Kriel – t

Top 14’s basement outfit Perpignan have confirmed that they have held talks with Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk. The Catalan club's president François Rivière and general manager Bruno Rolland revealed on the 100% USAP radio show that the Springboks stalwart is on their wanted list for the 2026/2027 season. Rivière said that the 34-year-old, who is currently in his homeland recovering from an ankle injury, is someone they have spoken to and remain in contact wi

Toyota Verblitz’s two-time World Player of The Year Pieter-Steph du Toit has been withdrawn from Japan Rugby League One to undergo surgery in South Africa. The 33-year-old has made three appearances this season in the second row for Steve Hansen and Ian Foster’s struggling side. Springboks great du Toit played his first club game in 587 days when he featured in their win against Franco Mostert’s Honda Heat on 13 December. The double World Cup winner got through 67 minutes aga

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk is being targeted by Top 14 basement outfit Perpignan according to French media outlet Rugby Scope. The two-time World Cup winner, 34, is currently on the sidelines in South Africa with an ankle injury and has been de-registered by his club to free up an international spot for new signing, ex-All Blacks hooker Liam Coltman. Rugby Scope reports that the former Sale Sharks man recently took part in an online video call with the 2003