Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo’unga is confident that the back-to-back champions can keep their ‘three-peat’ dream alive when they face Kubota Spears in Sunday’s quarter-final. Two-time MVP Mo’unga, 31, who will return to New Zealand when his three-year deal finishes in June, spoke to the media at the club’s headquarters in Fuchu as Todd Blackadder’s side prepare to face Frans Ludeke’s Kubota in a rematch of last year’s final. Champions Toshiba had a wildly inconsiste

Wallabies legend Will Genia will return to his native Papua New Guinea when he leaves Japanese second division side Kintetsu Liners in June. The former Queensland Reds scrum-half, 38, hung up his boots a year ago after playing six seasons alongside his former Australia half-back partner Quade Cooper for the Osaka-based Liners. Genia hails from the coastal village and rugby hotbed of Lalaura which is located in the Aroma Rural LLG of the Abau District, Central Province and is

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

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

Blues playmaker Stephen Perofeta is set to become the latest All Black to quit New Zealand Rugby for a lucrative deal in Japan. Perofeta, 29, who won the last of his six All Blacks caps against Ireland in November 2024, will reunite with former Blues coach Leon MacDonald at Yokohama Canon Eagles who are captained by Springboks star Jessie Kriel. SportNation broke the story on Monday that the 2024 Super Rugby winner will move overseas at the end of the season as he joins a gro

All Blacks XV back-rower Devan Flanders will leave Super Rugby leaders the Hurricanes this summer to join an unnamed Japanese side. Havelock North native Flanders, 26, made three appearances for Jamie Joseph’s All Blacks XV in November and, having played a key role for Clark Laidlaw’s table-topping side this season, was expected to be in contention for Dave Rennie’s All Blacks. The highly-regarded flanker, who has scored two tries in 10 appearances this year, is a product of

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

Black Rams Tokyo captain TJ Perenara faced his long-time former All Blacks colleague Aaron Smith for possibly the last time on Sunday as the latter’s Toyota Verblitz prevailed 40-28 to keep alive their play-off hopes. Perenara, 34, has been the driving force behind the Black Rams’ impressive season with Tabai Matson’s fourth-placed team on the verge of booking a play-off spot for the first time in the League One era. The 89-cap All Black, an ever-present for the Rams in his s

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

Black Rams Tokyo’s Japan-qualified full-back Isaac Lucas has spoken of his desire to play Test rugby as his club closes in on achieving their best League One finish. The 27-year-old Brisbane native has been an ever-present for Tabai Matson’s high-flying side who are currently fifth in the table and are on the verge of clinching a top six play-off berth spot for the first time. Lucas played the full 80 minutes in their 37-33 triumph over play-off rivals Shizuoka Blue Revs in K

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

Former Brave Blossoms head coach Jamie Joseph, Springboks assistant coach Tony Brown and All Blacks great Richie McCaw had lunch together on Friday in Wanaka, sources have told RugbyJP.com . Current Highlanders and All Blacks XV head coach Joseph and ex-Saitama Wild Knights fly-half Brown led Japan to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history at the tournament they hosted in 2019. The 56-year-old has been tipped to succeed ex-Black Rams Tokyo flanker S

Wallabies legend and former Hanazono Kintetsu Liners star Will Genia has announced his retirement at the age of 37. Genia and his...

Kubota Spears scrum-half Bryn Hall has tipped Toshiba Brave Lupus fly-half Richie Mo-unga to return to Japan after his third tilt at a...

Toshiba Brave Lupus centre and ex-All Black Seta Tamanivalu has been named in Fiji’s 30-man squad for the 2025 Pacific Nations Cup. The...

Former League One champions Kubota Spears will play Super Rugby Pacific side NSW Waratahs at Spears Edoriku Field (Edogawa Stadium) in...

New Super Rugby Pacific Chief Jack Mesley has said that he has an ‘open mind’ to new teams joining the competition including from Japan,...

League One division three new boys Secom Rugguts has sealed a major transfer coup in signing utility back Chase Tiatia from Western...