Former Toulouse star Naoto Saito has replaced All Blacks centurion Sam Cane as Suntory Sungoliath’s captain for the 2026-2027 season. The two-time Top 14 winner, 29, has returned to Fuchu-based Suntory this summer after two seasons in France with star-studded Toulouse. Saito playing against Toyota in 2024 - © JRLO Saito captained Eddie Jones’ Japan to Pacific Nations Cup glory this month in the absence of Super Rugby winner Warner Dearns who was rested. The ex-Sunwolves scrum

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has revealed that French star Emmanuel Meafou turned down an approach to represent the Wallabies during the Australian’s short-lived second stint in charge of his country. Jones, 66, tried to entice the then-uncapped New Zealand-born lock Emmanuel Meafou, who grew up in Australia, to represent the Wallabies when he was reappointed to the Wallabies hotseat in 2023 for their ill-fated World Cup campaign. Meafou was already a starter at Top 14 giants

France captain Antoine Dupont was reunited with his Toulouse teammate Naoto Saito at the World Expo in Osaka on Monday. The injured Paris...