Dual-code star Mark Nawaqanitawase has arrived in Japan to join his new club Saitama Wild Knights as he completes his eagerly-awaited return to the 15-man game. Nawaqanitawase, 26, scored two tries in his NRL send-off as he helped the Sydney Roosters edge Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a dramatic Grand Final last month. © Sydney Roosters Since then, the former Waratahs wing wizard has announced that he will make a decision regarding his Test rugby future next year with the possib

Former Glasgow Warriors number eight Jack Dempsey helped his new club Toshiba Brave Lupus Musashi to a win in their first pre-season game against rivals Saitama Wild Knights on Saturday. Dempsey, 32, has joined the 2024 and 2025 League One champions on a lucrative four-year deal and has been training with his new employers since August. The former Wallaby was signed as a replacement for All Black Shannon Frizell who returned to New Zealand in June after a three-year stay in J

Saitama Wild Knights-bound wing wizard Mark Nawaqanitawase has commented on his return to rugby union for the first time since his agent suggested that the dual-code star could switch allegiance to represent Fiji or Italy next year. Sydney-born Nawaqanitawase, 26, scored a brace to help the Sydney Roosters to a dramatic 19-18 NRL Grand Final win over Newcastle Knights on 4 October in the final game of his two-year deal. Sydney Roosters © The former Waratahs star last represen

Japan Rugby League One side Urayasu D-Rocks will give away 30,000 free tickets for their history-making games at Tokyo’s National Stadium in 2027. Urayasu are coached by former England international Graham Rowntree and their talented squad includes Wallabies internationals Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia, Super Rugby winner Devan Flanders, a summer recruit from the Highlanders, and Springboks powerhouse Jasper Wiese. Kerevi in action against Saitama - © JRLO The NTT Communicati

Former Toshiba Brave Lupus flanker Shannon Frizell has returned to the All Blacks squad for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after being named in a 34-man squad for the two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies. The 32-year-old returned to New Zealand in June after spending three seasons with Japan Rugby League One outfit Toshiba alongside Richie Mo’unga during which time both players were unavailable for All Blacks selection. © JRLO Tonga-born Frizell,

Incoming Saitama Wild Knights wing Mark Nawaqanitawase will make his Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) debut against Wallabies teammates Jordan Petaia and Samu Kerevi’s Urayasu D-Rocks on Saturday 12 December. Cross-code revelation Nawaqanitawase, 26, has been signed by the inaugural League One winners on a two-year deal as a replacement for his ex-Australia teammate Marika Koroibete who has since joined Swansea-based URC side Ospreys. The wing wizard is currently on NRL Premiers

New Urayasu D-Rocks signing Jordan Petaia has been recalled by the Wallabies for the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup ahead of their Test match against the Springboks in Perth on 27 September. Former Queensland Reds utility-back Petaia, 26, walked away from rugby in 2024 to take part in the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program and signed with Los Angeles Chargers the following April before being released four months later. The Victoria native, who made hi

Ospreys head coach Mark Jones has billed new signing Marika Koroibete as an ‘explosive talent’ after the Australian wing made the surprise move from Saitama to Swansea. Former Wallabies standout Koroibete, 34, was a free agent after leaving Atsushi Kanazawa’s third-place play-off winners the Wild Knights in June. The dual-code star spent five seasons in Kumagaya, scoring 31 tries in 68 games including a crucial try in their 2022 League One final win over Suntory Sungoliath (b

RugbyJP.com has compiled a 12-man list of high-profile Japan Rugby League One players who could potentially switch Test nations in the 2026/2027 season. Toyota's Mark Tele'a and Suntory's Kotaro Matsushima contest a high ball - © JRLO Notes: This is a list of players who have the possibility of changing nations (as it stands) providing they complete a mandatory three-year stand down period from their last Test match. All requests for a change in nationality are subject to app

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

Former Saitama Wild Knights wing Marika Koroibete has joined Indian sevens side Chennai Bulls on a lucrative short-term deal. Koroibete, 33, who scored three tries this season for the third-place play-off winners, will play for his new side in the second instalment of the HSBC-backed Rugby Premier League from 16 to 28 June in Hyderabad, India. © JRLO The ex-Wallabies winger last represented Australia in 2024 and, after five seasons in Kumagaya, is one of eight players who hav

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

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

Former Wallabies scrum-half and World Cup runner-up Nick Phipps has left division two side NEC Green Rockets after four years in Japan. Ex-NEC captain Phipps, 37, made three appearances this year in an injury-hit season as Greg Cooper’s Chiba-based side, whose ownership and management will transfer from NEC to JR East Japan Railway Company in July, finished in fourth-place. The Australian stalwart made 36 appearances for the former division one side and is among an 11-strong

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

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

Toyota Shuttles Aichi’s new fly-half Noah Lolesio has spoken of his desire to return to the Wallabies fold after an impressive start in Japan following a lengthy lay-off. Lolesio, 26, was overlooked for the 2023 World Cup by Eddie Jones but established himself as the Wallabies’ first-choice fly-half under Joe Schmidt before suffering a serious neck injury in a Test match against Fiji last July. The fit-again former Brumbies ace, who was signed as a replacement for ex-England

Australia’s dual-code wing Mark Nawaqanitawase’s new club has been revealed as Saitama Wild Knights after the League One leaders announced the deal on Monday afternoon. The 25-year-old Sydney Roosters wing will spend a second season in the NRL this year before moving to Japan in December following the Wallabies’ end-of-year tour. According to the Sydney Herald, Nawaqanitawase has inked a two-year contract with Atsushi Kanazawa’s inaugural League One champions who are currentl

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

Wallabies star Noah Lolesio will make his debut for new side Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi on Saturday after returning to full fitness following a serious neck injury. Lolesio, 26, was overlooked for the 2023 World Cup by Eddie Jones but established himself as the Wallabies’ first-choice fly-half under Joe Schmidt before suffering a neck injury in a Test match against Fiji in July which required surgery. The fit-again former Brumbies fly-half has participated in full train