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

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

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

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

All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan is currently in Japan for a guest coach role with Leon MacDonald’s relegation-threatened Yokohama Canon Eagles, RugbyJP can exclusively reveal. Ryan, who joined the All Blacks fold in 2022 under then-head coach Ian Foster, has joined Jesse Kriel-led Yokohama for two weeks. New Zealand Rugby is understood to be on the verge of naming a new head coach next week following Scott Robertson's departure in January. The long-time former Crusaders

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

South Africa’s injured double World Cup winner Faf de Klerk has been de-registered by his Japanese club Yokohama Canon Eagles, RugbyJP can exclusively reveal. The 34-year-old suffered a serious ankle injury in the opening round when he attempted to tackle Shizuoka Blue Revs wing Valynce Te Whare on 14 December and returned to his homeland for medical treatment Yokohama previously announced that their injury-hit scrum-half, who has been linked with a return to the English Prem

Yokohama Canon Eagles’ Springboks star Faf de Klerk has returned to South Africa to receive treatment after suffering a serious injury in the round one game against Shizuoka Blue Revs on 14 December. The 34-year-old double World Cup winner went down just 32 minutes into the new season after attempting a tackle on wing Valynce Te Whare and was replaced 90 seconds later by Kazufumi Yamasuga. Yokohama announced earlier this week that their injury-hit scrum-half, who has been lin

South Africa’s double World Cup winner Faf de Klerk returns to action for Yokohama Canon Eagles on Saturday for the first time since sustaining a hand injury on League one duty in March. The 34-year-old, who last featured for his country in July’s win over Georgia, was left out of the Springboks’ Autumn tour squad despite Rassie Erasmus stating that the veteran scrum-half remains firmly in their plans. Erasmus felt that the Mbombela native would be better served getting regul

Springboks ace Jesse Kriel has spoken of his pride after being named as Yokohama Canon Eagles’ first non-Japanese captain. The 31-year-old, who joined the club in 2020 and has made 56 League One appearances, takes over the role from former Japan international and his midfield partner Yusuke Kajimura. Double World Cup winner Kriel scored nine tries in 16 appearances last season as Yokohama underperformed, missing the play-offs with an eighth-place finish. Head coach Keisuke

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed that Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk remains in his plans despite leaving the double World Cup-winning veteran out of his Autumn Nations squad. The Rugby Championship winners open their end-of-year tour against Eddie Jones’ Japan at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday. Erasmus has picked seven-Japan based players in his starting line-up with a further two League One representatives among the replacements while

Yokohama Canon Eagles scrum-half Faf de Klerk has been added to the Springbok’s squad for their back-to-back Rugby Championship Test...

Former Japan star and free agent Amanaki Mafi has joined English Gallagher Prem side Newcastle Falcons on a one-year deal. Tonga-born...

Yokohama Canon Eagles’ double World Cup-winning scrum-half Faf de Klerk has been overlooked for South Africa’s 37-man squad for the first...

Japan head coach Eddie Jones believes that uncapped wing Kippei Ishida has the potential to be a better player than South Africa’s...

Yokohama Canon eagles wing Kippei Ishida, 25, had a breakout season in 2024-2025. The former Japan sevens star scored 11 tries to earn a...

Play-off contenders Yokohama Canon Eagles has announced that South African loose forward Jeandre Labuschagne has joined the club until...