5 Things to Look Out for in League One - RD 14

1. Do or Die for Smith, Barrett and du Toit in Japan 

Steve Hansen’s Toyota Verblitz find themselves in an ominous must-win position in round 14 as they host unbeaten league leaders Saitama Wild Knights at Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium on Saturday. 

Toyota, who are coached by Ben Herring with Hansen working as the club’s Director of Rugby since 2019, have disappointed this season with seven wins and six losses. 

The Aichi outfit sit sixth with an outside chance of finishing in the top four to earn a play-off spot with three regular season games remaining. 

Toyota call on their leading men Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Kazuki Himeno for their biggest game of the season. 

Ageless scrum-half Smith (below), 35, who threw out the first pitch at Chunichi Dragons baseball game in Nagoya on Wednesday, has played in all 13 games for the club this season while Barrett, 32, has made 10 appearances and Springbok du Toit, 31, has earned nine caps. 

Toyota host their rivals for the fourth play-off spot, Yokohama Canon Eagles, who have won two more games than the former, in Aichi next week. 

They conclude their regular season at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on 5 May against lowly Black Rams Tokyo. 

2. Suntory can secure play-off spot by beating Charles Piutau’s Shizuoka

Perennial League One contenders Suntory Sungoliath can secure the third play-off spot by defeating Shizuoka Blue Revs on Friday in Tokyo. 

Injury-hit Suntory are without Cheslin Kolbe (leg) and Sam Cane (back) while Gareth Anscombe’s replacement, Argentine veteran Nicolás Sánchez, is yet to start a League One game for the Fuchu-based club and is not named in the 23-man matchday squad.

Kiyonori Tanaka’s side, who have only lost three games, still possess plenty of quality as they aim to join the Wild Knights and Toshiba Brave Lupus who have already booked their spots in the post-season playoffs. Hooker Kosuke Horikoshi is in the form of his career having chipped in with 11 tries in 13 games and he starts alongside the settled half-back pairing of Yutaka Nagare and Mikiya Takamoto while the Ozaki brothers, Taiga and Seiya, campaign at outside centre and right wing respectively as Kotaro Matsushima retains his place at full-back.

Seventh-placed Shizuoka Blue Revs' former All Black Charles Piutau keeps the number 13 jersey – after an early season switch from full-back - while the league’s top marksman, Malo Tuitama, who qualifies for Samoa, New Zealand and Japan, will be looking to add to his 15 tries from the left wing. 

3. Jesse Kriel returns on the bench for Yokohama

Springboks star Jesse Kriel returns to Yokohama’s matchday squad for the first time since 13 January. 

The 30-year-old, who underwent surgery on an injured thumb in South Africa, is named among the replacement’s for Saturday’s clash against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars. 

Back-to-back World Cup winner Kriel, who spent one season with the Red Hurricanes in Osaka from 2015-2016, has made five appearances this campaign. 

Yokohama fans will have to wait to see Kriel’s club and international colleague Faf de Klerk return to action. 

The world-renowned scrum-half, 32, was deregistered in January - in order to open up a Category C spot for compatriot Rohan Janse van Rensburg - after temporarily withdrawing from League One duties to go under the knife in his homeland to fix a knee injury. 

Fourth-placed Yokohama have won nine games and are in pole position for the last play-off place and would all but guarantee that berth by besting ninth-placed Dynaboars at Chichibunomiya. 

4. Fit-again Pablo Matera earns first start in 2024 for Honda Heat 

Argentina star Pablo Matera makes his first start of the season for Honda Heat against Toshiba Brave Lupus in Mie Prefecture on Sunday. 

Matera, 30, who tore his hamstring at the World Cup against Japan, will aim to inject some much-needed mettle and into the top-flight newcomers who’ve only won once all season.

The former Jaguares man, who starts at number eight, has South Africa’s two-time World Cup winner Franco Mostert for company in the forwards pack as the league’s top tackler (198) starts in the second row. 

Former Wallabies full-back Tom Banks gets the nod at 15 while former Suntory winger Tevita Li, whose failed to cross in eight appearances this term, remains absent. 

Todd Blackadder shuffles his talent-laden squad as he rotates out Kiwi’s Shannon Frizell and Rob Thompson with the play-offs in mind while star man Richie Mo'unga remains on compassionate leave after the passing of his father. Welsh-qualified Michael Collins starts for the second game in a row after impressing with two tries on his first League One start a week ago.

5. Liam Williams returns v Warren Gatland’s son at the Sapporo Dome

Welsh full-back Liam Williams, 33, returns for champions Kubota Spears on Sunday for his first League One start since 24 February. 

The Port Talbot native, who has two tries in four top-flight appearances, plays against Warren Gatland’s son Bryn Gatland who has led Kobe’s charge this season as the league’s top points scorer (172). 

Kubota have suffered seven defeats in 13 games as they’ve made a limp defence of the  crown they won against the Wild Knights at the National Stadium in Tokyo last May. 

Frans Ludeke’s injury concerns have eased and he can call on his high-profile names in Dane Coles, Bernard Foley and Williams for the game at the Sapporo Dome in Hokkaido. 

Stormers-bound lock JD Schickerling is among the replacements. 

Kobe Steelers, who played out an 80-point thriller last Sunday against Toshiba - a game from which their second half dominance should have provided victory – hand Japan-qualified Tiennan Costley the number eight jersey with All Blacks legend Brodie Retallick in the second row and long-time Japan international Timothy Lafaele and former Fiji u20s international Michael Little forming a new midfield partnership. 

World Player of The Year Ardie Savea, who scored four tries against Toyota Verblitz in March, is named on the bench.  Pictures courtesy of Toyota Verblitz, Yokohama Canon Eagles and Kubota Spears