League One’s third tier resumes this weekend with two games set to take place on Saturday 6 January.
Division 3 leaders Hino Red Dolphins travel to fellow undefeated outfit Skyactivs Hiroshima in the early kick-off.
The Tokyo-based Dolphins will aim to make it three from three and maintain their perfect start to the new season as they bid for an instant return to Japan’s second tier.
Hino (pictured below) launched their season by besting Lima Sopoaga’s Shimizu Blue Sharks 30-16 and then saw off Kurita Water Gush Akishima 37-24.
Saturday’s visitors will look to former Auckland Blues fly-half Simon Hickey – who has 17 points to his name from two games - and the division’s top try scorer Sora Ouchi (3) to influence proceedings with Tonga’s World Cup scrum-half Augustine Pulu and hulking Australian international lock Rory Arnold both left out of their matchday 23.
Hosts Hiroshima defeated Kurita 30-15 in their sole outing to date this season.
Skyactivs Hiroshima unveiled their team on Friday afternoon.
Fly-half Beaudein Waaka, who is best known for his stint in Major League Rugby with New England Free Jacks, will be tipped to add to his haul of nine points from the opening game.
Australia’s Jacob Abel, formerly of Western Force, was a potent attacking threat last season and starts at inside centre.
Compatriot Lachlan Osborne is now in his fourth season in Hiroshima – and has played in all three divisions – and provides power in the second row.
13.00 KO - Balcom BMW Stadium (Hiroshima Prefecture)
The five-team third tier’s two winless sides also meet on Saturday.
Basement club Kurita Water Gush Akishima entertain winless Chugoku Red Regulions at AGF Field in Chofu, Tokyo.
Hiroshima-based Red Regulions have the division’s top points scorer in their ranks in fly-half Hayato Miyazaki.
The 23-year-old Hotoku Gakuen Ritsumeikan University graduate scored all of his team’s 19 points in their loss to the Sharks.
Water Gush call on the destructive former Kamaishi Seawaves flanker Tevita Oto. The Tonga-born 25-year-old is a graduate of Nihon University and is eligible for Japan as a category A registered player.
Former England international Piers Francis, 33, who spent six years with Northampton Saints, gets the nod at fly-half while former Castres Olympique flanker Teariki Ben-Nicholas starts at number eight.
14.30 KO - AGF Field (Tokyo)
Both games will be available on J SPORTS On Demand
Division 2 PREVIEW
There is only Division 2 fixture as lowly Kyuden Vortex host last-placed Kamaishi Seawaves.
Vortex and Seawaves are the only winless teams in the second tier and will both see Saturday’s game in Fukuoka as the perfect opportunity to earn their first victory of the season and to make a bright start to 2024.
Vortex’s flanker Colby Fainga’a, who spent five seasons with the Melbourne Rebels from 2014-2018, scored one try in each of club’s defeats to Red Hurricanes Osaka and Urayasu D-Rocks in December but doesn’t feature in the matchday 23.
The Seawaves will try to put the ball in the hands of flanker Kohei Ishigaki who has gained 192 metres this season despite the Iwate-based side losing all three of their games in December.
Ishigaki leads the way with two tries and will be hoping an experienced backline can take some pressure off him.
Former Japan international Jamie Henry starts on the left wing while ex-Hino centre Mosese Tonga (below - left) comes into the midfield.
New Zealand’s Cameron Bailey, who represented his country at junior level in Australian rules football and bowls, starts at full-back.
13.00 KO - Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu (Fukuoka Prefecture)
This game will be aired live and free on the League One website. Click here to visit the site
The fixture will also be broadcast on J SPORTS 4 and J SPORTS On Demand
Picture courtesy of Hino Red Dolphins and Kamaishi Seawaves
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