Faf de Klerk and Aaron Smith set for final showdown in Japan

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 country’s virtual alignment camp on March 17, scored a sensational hat-trick last week as his lowly team stunned Dave Rennie’s title contenders Kobe Steelers last Friday.

Yokohama’s blonde fan favourite, who has made 36 League One appearances since arriving from Sale Sharks in 2022, is understood to be out of contract this summer.  

© Yokohama Canon Eagles

Reports have linked the 2019 and 2023 World Cup winner with a return to his homeland to join the Cheetahs.

Meanwhile evergreen Smith, who has made 11 appearances this season, is coming to the end of his three-year contract with Toyota and is understood to have a host of suitors in the Top 14 and in New Zealand.

The 2015 World Cup winner made the switch from the Highlanders to Japan following the sport’s showpiece event in 2023 for a lucrative deal with the Kazuki Himeno-led side.  

Smith, who has 124 caps for New Zealand, has made 43 League One appearances and is leading a late play-off push for Hansen and Ian Foster’s resurgent team.

Toyota have won three of their last four games and are six points adrift of Richie Mo’unga’s underperforming champions Toshiba Brave Lupus who currently occupy the final play-off spot in sixth place.  

© Toyota Verblitz

Leon MacDonald’s hosts Yokohama are enjoying their best run of the season as they registered back-to-back wins for the first time at the expense of Honda Heat and Kobe.

De Klerk and Smith, who last collided in the Test match arena in the 2023 World Cup final in Paris, have only played against each once before in Japan’s top-flight.

Yokohama prevailed 24-22 on that day in December 2023 despite a late Smith try at the Nissan Stadium in front of 31,312 fans.

Yokohama's team to play Toyota

The same stadium in Kanagawa will host Saturday’s intriguing encounter between two improving teams and has proven to be a happy hunting ground for De Klerk who won the 2019 World Cup final there against England.

Fans will flock to Yokohama once again to see what is expected to be the final duel between De Klerk and Smith, two of the game’s great scrum-halves, who will no doubt be at the heart of the action.

Toyota's team to play Yokohama

Stay tuned to RugbyJP.com for on-site coverage of Yokohama v Toyota