Honda Heat wing Tevita Li set to qualify for Japan
Honda Heat wing Tevita Li is set to qualify for Japan and hand Brave Blossoms head coach Eddie Jones another option in a problem position for the Pacific Nations Cup winners, RugbyJP.com understands.
Auckland native Li, 31, has plied his trade in Japan since 2020 after leaving the Highlanders to join Suntory Sungoliath during the Top League era.
The former New Zealand U20 international made a surprise move to Honda in 2023 and now, after seven seasons in Japan, is set to move from Category B (Uncapped foreign player at Test level) into the new Category A2 from the 2026-2027 season and become eligible for the national team.
World Rugby's international eligibility rules require five years of continuous residence or registration under applicable criteria in order to qualify for a nation outside of a player's homeland.
However, Li, who scored six tries in five games in his debut season for Suntory in 2019-2020, played in the NPC in 2022 for North Harbour which - its understood - reset his registration clock for Japan.
World Rugby changed an eligibility ruling in 2024 to allow players to spend time overseas during the five-year qualification period, provided they maintain exclusive registration with a rugby body in the country they wish to represent.
Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) also amended its own eligibility rules in 2024 with the then-Category A (Japan-qualified) limit of spending 62 days per year overseas being removed.
JRLO will introduce a modified player classification system for next season with Category A broken down into A1 and A2 sub-categories to encourage the development of homegrown Japanese players.
The new Category A1 will include players who were born in Japan, or who have at least one parent or grandparent born in Japan. It will also house foreign-born players - who have not represented another country - who have spent six years or more in Japan during the nine years of compulsory education (primary and junior high school).
Players with 30 or more caps for the Japan national team will also be classed as A1.
Category A2 will include players with no representative history for another union who have been continuously registered with the JRFU for at least 48 months.
Li, who played for the Barbarians in 2014, scored five tries in 10 appearances for Honda last season, his best return during his time in Suzuka.
The club has moved 300 miles to Tochigi in the off-season and replaced former Italy head coach Kieran Crowley with South African Marius Goosen who was an internal promotion from his previous role as their defence coach.
Li has looked sharp in Honda’s pre-season outings and will be hoping to hit his best form when the season kicks off on 12 December against two-time League One champions Toshiba Brave Lupus.
Japan head coach Eddie Jones vowed to ‘search the universe for wingers’ in September to unearth players who – like Fiji-born newcomer Inoke Burua – can put pressure on first-choice flyers Kippei Ishida and Kazuma Ueda.
Honda will host division two newcomers Secom Rugguts in their next pre-season fixture on Saturday 31 October.
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