Welcome to 2 May edition of RugbyJP.com’s Weekly Gossip Column as we round-up all the latest news, transfer rumours, departures and more. Kubota Spears stars Liam Williams and Bernard Foley are poised to stay with the reigning champions who announced a list of the 12 departing players this summer. All Blacks legend Dane Coles will retire while South African lock JD Schickerling will return to Cape Town after signing a three-year deal with the DHL Stormers. (Kubota Spears)
Williams, who is targeting the 2027 World Cup with Wales, told RugbyJapan365 about his plans for his future with Kubota: “I want to show more of my performance next season.” – (RugbyJP.com)
Kubota head coach Frans Ludeke, who was previously a contender for the Brave Blossoms head coach job before the JRFU turned to Eddie Jones, will take over at Ulster next season according to rugby journalist Rich Freeman
Urayasu-D-Rocks head coach Johan Ackermann ‘has an option to return to South Africa’ at the end of the season (Planet Rugby)
Springboks star Kwagga Smith, who has been sidelined since January, has a contract until 2027 with Shizuoka Blue Revs. The club captain suffered a “Adductor Longus Tendon Rupture” injury against Suntory and said that he’s turned down offers in France, England and South Africa to remain in Japan (RugbyRP)
NEC Green Rockets’ Japanese legend Fumiaki Tanaka, 39, a veteran of three World Cups, will retire at the end of the season. (RugbyJP.com)
The cousin of Kyoto Sangyo University’s 20-year-old Tongan lock Solomone Funaki, who is also Solomone Funaki, 30, will leave Super Rugby outfit Moana Pasifika to join Wales’ URC strugglers Dragons RFC on a long-term deal. The World Cup star has 15 caps for Tonga
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All Blacks captain Sam Cane was pictured in a team meeting with Suntory last week but wasn’t visible in their pictures from the training field or the gym. Cane hasn’t played since sustaining a back injury in January. The club are still to make any comment about this absence (Suntory Sungoliath Instagram)
South Africa’s back-to-back World Cup winner Faf de Klerk remains unavailable for Yokohama Canon Eagles. The world-renowned scrum-half was deregistered in February and replaced by his former Sale Sharks teammate Rohan Janse van Rensburg as a Category C player. (RugbyJP)
League One announced that the 2023-2024 Division 1 champions will receive ¥50,000,000 (£253,898.93) in prize money. The division 1 MPV will receive ¥1,000,000 (£5,077.00) in prize money (League One)
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