Japan Rugby Weekly Gossip Column

Welcome to RugbyJP.com’s Weekly Gossip Column as we round-up all the latest news, transfer rumours and more. 

All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor (above - centre) was sat amongst the Toshiba Brave Lupus squad while watching their game against the Dynaboars in Tokyo on Sunday. 

Taylor, 32, whose currently on a non-playing sabbatical from the Crusaders, is also following the Brave Lupus Instagram account. (League One)

League One-bound Jasper Wiese is set to be replaced at Leicester Tigers by 20-year-old Junior Springbok Corne Beets. 

Wiese is set to join division two side Urayasu D-Rocks this summer while his replacement for the Tigers has signed a ‘long-term deal’ with the Midlands outfit. (BBC Sport)

Lood de Jager: A heart locked and loaded for the trophy hunt. (Times Live)

Rugby Championship expansion unlikely (Stuff NZ) 

Samu Kerevi won the Kerevi brothers (below) derby on Sunday. Australia international Samu’s D-Rocks side won 19-14 against his older brother Josua’s Toyota Shuttles side in a division two match. Samu started at 12 while Josua, who used to play sevens for Japan, campaigned at 15. (RugbyJP)

Eddie Jones ready to put England revival to the test in Japan after his former team’s Six Nations turnaround (Metro)

Mystery surrounds fitness of All Blacks captain Sam Cane after reported injury in Japan (NZ Herald)

Head coach Eddie Jones eyes paths for Japanese rugby transformation (Kyodo News)

History made as Japanese referees officiate at schools rugby game in Tipperary, Ireland (The Tipperary Star)