Saitama’s Nawaqanitawase to make JRLO bow against Kerevi and Petaia
Incoming Saitama Wild Knights wing Mark Nawaqanitawase will make his Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) debut against Wallabies teammates Jordan Petaia and Samu Kerevi’s Urayasu D-Rocks on Saturday 12 December.
Cross-code revelation Nawaqanitawase, 26, has been signed by the inaugural League One winners on a two-year deal as a replacement for his ex-Australia teammate Marika Koroibete who has since joined Swansea-based URC side Ospreys.
The wing wizard is currently on NRL Premiership Finals Series duty for the Sydney Roosters and starts in Saturday’s semi-final against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in Sydney.
Former Waratahs livewire Nawaqanitawase, who has scored 41 tries in 44 NRL games, last represented his country during their ill-fated 2023 World Cup campaign under Eddie Jones.
He will face two of his World Cup teammates Kerevi and Urayasu newcomer Petaia on the opening day of the 2026/2027 season which will feature 18 regular season rounds with the top-six advancing to the post-season play-offs.
Ahead of his anticipated League One bow, RugbyJP.com expects Nawaqanitawase to make his return to rugby in the Test arena for Australia.
The New South Wales product, who will also be eligible to represent Fiji and Italy from next month based on his family heritage, is set to hand new head coach Les Kiss a major boost for the Nations Championship’s Northern Hemisphere stage in November.
Nawaqanitawase’s soon-to-be Saitama teammates Lood de Jager and Damian de Allende will be away on Boks duty and - as per World Rugby’s rules which state that clubs must release players selected by their country during officially designated international windows – the Australian will have the green light to return.
The Wallabies, who are unbeaten under Kiss with three wins and a draw (last time out) to show from their respective double headers against Japan and Argentina, will play England, Scotland and Wales, before learning their Nations Championship Finals opponents.
Atsushi Kanazawa’s star-laden Saitama side finished last season’s campaign in second place behind Dave Rennie’s eventual champions Kobe Steelers. Saitama, who are operated by historic Japanese electronics giant Panasonic, narrowly lost their semi-final to Kubota Spears before bouncing back with a win over Suntory Sugoliath in the third-place play-off.
League One runners up in 2023 and 2024 under legendary coach Robbie Deans, Saitama beat Urayasu 37-19 at home last season before suffering a shock 27-24 loss to Graham Rowntree’s team in Tokyo.
Stay tuned to RugbyJP.com for on-site coverage of the 2026-27 League One season
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