Official Review: Japan Rugby League One 2025-26 | Round One

Injury plagued former Brave Blossoms flyhalf Takuya Yamasawa was the star as Saitama Wild Knights gave Toshiba
Brave Lupus Tokyo a nasty surprise, carrying out a 46-0 demolition of the defending champions to complete the
opening weekend of Japan Rugby League One in Tokyo today.
Highly rated by former Wild Knights boss Robbie Deans, the man-of-the-match in the inaugural League One final
has managed just 17 appearances across the last two seasons, but all of those worries seemed behind him this
afternoon as he ran the game and ruthlessly punished his opponent’s mistakes, kicking eight out of eight to return
26 of his side’s points.
Uncharacteristically error prone and ill disciplined, Brave Lupus were unable to build up any pressure of their own,
with star flyhalf, All Black Richie Mo’unga, largely played out of the game, while two yellow cards didn’t help.
It was effectively over as a contest for the 32,600 people in attendance at halftime, by which time the Wild Knights
led 33-0, with former London Irish and Saracens fullback Tom Parton scoring the third of his side’s four tries.
While Deans remains involved as an advisor, the win, and in particular the way it was achieved, was a perfect start
for new Wild Knights boss Atsushi Kanazawa, and his ex-international lieutenants, Shota Horie and Berrick Barnes.
Despite a try by Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, Yokohama Canon Eagles were unable to give their new coach,
former (Auckland) Blues mentor Leon MacDonald, a winning start, as Shizuoka BlueRevs came from three points
down at halftime to score a 39-27 success.

De Klerk left the field before halftime in what will be a concern to each of the Yokohama and Springbok brains
trusts after two injury hit seasons.
The BlueRevs’ own star scrumhalf, Shuntaro Kitamura, who scored 15 tries during his breakout season last term,

contributed one of Shizuoka’s three unanswered second half tries, after winger Malo Tuitama (twice) and centre
Semi Radradra had crossed in the first period.
South African inside centre Sylvian Mahuza also picked up two in the second half to complete the try-scoring as
the Eagles wilted.
The win represented the first time the BlueRevs had beaten the Eagles away from home since 2018, offering
promising signs after Yuichiro Fujii’s side had rocketed up the standings last term to qualify for the playoffs.
Frans Ludeke’s Kubota Spears extended their winning streak over Kobelco Kobe Steelers to seven, overcoming the
red carding of ex-Wellington Lions second rower Akira Ieremia in Saturday’s meritorious 33-28 win in front of over
20,000 people at Noevir Stadium.
All Black centre Anton Lienert Brown touched down on League One debut as Dave Rennie’s men led 16-15 at the
break, but the home side was unable to capitalize when Ieremia was dismissed 11 minutes into the second period
for dangerous play, suffering themselves when Lienert Brown’s test teammate, backrower Ardie Savea, was yellow
carded for dissent.
The two sides traded tries in Savea’s absence, but Brave Blossoms winger Haruto Kida scored the match winner,
with his second try of the afternoon providing the Spears with a five point buffer they retained until the finish.
BlackRams Tokyo surrendered a narrow halftime lead as they were downed 29-15 by Tokyo Sungoliath, with test
men Sean McMahon and Cheslin Kolbe contributing two of the winner’s four second half tries.
Having lowered the colours of Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars in the final match of the last regular season,
Urayasu D-Rocks repeated the feat to give new boss Graham Rowntree a 27-24 win first up.
In a dramatic finish, the Dynaboars led 24-20 with the clock in the red, but an 81st minute try by the former
Waikato winger from New Zealand’s national provincial championship, Tana Tuhakaraina, got D-Rocks home.
After underwhelming last term, which reaped just four wins, there would have been relief around Aichi as Toyota
Verblitz also got under way with a win.

Former World Player of the Year Pieter Steph du Toit, who was utilized in the second row, was among the try-
scorers in the 44-33 defeat of Mie Honda Heat.

The big South African found himself on the wing for his try, and also during an assist, when he got his pass away
in contact to set up veteran former Brave Blossoms flyhalf Rikiya Matsuda for a decisive try.
Matsuda missed much of last term due to injury after his transfer from the Wild Knights, and he illustrated what
Verblitz had lost during his absence, opening the new campaign with a 19-point haul.
Springbok flyhalf Manie Libbok shone on his debut in the league, kicking five from six in Hanazono Kintetsu Liners’
statement 40-14 win over reigning Division Two champions, Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi.
Hanazono blew their hosts away in the final 30 minutes, running in four tries, one of which was scored by All Black
centre Peter Umaga Jensen, whose twin brother Thomas was one of two Shuttles players yellow carded in a testy
final five minutes.

Well-travelled ex-Mitsubishi coach Greg Cooper marked his return to Japan with a win as Green Rockets Tokatsu
overpowered RedHurricanes Osaka 31-14, with winger Teruya Gota registering the competition’s first hattrick of
the season.
Former Irish flyhalf Billy Burns was to the fore as Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks beat ex-Wallaby Toutai Kefu’s Nippon
Steel Kamaishi Seawaves 28-17, while Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex edged Hino Red Dolphins 25-22.
Division Three saw the reigning champions, SkyActivs Hiroshima, account for SAYAMA SECOM RUGGUTS 40-26,
while Wycliff Palu’s Kurita Water Gush Akishima rallied from a 20-7 halftime deficit to edge Chugoku Electric
Power Red Regulions 27-23.
After having had to wait 11 weeks for a first win in their maiden season last term, Le RIRO Fukuoka ticked that
milestone off on their first day at the office this time, taking down Yakult Levins Toda 27-22 in the final match of
the round.

Japan Rugby League One – Round One Results

Division One

Saturday December 13
Tokyo Sungoliath 29, BlackRams Tokyo 15; at Tokyo (Chichibu)

Urayasu D-Rocks 27, Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars 24; at Chiba
Toyota Verblitz 44, Mie Honda Heat 33; at Aichi
Kubota Spears 33, Kobelco Kobe Steelers 28; at Hygo
Sunday December 14
Shizuoka BlueRevs 39, Yokohama Canon Eagles 27; at Kanagawa
Saitama Wild Knights 46, Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo 0; at Tokyo (Ajinomoto)