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Japan Rugby League One

Former All Black Charles Piutau heading to Japan

(Photo by Bob Bradford/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Former All Black and Tongan international Charles Piutau is headed to Japan after announcing a deal for next season.

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The Shizuoka BlueRevs officially announced the Piutau signing for the 2023/24 Japan Rugby League One season which will begin after the Rugby World Cup.

The 31-year-old has been with the Bristol Bears in the Gallagher Premiership since 2018 where he has amassed 75 Premiership caps with the club.

The Blue Revs have former Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall and Springboks flanker Kwagga Smith on the roster, but Piutau will immediately become the biggest name on the team.

The BlueRevs are currently eighth on the League One ladder with five wins and nine losses but upset the league leaders Panasonic with their first and only loss of the season.

Piutau has been one of the game’s highest paid players since leaving New Zealand in 2015 to take up a deal with Wasps.

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After two seasons in the Premiership he moved to Irish club Ulster, before moving back to Bristol under Pat Lam.

He completed an eligibility switch in 2022 and was capped by Tonga after completing the stand down period from international rugby.

After missing out on playing at Rugby World Cups in 2015 and 2019, the 2023 would be his first event if he is available for Tonga.

The signing of Piutau will boost Shizuoka’s chances next season as a wave of international names hit the Japanese league.

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Comments on RugbyPass

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GrahamVF 42 minutes ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

The main problem is that on this thread we are trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Rugby union developed as distinct from rugby league. The difference - rugby league opted for guaranteed tackle ball and continuous phase play. Rugby union was based on a stop start game with stanzas of flowing exciting moves by smaller faster players bookended by forward tussles for possession between bigger players. The obsession with continuous play has brought the hybrid (long before the current use) into play. Backs started to look more like forwards because they were expected to compete at the tackle and breakdowns completely different from what the original game looked like. Now here’s the dilemma. Scrum lineout ruck and maul, tackling kicking handling the ball. The seven pillars of rugby union. We want to retain our “World in Union” essence with the strong forward influence on the game but now we expect 125kg props to scrum like tractors and run around like scrum halves. And that in a nutshell is the problem. While you expect huge scrums and ball in play time to be both yardsticks, you are going to have to have big benches. You simply can’t have it both ways. And BTW talking about player safety when I was 19 I was playing at Stellenbosch at a then respectable (for a fly half) 160lbs against guys ( especially in Koshuis rugby) who were 100 lbs heavier than me - and I played 80 minutes. You just learned to stay out of their way. In Today’s game there is no such thing and not defending your channel is a cardinal sin no matter how unequal the task. When we hybridised with union in semi guaranteed tackle ball the writing was on the wall.

190 Go to comments
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RC 44 minutes ago
'I’m severely worried': Ex-players sound alarm over looming Irish crisis

😆😆

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R
RC 45 minutes ago
'I’m severely worried': Ex-players sound alarm over looming Irish crisis

😆😆

10 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

What you are talking about is on field tactics - not taking into account that the on field tactics are the immediate expression of a long laid carefully planned strategy. Like the “Art of War” says (not in these words) the better the strategy the less you have to adapt tactics.

190 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

What I would like to know is; in a game that developed as a stop start game with exciting flowing moves in between physical confrontations, and was eagerly watched and revered by millions, why has it become a yardstick of excellence for how long it takes to through 20 phases to gain 10 meters?

190 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

It is axiomatic that the countries with the most talented athletes will have greater depth. Limiting the bench because not all nations produce lots of high quality players is like saying lets have three runners in a relay so those who only have three top athletes can compete.

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GoTahs 1 hour ago
Highlanders confirm Fabian Holland will be sidelined until August

That’s a real shame for Holland - and I suppose it will also mean the end of the Tupou Vaa'i at 6 experiment, at least in the short term. With Barret, Vaa’i and Tuipuloto likely to be the 3 locks for the July window.

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RugCs 1 hour ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

Warped logic there. Pollock, Curry and Itoje are not bigger because they sit on the bench. In the RWC final Fourie and Kwagga were not bigger than so called power wingers. If you watch NH rugby you will know this and you will know that this supposed lack of endurance comment about T14 teams is ignorance.

190 Go to comments
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Hammer Head 2 hours ago
'I’m severely worried': Ex-players sound alarm over looming Irish crisis

🤣

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H
Hammer Head 2 hours ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

My issue is: that we keep tinkering with the game, the rules - not liking all the consequences of the changes, making more changes.

When does it end and when does rugby evolve into something that is barely recognizable?



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190 Go to comments
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Hammer Head 2 hours ago
Ireland coach John Fogarty makes frank Tadhg Furlong admission

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jb 2 hours ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

Thinking outside the box, and just throwing it out there; could we limit the number of box kicks by the 9, outside his own 22, to say five per game? That’s a random number that would need thought but it might force some greater tactical thought.

190 Go to comments
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Rabble 2 hours ago
Opening salvos will dictate Australian Super Rugby Pacific fortunes

The Reds are probably weakest in the back three these days (seems crazy looking at their quality over the years.. Ioane, Latham, Tune, Big Dell, Rocket Rod etc.).

Jock Campbell is a very solid player, but not in the league of those mentioned. Daugunu is a gun - hopefully he can stay injury free. Hopefully Tim Ryan has bulked up over the off season (without losing his pace). Lachy Anderson and Heremaia Murray are also handy - but none except Daugunu are in the A-list of Aussie rugby. Missing an out and out finisher like Jorgo.



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O
Over the sideline 3 hours ago
Opening salvos will dictate Australian Super Rugby Pacific fortunes

Looks a better draw than last years too.

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Over the sideline 3 hours ago
'I’m severely worried': Ex-players sound alarm over looming Irish crisis

Ireland have had an absolute pinnicle…Once in a generation, players all come thru with some other nationalities thrown into the mix. They should settle back into their 5-7 ranking shortly. England has far better depth.

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Over the sideline 3 hours ago
'I’m severely worried': Ex-players sound alarm over looming Irish crisis

And You! I blame you. Me to no doubt. Its my fault they are dropping down to below Italy. I did mention they were dropping before the past WC so I probably Jinxed them. Plus my Doll of Sexton still has pins in it. Should I remove them??? Yeah Nah

10 Go to comments
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GP 4 hours ago
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Good to see those 2 Crusader/All Black props already listed in top 50. The powerhouse Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell, the scrummaging maestro. Those two are weapons and give us a real advantage. Then you have a prop as good as George Bower coming on or starting if need be. George has proved his detractors wrong.

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Brett McKay 4 hours ago
Opening salvos will dictate Australian Super Rugby Pacific fortunes

I think everyone has a eye on the Force this season, GTs. There’s a bit of expectation about them, I think..

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Brett McKay 4 hours ago
Opening salvos will dictate Australian Super Rugby Pacific fortunes

Cheers KwAussie, it’s been a busy summer, but February is here and there’s rugby to watch everywhere!

Fair observations about the Tahs, I can imagine they’ll be wanting the start well to show that they can move on from the training stink and prove things are very different. But, as you allude, start a bit shaky, and the questions will keep being asked..



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S
SB 4 hours ago
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Clarke and Sotutu should be higher in the list.

1 Go to comments
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