Hotshot Cheslin Kolbe claims Bok first in Japan Rugby League One

Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe’s routine 65th-minute penalty goal during last Sunday’s 39-22 win for Tokyo Sungoliath over BlackRams Tokyo was more significant than he probably realised, as it resulted in the South African becoming the fifth different top point-scorer across the five regular seasons of Japan Rugby League One.

The goal allowed the Sungoliath star to pip the BlackRams’ impressive fly-half Ichigo Nakakusu by a point, with Kolbe
returning 185 points from 16 appearances; a tally which included nine tries.

In taking top spot, Kolbe joined the Saitama Wild Knights’ Kyohei Yamasawa, Kobelco Kobe Steelers’ Bryn Gatland, Kubota
Spears’ Bernard Foley and Sungoliath’s Damien McKenzie as the leading regular season point-scorers across League One’s
five editions.

Yamasawa collected 209 points from 16 outings last term to deny Gatland – who finished second – the honour of going
back-to-back, while also becoming the first Japanese to head the standings.

A former Super Rugby fly-half with each of the (Auckland) Blues, (Waikato) Chiefs and (Otago) Highlanders, Gatland was
top dog during League One’s third edition, picking up 217 points, which bettered the mark set by his New South Wales
Waratahs’ counterpart Foley, who gathered 173 points during his side’s championship-winning run in season two.

All Blacks’ utility back McKenzie contributed 191 points during his Japanese sabbatical in the competition’s maiden season.

While Kolbe’s work thus far has taken his career statistic to an impressive 271 points in 30 games for the Fuchu-based
club, he still has at least one opportunity to add to his tally this season, as Sungoliath face BlackRams Tokyo in the first
weekend of the finals on May 23.

Foley, who has scored 170 points in the current campaign and will also get his chance to add more in a May 24 play-off

JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE

Leading points scorers – Division One (2025/26 regular season)

1. Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath) 185 (16 apps)
2. Ichigo Nakakusu (BlackRams Tokyo) 184 (18 apps)
3. Bernard Foley (Kubota Spears) 170 (17 apps)
4. Takuya Yamasawa (Saitama Wild Knights) 167 (16 apps)
5. Rikiya Matsuda (Toyota Verblitz) 140 (16 apps)
6. Richie Mo’unga (Toshiba Brave Lupus) 123 (17 apps)