Japan Rugby League One bring in more Boks
Japan Rugby League One kicks off in Tokyo on Saturday with several of the heavy hitters squaring off to start the new season.
Defending Champions, the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights host Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, while Sunday’s matches are highlighted by the clash between two of last season’s top four; beaten finalists Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath and semi-finalists Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay.
Springboks stars Faf De Klerk, Marcell Coetzee, Pieter Steph du Toit, and Damian de Allende – and South African midfield Burger Odendaal and SP Marais – are some of the names that will be in action this weekend.
The first fixture on Saturday sees the Black Rams meet the newly promoted Dynaboars hoping for a jump start to the new campaign.
Coached by the former NSW Waratahs wing Peter Hewat, the Tokyo-based outfit has recruited shrewdly in the off-season, picking up former Wales international midfielder Hadleigh Parkes from Saitama, as well as second row Josh Goodhue from the (Auckland) Blues.
Back in Section One after promotion last season, the Dynaboars return sporting a fresh look.
The well-travelled Glenn Delaney heads up the new coaching team, bringing with him experience from New Zealand’s NPC and Super Rugby, as well as the United Rugby Championship, from his time in Wales.
The 59-test former Wallaby Matt To’omua also has knowledge from both hemispheres, with the clubs’ prize recruit previously on the rosters of the Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels as well as the Leicester Tigers.
Verblitz begins the campaign chasing at least a semi-final return after a below-par debut in Japan Rugby League One saw them miss out by seven log points while finishing fifth.
Director of Rugby Steve Hansen has been forced to reassemble his coaching team ahead of the new season after head coach Simon Cron departed to take over the Western Force in Super Rugby.
Verblitz has gone to New Zealand for his replacement, picking up former Otago NPC coach Ben Herring, who also brings experience from Major League Rugby in the United States.
Verblitz is resting Wille le Roux, fellow South African Pieter Steph du Toit faces a teammate from the recent Springbok tour, with loose forward Kwagga Smith the new co-captain of the Blue Revs.
The defending champions will field a settled line-up as they welcome fellow semi-finalists Brave Lupus Tokyo, with the main changes coming in the international ranks, where midfielder Damien de Allende has returned to the club, while fellow South African Lood de Jager has replaced Englishman George Kruis in the squad, although he will miss the opening day due to injury.
As well as the two Springboks, the Wild Knights were well represented on the recent Japan tour, with seven players returning, as will the previously injured Brave Blossoms flyhalf, Rikiya Matsuda, who is back after having missed the end of the last competition as well as Japan’s November internationals.
One player who skipped the November tests to be fresh for the new campaign is star winger Marika Koroibete, who terrorised international defences midyear wearing the Wallaby jersey, after having done the same earlier in 2022 during his debut season for the Wild Knights.
Having worked on the finer details of his game with Wild Knights mentor Robbie Deans, expect the Fijian-born wing to be even more damaging in his second season, which is bad news for a Brave Lupus outfit that finished fourth last term, and led the eventual champions at Kumagaya before being over-run in the second half.
Todd Blackadder has added South African midfielder Burger Odendaal from Wasps but will largely rely on the same squad that last season won 11 matches.
On Sunday, the man of all seasons (and teams) Michael Cheika gets his next project underway as the Green Rockets host the Osaka-based Liners.
The Argentina and Lebanon (rugby league) coach has been planning from afar wearing his Green Rockets’ Director of Rugby hat, but a training game win over an albeit development Saitama outfit offers hope, while the playing resources have been boosted by the arrival of the 72-test Wallaby scrumhalf Nick Phipps from London Irish, alongside the widely travelled wing Taqele Naiyaravoro.
Very much a ‘citizen of the world’, the burly Fijian wing returns to Japan having previously appeared for the Wild Knights, alongside stints with the Waratahs, Glasgow Warriors, and Northampton Saints, as well as two tests for a Cheika-coached Wallabies side.
The acquisition of the pair adds to a core of experience up front which centres around former Wales Grand Slam-winning second-row Jake Ball, and the Maori All Black representatives, hooker Ash Dixon and backrow Whetukamokamo Douglas.
Kintetsu return to the top section as Division Two champions but will be without Wallaby star Quade Cooper for at least the first part of the campaign, after the flyhalf injured his Achilles during Australia’s opening test of this year’s Rugby Championship in Argentina.
His absence will be covered by former Hurricanes’ flyhalf Jackson Garden Bachop, while the 26-cap former Scotland lock Ben Turis bolsters the tight five.
Last year’s beaten finals Tokyo Sungoliath host the third-placed Kubota Spears with both sides looking for fast starts to reinforce their claims as championship contenders.
The teams are advantaged by settled squads with the big change at Sungoliath seeing the departure of the competition’s top point-scorer from last season, All Black Damien McKenzie, who has returned to Super Rugby in New Zealand. He has been replaced by fellow All Black Aaron Cruden who transferred from Kobe.
The Spears’ charge is led by the world’s best hooker, Springbok Malcolm Marx, who can expect good support again from Wallaby flyhalf Bernard Foley and All Black midfielder Ryan Crotty.
Last season, Frans Ludeke’s men finished third after having their title aspirations ended in the semi-finals for the season straight year.
Although the Spears’ need to make an early statement is probably greater, Sungoliath have been their ‘kryptonite’ in recent years, with Kubota not having beaten Suntory since they returned to the premier section in 2015. Their eight straight defeats include two semi-finals.
Sixth (Canon) meets seventh (Kobe) from last season’s ladder, as both look to put the frustration of last term in the rear-view mirror, by beginning the new campaign on a bright note.
Although they won 10 matches and matched their previous best placing, the Eagles fluffed their lines at the end when a maiden semi-final appearance was a possibility. Even so, the move to Yokohama worked out well, with the team warmly received in its first year at their new base, while the playing roster continues to improve, firmly establishing the Eagles as a contender.
Springbok and Sale halfback Faf de Klerk is the biggest off-season prize, joining fellow South Africans centre Jesse Kriel, and goal-kicking whiz SP Marais as key figures. Marais, who only took up kicking duties last term after Brave Blossoms’ veteran Yu Tamura was injured, clocked a 92 percent success rate.
Kobe, who won the Top League in 2019, have brought in All Black midfielder Ngane Laumape from Stade Francais (Paris) to strengthen their backline threat.
Cruden’s move to Sungoliath clears the way for boom youngster Seungsin Lee to run the cutter from flyhalf, having made a big splash this year for Japan.
To help manage the 21-year-old’s workload, head coach Nick Holten has brought in the well-performed Beauden Waaka, who excelled for Taranaki in New Zealand’s NPC, as well as for the New England Freejacks in Major League Rugby.
Former Sharks, Ulster and Bulls backrow Marcel Coetzee is another notable signing while ex-rugby league wing Sione Tapuosi, who played for each of the Canberra Raiders and the Parramatta Eels in Australia’s NRL, is a potentially exciting addition.
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
8 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
8 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
8 Go to comments