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The league behind many of the world's best rugby players is expanding

Jesse Kriel of South Africa celebrates after scoring their first try during the Summer Rugby International match between South Africa and Wales at Twickenham Stadium on June 22, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Japan Rugby League One chairman Genichi Tamatsuka says his league is the ‘perfect preparation’ for elite international rugby on the back of an intense summer of rugby in the Rugby Championship and Pacific Nations Cup.

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The league is set to expand the number of teams competing across its three divisions in the coming season, which starts in December.

The league, perhaps unfairly, is viewed by some as a softer option for players seeking lucrative deals in a less physically demanding league, but Tamatsuka suggests it’s the league is helping the world’s best players hit their peak.

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    The performance of JRL1 like Mie Heat backrower Pablo Matera was one of example of how the league is prepping the world’s best rugby athletes. Matera delivered an exceptional display in Argentina’s historic 38-30 victory over the All Blacks in Wellington this August.  The seasoned loose forward was a dominant force in the Rugby Championship opener, fresh off celebrating his 100th test appearance in a win over France.

    Tamatsuka also highlighted the success of the large South African contingent in Japan Rugby League One. Seven members of the Springbok squad that secured thrilling back-to-back wins over New Zealand in Johannesburg and Cape Town are set to join the league next season. Meanwhile, key figures like Yokohama Eagles scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, Saitama Wild Knights second-rower Lood de Jager, and Mie Heat’s Francois Mostert were sidelined due to injury but remain integral to the league’s future.

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    “The performance of the players is evidence of how the rising level of club play in Japan is providing perfect preparation for test players of all countries,” Tamatsuka explained. “Clubs in Japan Rugby League One are exceptional in how they manage their players physically while the competition schedule, which includes bye rounds, ensures the players are at their best for their clubs, but also ready to go when their countries’ call.”

    Indeed the 2023 Rugby World Cup final saw 12 of the 30 players who started the match later play in subsequent Japan Rugby League One season.

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    Several key Springboks players, including Tokyo Sungoliath winger Cheslin Kolbe, Eagles centre Jesse Kriel, Wild Knights centre Damien de Allende, Toyota Verblitz backrower Pieter-Steph du Toit, Shizuoka Blue Revs backrower Kwagga Smith, Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay hooker Malcolm Marx, and upcoming Uryasu D-Rocks backrower Jasper Wiese, featured in South Africa’s recent back-to-back victories over the All Blacks.

    Beyond South Africa, the league has representation in other major international teams. Wild Knights winger Marika Koroibete is the sole Japan-based Wallaby, while All Blacks utility back Beauden Barrett (Verblitz) and backrower Ardie Savea (Kobelco Kobe Steelers) played last season. Former New Zealand captain Sam Cane is set to rejoin Sungoliath for the 2024-25 season, and scrumhalf TJ Perenara will link up with Black Rams Tokyo.

    The league’s influence extends beyond the Rugby Championship. Shimizu Blue Sharks backrower Murphy Taramai scored on his debut in Samoa’s win over Italy, while Kamaishi Seawaves second-rower Benjamin Nee Nee is also part of the Samoan squad, set to face Japan in the Pacific Nations Cup semi-finals.

    “The quality of these players, their career achievements, and on-going hunger to perform are all things which excite fans in Japan.

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    “It is helping to lift the league’s playing standard, but also bringing more people with no previous background in rugby into our stadiums,” Tamatsuka enthused. “We saw that in this year’s final between champions Brave Lupus Tokyo and the Wild Knights, which attracted 57,000 people to the National Stadium, an increase of 13,000 on last year.

    “That game, which featured some of the world’s best players, was so exciting, being won by Brave Lupus in the last moments, that hopefully many of those who came along will come back for more.”

    Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms have entered the Pacific Nations Cup following a series split with the Maori All Blacks.

    “A lot of the players are young and are learning, but you can see the benefit they are getting from the higher level of play in the league, as well as the teachings of the illustrious club coaches, and international stars that they play alongside in their teams,” Tamatsuka said. “With a coach of such skill and experience as Eddie has, and his understanding of Japanese players, the future for the Brave Blossoms is bright, and League One will continue to help drive that.”

    While many professional club leagues worldwide are shrinking in size opportunities for Japanese players to compete against top talent are increasing as the league welcomes three new participants. Twelve teams will compete in Division One for the new season with Division Two expanding to eight teams and six teams forming the third tier. SECOM RUGGUTs from Saitama, Yakult Levins from Toda, and LeRIRO Fukuoka will join the competition in Division Three with ambitions to rise through the ranks.

    “The interest in entering the league from clubs in Japan went well beyond the three who have,” Chief Operating Officer Hajime Shoji said. “They are the clubs who best met our strict criteria to enter but there is certainly plenty of potential for further growth in the future.”

    The fourth edition of Japan Rugby League One kicks off on December 21. The competition, which will this season feature a six-team playoffs series, runs through to the final in Tokyo on June 1.

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    Comments

    5 Comments
    M
    Md1991 200 days ago

    I wonder if the Japanese club rugby model would work in Australia… get a good strong domestic competition, even if it’s packed with imported players, might actually help the game.

    J
    JW 202 days ago

    Great to see Japan is getting some diversity away from Tokyo, no doubt that was one of the key requirements though.


    I can see Japanese people jumping on board rugby and adopting it's participation mantra. It will put the squeeze on the number of C2 and 3 players but that will be a good thing as well. No doubt the lower leagues will still look for that next level talent that, like the French leagues, the JRLO is known for.

    B
    Bull Shark 202 days ago

    Japan’s league will rival Europe. They have the audience 100mil people and the economy to make it pop.

    B
    BE 202 days ago

    I would love to see a pacific champions cup equivalent with these teams playing the super rugby teams.

    b
    by 202 days ago

    Japan rugby could soon become a powerhouse as these brilliant players pass on their skills.

    J
    JWH 202 days ago

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    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Razor has an about turn on All Blacks eligibility rules

    Yep, another problem!


    I think he would have, in the instance I mentioned, which wasn’t changing anything other than correctly applying todays eligibility quidelines. Which is an arbitrary construct, as the deal likely would have played out completely differently, but I just ‘allowed’ him to have 1 year sabbatically for his ‘loyalty’, rather than having some arbitrary number like 70 caps required.


    So if Richie had a 3 year deal, and the first year he was allowed to use him still, I don’t think he’d really not transition to Dmac being his main 10, as he’s obviously the only one he can use for the following two years, therefore likely his only real option for the WC (very hard for Richie to overtake him in such a short time). Richie would purely be a security net in a situation like I proposition where there are only small changes to the eligibility.


    The system is not working well enough though, as we don’t have the Rugby Championship or World Cup trophies, do we? Well on that last question, that’s all I’m really saying but I would not believe a word this author says, so it’s entirely a ‘what if’ discussion, but if the author is right and now they are actually going to be more flexible, I think that’s great yeah. Ultimately thought I think those two players were an anomaly signing their contracts and futures up so far ahead, especially of when they were performing. Both jumped at the opportunity of good contracts when their All Black prospects weren’t looking that bright.

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