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Round 12 of the Japan Rugby League One in Division 1 sees the five games played on Saturday with fixtures getting underway with struggling Mie Honda Heat hosting bottom-placed Urayasu D-Rocks at Suzuka but the match of the round is probably between last year's finalists, winners Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and former champions Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights. The only match on Sunday sees Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath face Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
Round 12 of the Japan Rugby League One in Division 1 sees the five games played on Saturday with fixtures getting underway with struggling Mie Honda Heat hosting bottom-placed Urayasu D-Rocks at Suzuka but the match of the round is probably between last year's finalists, winners Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and former champions Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights. The only match on Sunday sees Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath face Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
The weekend also sees player names featured on the back of jerseys in Japan Rugby League One and broader broadcast coverage with more games being shown in the UK and Ireland.
Mie Honda Heat have shipped a combined 91 points in their last two losses in a row, but the Urayasu D-Rocks have only a single win this season which was against their rivals this weekend but they are also missing Jasper Wiese and wing Caleb Cavubati due to injury and as reported before - injured full-back Folau is out for the season.
Third-placed Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay host Yokohama Canon Eagles at Spears Edoriku Field in Western Tokyo, a venue at which Kubota have won their last 21 matches! A win against the Eagles and the result between the top two sides could see them climb the ladder by the close of the weekend. Last time out, Frans Ludeke’s side overturned a 22-0 deficit in the final 35 minutes against Urayasu D-Rocks to win the game, Malcolm Marx came off the bench and won the player of the match dotting down his 29th try from 38 appearances.
When the Eagles last played the Spears, it was the latter who ran out 30-22 winners in a game marked by winger Haratoa Vailea's hat trick of tries, and they come into this return fixture on the back of just one win in their previous five games.
Tabai Matson is in his maiden season coaching Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo in the Japan Rugby League One and the side has been building momentum as they aim for a play-off place but sit just outside in 8th currently. Led by former All Black scrumhalf TJ Perenara they will need to be on top of their game as they head to IAI Stadium Nihondaira to face the Shizuoka side who are an obvious threat and were victorious when the sides last met 32-24. This weekend will see new signing for Shizuoka, South African Sanele Nohamba, make his JRLO debut off the bench.
Glen Delaney’s coached Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars won last weekend in just their 4th victory this season with 24 points from centre Matt Vaega, including a hattrick of tries, stealing the show. The result saw Sagamihara hover above the relegation zone and their opponents this weekend, Toyota Verblitz, are the team just below them on the log. The last time they met, it was the Dynaboars who ran out 44-40 winners. Michael Hooper wears the captain's armband for the Steve Hansen-coached Verbitz side this weekend, and Joseph Manu & Richie Gray both are selected on the bench.
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo and Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights played out a 28-28 draw at Kumagaya and the matchup on Saturday again sees the two best JRLO teams try and get the best over one another and possibly go on to claim what would be a combined 13th title between them by the end of the season. The two sides occupy the two top spots in the league and both have only lost once since they played that thrilling draw, and both were defeated by Shizuoka Blue Revs.
Wild Knights and All Black flyhalf Richie Mo’unga added two tries (seven in total his season) during last weekend’s 33-22 win over Toyota Verblitz, while winger Jone Naikabula from the current champions Brave Lupus is on top of Division 1 try-scoring charts this season with 12.
It's not often the Robbie Deans outfit would be seen as a potential underdog, but their injury list sees the likes of fullback/flyhalf Takuya Yamasawa, Lachlan Boshier and Dylan Riley all missing.
Last weekend, despite the loss to the Dynaboars, it was the first time Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath could include the international trio of Cheslin Kolbe, Sam Cane and Sean McMahon together. Both Kolbe and Cane will start this weekend but the side has a tough run in the regular season coming up and will need to get wins against four of the current top five in their final seven games if they hope to make the play-offs.
Suntory are one place below Sunday’s opponents, fifth-placed Kobelco Kobe Steelers. Earlier in the season, Suntory won the Western Tokyo derby with a 31-29 win, which was their sixth in a row over Kobe and Dave Rennie will hope his Kobe side can end that run of losses and come into the weekend off their biggest win of the season which was against Mie Honda Heat. His side is now joint-top ranked for tries scored this season (57) in Division 1.
Division One (Japan times shown)
Saturday 22 March 2025
Mie Honda Heat v Urayasu D-Rocks; at Mie, 12pm
Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay v Yokohama Canon Eagles; at Tokyo, 2.30pm
Shizuoka Blue Revs v Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo; at Shizuoka, 2.30pm
Toyota Verblitz v Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars; at Gifu, 2.40pm
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo v Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights; at Tokyo, 3.05pm
Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath v Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Tokyo, 2.30pm
Sunday 23 March 2025
Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath v Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Tokyo, 2.30pm