"Aaron Smith, Cheslin Kolbe" - Japan Rugby League One: Overseas Players from each team for 2024/25 Season
Rugby NewsThursday, 19 December 2024 at 16:02
Japan Rugby League One returns this weekend, with some of the world's top international stars returning to their clubs in the Far East. The league is decorated with an assortment of All Blacks, Springboks, Wallabies and former stars of the Home Nations, with Round One getting underway as Mie Honda Heat take on Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo.
We have compiled a shortlist of players that stand out from each of the JRLO sides, that rugby fans can keep an eye on as the league returns from early Saturday morning (UK time). There is plenty of firepower in the top division, with an eclectic list of Rugby World Cup winners amongst the Test match stars set to take centre stage across Japan this weekend.
Two fixtures from each round of JRLO action can be watched in the UK through World Rugby's RugbyPass TV, however you will have to set your alarms thanks to the time zone differences. Rugby fans can cast their minds back to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, for the 03:00am wake-up calls to watch the early kick offs from the tournament.
Division One Fixtures: Japan Rugby League One (Kick Offs in UK Time)
Saturday, December 21
- Mie Honda Heat v Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo; at Suzuka, 3:10am GMT
- Shizuoka Blue Revs v Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Shizuoka, 5:00am GMT
- Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath v Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights; at Tokyo, 5:30am GMT
Sunday, December 22
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars v Urayasu D-Rocks; at Kanagawa, 5:30am GMT
- Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay v Toyota Verblitz; at Tokyo, 5:30am GMT
- Yokohama Canon Eagles v Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo; at Kanagawa, 5:30am GMT
CONFERENCE A
SHIZUOKA BLUE REVS
Kwagga Smith (South Africa - Back Row)
Simon Miller (South Africa - Back Row)
Sam Greene (Australia - Back Row)
Charles Piutau (Ex-New Zealand / Tonga - Fullback)
KOBELCO KOBE STEELERS
Brodie Retallick (New Zealand - Lock)
Ngani Laumape (New Zealand - Centre)
George Turner (Scotland - Hooker)
URAYASA D-ROCKS
Samu Kerevi (Australia - Centre)
Jasper Weise (South Africa - Back Row)
Otere Black (New Zealand - Fly Half)
Israel Folau (Ex Australia / Tonga - Fullback)
TOSHIBA BRAVE LUPUS TOKYO
Richie Mo'unga (New Zealand - Fly Half)
Shannon Frizzell (New Zealand - Back Row)
Seta Tamanivalu (Fiji - Centre)
Michael Collins (New Zealand - Centre)
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES SAGMIHARA DYNABOARS
Curtis Rona (Australia - Centre)
Walt Steenkamp (South Africa - Lock)
Jack Stratton (New Zealand - Scrum Half)
Matt Vaega (New Zealand - Centre)
YOKOHOMA CANON EAGLES
Faf de Klerk (South Africa - Scrum Half)
Jesse Kriel (South Africa - Centre)
Brendan Owens (South Africa - Fullback)
Matt Phillip (Australia - Lock)
Cormac Daly (Ireland - Lock)
CONTINUES ON PAGE 2
CONFERENCE B
MIE HONDA HEAT
Franco Mostert (South Africa - Lock)
Pablo Matera (Argentina - Back Row)
Tom Banks (Australia - Wing/Fullback)
Tevita Li (New Zealand - Wing)
Manu Vunipola (England - Fly Half)
RICOH BLACK RAMS
TJ Perenara (New Zealand - Scrum Half)
Paddy Ryan (Australia - Prop)
Liam Gill (Australia - Back Row)
Lulu Paea (Australia - Hooker)
TOKYO SUNTORY SUNGOLIATH
Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa - Wing)
Sam Cane (New Zealand - Back Row)
Sean McMahon (Australia - Back Row)
Isaiah Punivai (New Zealand - Centre)
Tamati Ioane (Australia - Back Row)
Sam Jeffries (Australia - Lock)
SAITAMA PANASONIC WILD KNIGHTS
Damian de Allende (South Africa - Centre)
Lood de Jager (South Africa - Lock)
Marika Koroibete (Australia - Wing)
Liam Mitchell (New Zealand - Lock)
Lachlan Boshier (New Zealand - Back Row)
KUBOTA SPEARS FUNABASHI TOKYO BAY
Malcolm Marx (South Africa - Hooker)
Bernard Foley (Australia - Fullback / Fly Half)
Bryn Hall (New Zealand - Scrum Half)
Rikus Pretorius (South Africa - Centre)
TOKYO VERBLITZ
Aaron Smith (New Zealand - Scrum Half)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa - Back Row)
Richie Gray (Scotland - Lock)
Josh Dickson (Australia - Lock)
Tiaan Falcon (New Zealand - Fly Half)
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