2024-2025 JRLO Round 8 Preview

Our 2024-2025 JRLO Round 8 Preview games played from February 15-16 in Japan across all three Japan Rugby League One divisions.

Feature Photo – Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo

Results Round 7

Division 1

Division 2

• Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi 47-25 Shimizu Koto Blue Sharks

Division 3

• Kyushu Electric Power Kyuden Voltex 27-20 Red Hurricanes Osaka

Division One JRLO 2024-2025 – Round 8 Fixtures

Saturday 15 February 2025 – All times shown are Japan local time.

• Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo v Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath; at Tokyo, 2.05pm
• Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay v Kobelco Kobe Steelers; at Tokyo, 2.30pm
• Toyota Verblitz v Shizuoka Blue Revs; at Gifu, 2.30pm
• Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo v Urayasu D-Rocks; at Tokyo, 2.30pm

The weekend starts with the Fuchu derby and bragging rights for the western side of Tokyo, as Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath and Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo battle it out on Saturday. The hosts and defending champions Brave Lupus won all three fixtures last season and come into this match in second place on the log and eight points above Sungoliath who are 7th. Sungoliath have not last their past 4 matches this season and are bolstered by the return from injury of Sam Cane but both Cheslin Kolbe and Wallaby backrower Sean McMahon are out.

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo-Bay host Kobelco Kobe Steelers with the 3rd placed Spears looking to keep the pressure on the frontrunners and Frans Ludeke’s side will be buoyed by the good win last week over Yokohama Canon Eagles, and the return of flyhalf Bernard Foley who has missed the last two rounds.

The Blue Revs returned to winning ways last week and head to Toyota Verblitz where head coach Steve Hansen has selected former Wallaby skipper Michael Hooper to start in his traditional flank role. The whole side will need to perform to add just a second win from 8 games this season.

Bottom-placed Urayasu D-Rocks head to face the Black Rams in the final Saturday game as both sides will look ahead to try and avoid the relegation-promotion battle at the end of the regular season. The D-Rocks secured their debut win of this season last week and currently have 4 log points with the Rams only having 1 point more.

Sunday 16 February 2025 – All times shown are Japan local time.

• Mie Honda Heat v Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars; at Mie, 12pm
• Yokohama Canon Eagles v Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights; at Tokyo, 2.30pm

Third from bottom Mie Honda Heat who handed Urayasu their first season win have now lost 5 in a row and will host Dynaboars on Sunday. The visitors are 8th on the log.

The final game sees Yokohama Canon Eagles host the table-topping Wild Knights and the visitors have had the upper hand in this matchup since 2013 and Robbie Deans won’t be keen for his side to let go of the 16-match winning streak since then and keep control as the seasons’s front-runners.

Brief highlights of all JRLO matches will be available here.

Division 2 JRLO 2024-2025 – Round 6 Fixtures

Saturday 15 February 2025 – All times shown are Japan local time.

• Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi v Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves; at Aichi, 12pm

In the only Division 2 match this weekend, Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi host Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves and both sides are looking to improve their positions – a Shuttles win will see them reach the Division summit and history is on their side as they have won all 4 previous encounters. A Nippon Steel Kamaishi Seawaves winn will lift them from the bottom of the log.

Division 3 JRLO 2024-2025 – Round 6 Fixtures

Saturday 15 February 2025 – All times shown are Japan local time.

• Sayama Secom Rugguts v Kurita Water Gush Akishima; at Tochigi, 1pm
• Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima v Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions; at Hiroshima, 1pm

Chase Tiatia will be looking to add to his seven-try haul so far this season as his Sayama Secom Rugguts host Kurita Water Gush Akishima – the last time the sides met, Rugguts they beat Water Gush Akishima 24-15. The visiting Wycliff Palu-coached Water Gush are in third place on the log – just behind their rivals on Saturday.

Division Three leaders Mazda SkyActivs are targeting a sixth win this season and hoping to win the second of this season’s Hiroshima derby as they host Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions. The hosts won the last match between the two with a big 61-26 opening-day win.

Sunday 16 February 2025 – All times shown are Japan local time.

• Yakult Levins Toda v LeRIRO Fukuoka; at Gunma, 12pm

LeRIRO Fukuoka travels to fellow newcomers Yakult Levins Toda but it’s the visitors who have yet to get a win this season. The two sides occupy the bottom two places in the Division.

How To Watch JRLO 2024-2025

This is what has been confirmed so far for streaming services of the JRLO 2024-2025 season:

• Japanese-based broadcasters are listed as showing select matches.
• One match per round will be shown on RugbyPass (this weekend it’s the Yokohama Canon Eagles v Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights on Sunday).
• Matches can be seen in Taiwan via ELTA TV with one match per round.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, ESPN Africa will show two games a week, both live and on-demand.

The full fixture list for this JRLO season can be seen here.

Japan Rugby League One News

• 2024-2025 JRLO Round 6 Preview.
• 2024-2025 JRLO Round 5 Preview.
• JRLO Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars and English Premiership Leicester Tigers Sign 2025 Performance Partnership
• Fans Guide To The NTT Japan Rugby League One 2024-25 Season.