JRLO 2023-2024 Round 12 Preview

The Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) Round 12 fixtures see Division 1 and 3 teams in action from 6-7 April 2024.

Division One JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 12 Fixtures

Saturday 6th April 2024

Yokohama Canon Eagles are fifth and the Eagles would overtake Kobe if they can beat Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo for the fourth time in-a-row on Saturday.

Blue Revs are unlikely to be in the semi-final discussions and face Mie Honda Heat at home on Saturday and will hope to extend their winning run over them to 13 straight matches.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars face a tough challenge as they take on runaway leaders Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights away from home.  Over the last three encounters, the visitors have conceded 182 points and 27 tries against the former champions.

The Wild Knights will officially confirm their semifinal ticket with a win – which would be their 12th of the campaign.

Toyota Verbitz need to close the gap on the teams above them and a win over the struggling Hanazono Kintetsu Liners on Saturday would help do that. The visitors have not recorded a win over Toyota in a decade, so the odds are not in their favour.

Although Toyota is without Beauden Barrett who is suspended after last week’s red card, Kintetsu’s Quade Cooper will need to be at his best to try to secure an unlikely win for the visitors but he won’t have Will Genia to help him this weekend, while Aaron Smith will help pull the strings for the home side.

• Ricoh Black Rams Tokyo v Yokohama Canon Eagles; at Tokyo, 1pm
• Shizuoka Blue Revs v Mie Honda Heat; at Shizuoka, 2pm
• Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights v Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Sagamihara Dynaboars; at Kumagaya, 2.30pm
• Toyota Verblitz v Hanazono Kintetsu Liners; at Gifu, 2.40pm

Sunday 7th April 2024

Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay need the win as they host Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo on Sunday, and a defeat would probably end their chances of making the playoffs and defending their title, while Toshiba would be well pleased to knock them out of the running.

The Toshiba flyhalf Richie Mo’unga, who sits third on the individual point-scoring charts with 119 in the JRLO Division 1 this season, is the main driver for them to reach the semifinals. His goal-kicking has been accurate but it’s his try assists which have been key as he has created more tries in the league than any other player (12 assists) and has scored three himself.

Dave Rennie’s Kobelco Kobe Steelers face Sungoliath who are one place higher on the log, but the Kobe side has not had a win over them in a run of four matches.

• Kobelco Kobe Steelers v Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath; at Hyogo, 2.30pm
• Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay v Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo; at Tokyo, 2.30pm

Brief highlights of all JRLO matches will be available here.

All times shown are Japan local time.

Division 2 JRLO 2023-2024

With the regular season title decided following Urayasu D-Rocks win last week, Division Two teams are on a break. The top three finishers will play in a round-robin ‘grading’ series, to determine their order for games against the bottom three finishers from Division One in the Replacement Battle.

The bottom three also playoff, with the lowest-ranked side to face Division Three’s third-placed finisher in another promotion/relegation series.

The Placement round begins on April 20 and is held over three weeks, before the two-legged Replacement Battle kicks off on May 18, 2024.

Division 3 JRLO 2023-2024 – Round 12 Fixtures

Hino Red Dolphins’ surprise 26-26 draw in Hiroshima last week means the Division Three race might head to the final weekend.

Red Dolphins need to win one of their remaining three games to guarantee the title, but Blue Sharks are still chasing and need to claim maximum point wins in each of their last three fixtures, the third of which is against Hino on the final weekend.

The Blue Sharks head to Kurita Water Gush Akishima on Sunday.

Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima are in the sole qualifying position for the Replacement Battle,  but Kurita Water Gush Akishima are only two points behind on the ladder and have a game in hand. On Saturday, SkyActivs face Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions.

Division Three continues until May 4 – the top two sides Hino (and probably Shimizu) will receive automatic promotion because of next year’s league expansion, as Division Two increased to eight teams, while three new entries join Division Three in the 2024-2025 season.

Saturday 6th April 2024

• Mazda SkyActivs Hiroshima v Chugoku Electric Power Red Regulions; at Hiroshima, 2.30pm

Sunday 7th April 2024

• Kurita Water Gush Akishima v Shimizu Corporation Koto Blue Sharks; at Tokyo, 1pm

How To Watch JRLO

Matches from the JRLO can be seen in Africa on ESPN Africa, as well as in New Zealand via TVNZ, and in some regions on World Rugby’s global rugbypass.com website.

At the start of 2024, the Japan Rugby League One also announced to fans in Asia that they will be able to watch on Malaysian TV streaming provider, Astro, with matches on Astro SuperSport channel!

From this weekend (22nd March 2024), some fixtures will also now be streamed on RugbyPassTV but won’t be available in certain territories.

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

Japan Rugby League One 2023-2024

• JRLO 2023-2024 Round 11 Preview.
• JRLO 2023-2024 Round 10 Preview.
• Ardie Savea – Playing Rugby In The JRLO Has Been A Blessing.
• Rugby Life At JRLO Side Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay – Bernard Foley, Dane Coles & Liam Williams.